Pet Passports Won't Work After No-Deal Brexit - Exclusive

29 January 2019, 09:51

Pet owners are being warned they won't be able to travel to Europe with their animals if there's a no deal Brexit.

The Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs has told LBC that additional regulations would be brought in, meaning the ‘pet passports’ currently in use won't work in their current state.

This is because we would legally become an ‘unlisted third country', so animals would be required to get a rabies blood tests done three months before travelling

That means someone going on holiday with their dog on the 1st April should have already seen their vet at the start of January to be allowed to travel.

Vets are warning that pet passports won't work in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Picture: LBC

A Defra spokeswoman said: "The Government is committed to achieving a deal with the EU. But in the event we do not reach an agreement, we have a duty as a responsible government to plan for every eventuality.

"To make sure your pet is able to travel from the UK to the EU after 29 March 2019, you should contact your vet at least four months before travelling to get the latest advice."

Pet Passports are the means to take your dog, cat or ferret on holiday to the EU from the UK.

Your pet needs to have had a microchip, rabies vaccination at some point in the past three years and dogs must have a worming tablet between one and five days before coming back into the UK. Then a blue EU-branded pet passport can be issued that allows for travel around the EU.