How will Brexit affect my pet passport?

Here's our lowdown on how the pet passport scheme will change we we leave with no deal, what you need to do to prepare, and what EU officials have said about it…

If Britain leaves the EU without a deal in place next March, we would automatically become a “Third Country” in the eyes of Brussels.

The pet passport scheme will be voided if talks collapse and Britain leaves the EU in March without an agreement.

That means British cats and dogs located in Europe on 29 March 2019 would not be recognised by the EU Pet Passport scheme – even if they have not been chipped and tested for free movement.

A hard Brexit scenario would see pets only allowed to enter the continent if they had been blood tested and vaccinated against rabies three months earlier.

What do you need to do to take a pet to Europe?

If no deal is struck, animals travelling to the EU will need a rabies vaccination followed by a blood test.

The blood test must be done at least one month after the rabies jab and three months before the date of travel – meaning the whole process takes four months at the minimum.

Anyone who plans to take their pet to the EU from March 30 should therefore see a vet as soon as they can.

The total cost of the rabies jab, blood test and official paperwork could be as much as £200, according to experts.

What have the EU said about pet passports after Brexit?

In November 2017, EU negotiator Michel Barnier warned a Hard Brexit could see Britain removed from the EU’s pet passport scheme.

The scheme is used by 250,000 cats and dogs to the Continent on holiday each year.

Michael Barnier told a French newspaper “dogs and cats” would be affected by the Brexit vote as he advised all sides to prepare for the possibility that talks will fail to reach an agreement.

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