Good afternoon all,


First, I Apologise if this has been covered. I did check some recent threads but didn't see anything that answered this exactly, especially post Brexit. Ok, onto business. I would like to visit the UK this summer, since I haven't been back in a while, and was hoping to take along the dog. She has an EU pet passport (issued in the EU, not from pre-brexit UK), is registered in Switzerland, and has all her shots etc but no rabies titre test. I was going to drive through France and take the tunnel. From what I can gather I will need to take the dog to a vet in France and have them give her a worming pill before I am allowed entry? Is this all I need to do, or will I need the rabies titre test or some other health certificate? Any advice from people with post-brexit experience would be appreciated. Also, will there be problems in coming back? I only want to go for a week / ten days.



Thanks in advance!

No rabies shot and confirmation, no entry, sorry. Before the Tunnel gates, you have to go to the Animal office, and they check the passport, the worming and vet fit to travel signature, the microchip, but the Rabies shot and later proof of antibodies is absolutely necessary.

If you have an EU/CH pet passport then nothing has changed (apart from there is now a pet reception centre when leaving U.K.)

Working tablet can be giving in Switzerland. You have a long enough time window to do that. Titre test not needed. Has the dog got rabies vaccination - that is needed.

But you absolutely need Rabies jab and proof of antibodies.

No proof of antibodies (titre test) is required. Just rabies vax min 3 weeks before travel (if first jab) - as before. Nothing has changed for EU/CH pet passport holders.

Thank you for putting me right. Am used to looking at this t'other way round.

So Rabies shot essential, and in good time.

We have seen to many people being turned away at the Tunnel animal office, in tears, begging even- not knowing what to do next- so you must ensure EVERYTHING is in order.

No need to go to French vet if you travel directly to Tunnel. We get the worming done at our local vet the evening before, and set off early morning.

Have mentioned this elsewhere but if you have a good relationship with your vet they can stamp your pet passport ahead of time for the worms medication & then you write in the exact date closer to the time. We’ve done this several times previously & it saves a special trip to the vet & reduces stress ahead of travel.

Thanks for the information guys. I think some of the confusion has come from the difference between a UK pet passport and an EU/CH one? I guess most people have the UK based ones. Our situation is somewhat unique in that the dog has an EU passport that was not issued in the UK pre-brexit, but rather a current EU member state.



So, since she has her rabies jab and this is well documented, all we need is the worming. Is the animal control office easy enough to find before the tunnel? This will be the first time we've done the trip with the dog so I'm keen to know as much as possible to avoid any unnecessary stress.

Pet centre is well signposted in Calais. Easy peasy.

Thats not exactly correct...any vet will administer the worming tablet, you don't need to be on good terms with them, you cannot board a train or boat to the UK for at least 24 hours after the tablet is given and the travel has to be within 120 hours ( 5 days)....controls at the pet reception are now very much tighter ( they already were) they scrutinise every thing. Make sure you take your old pet passport with you incase there are any date queries. Why would you need the vet to 'pre stamp' the passport? Keep it legal....the only exception to this is if you have returned to the UK in the last few weeks in which case a vet will possibly stamp the passport without giving another tablet as they have life of 3 months. You can still travel with a UK/ EU passport provided it was issued to your pet before 1/1 2021...otherwise they are not accepted.

Of course any vet will issue a worms tablet - but not every vet will stamp the passport ahead of time. If I am at the vet already for another matter & know I am traveling with my pet in a few weeks I get the dog passport stamped/signed and then administer the tablet 24 to 48 hrs ahead of travel myself - and write the exact time/date in the pet passport. My vet is an hour round trip from home so this pragmatic arrangement saves us both time. If you think that’s illegal then that’s your prerogative.

Agreed - it’s a doddle. If you get to the toll booth to check in you have gone too far. It’s on the right hand sign as you drive towards checkin & as others highlight very well signposted. Cannot say we have ever spent more than 15 mins max

Fairly sure it is. The vet is stamping to say they’ve given the dog the required treatment. The way you are doing it there is nothing to stop you not actually giving the dog the tablet if you didn’t want to for some reason.

So you write the date in the passport..overwriting on a stamp?? Well, thats not just my prerogative that's blatantly illegal and somewhat dumb.

The OP was asking for information...rather give him the legal version than him getting stopped at Calais for some silly mistake....and the comeback on the Vet will be huge as it will be on you. So, don't get stroppy with me for giving advise you wish not to heed! As someone who has being doing the CH to UK via Calais route for 8 years with a couple of dogs and 4 to 5 times a year pre covid....I'd say I a little experience here wouldn't you?

It’s just advice - it’s up to the OP to absorb all the given info & decide what works for them. FWIW I can also guarantee I will exceed the speed limit at some point en route to/from Calais during the next journey. In addition I will most certainly come back with some ham or cheese sandwiches for the journey - heck I might go crazy and even have a ham/cheese & pickle combo. What can I say - I like to bend the rules from time to time.

You’re right but I’m hardly going to go to all that effort incl getting the required rabies jab plus paying all our vet bills every quarter and then not give the medicine to the dog. The vet actually suggested this compromise but no one is under any pressure to do the same. Our dog needs regular blood tests - the vet would soon see the dog wasn’t receiving their medication from the results. Hence my original comment - if you have a good relationship with your vet...

It is highly illegal and the Vet could be struck off. The vet also has to sign that the dog is fit to travel at the time of travel.

Put it down, problem solved!

Tom

oh I wish you could put some people down, for sure would make for a better world, and EF !

Indeed!!