Pet Passports - an important check for well travelled pets!

[Mel B]

Anyone who takes a pet away under the Pet Passport scheme should check that there is space in your pet's Pet Passports for the 'clinical examination' certification to be completed every time you return.

 

Romy, our cross staffie/greyhound, has been to mainland Europe and back 10 times now and there are 'lines' in the Ticks (VI) and Echinococcus (VII) treatment sections for 15 trips, but whoever designed the stupid passport make a right mess of it as it doesn't have enough lines in the 'Clinical Examination' section (IX) for that number of trips, just for 5!!! 8-)

 

The vets to date have got round this by instead utilising the next section 'Legalisation' (X) which is surplus to requirements normally and have entered their 'clinical examination' certification there instead, however, there are only 5 lines to this section too, so after 10 trips we're having to buy another passport for her. *-)

 

So if you have a well travelled dog or cat, check the 'clinical examination' section (IX) and see if you've still got space for the vet to complete it, if not, check if the 'Legalisation' section (X) has space in it for it to be used instead. For anyone who thinks that this isn't important, think again - every time we have returned to the UK this sections has been checked by the Pet Passport office at either the ferry or Eurotunnel terminals. :-|

 

Also, as some may already be aware, the Pet Passport scheme is going to be changed from January 2012, it isn't clear yet exactly what this will mean for those of us travelling to mainland Europe with our pets but my vet is checking it out for us as we've got a 'holiday' booked from February to March so I'll report back when I've got more info. :-D

 

[Robbie34]

The changes to the Pet Passport have already been announced and can be seen on the DEFRA website.

 

Briefly, from 1/01/2012 pets will be able to travel 21 days following the rabies vaccination, and no blood test is required. The Pets Passport will be issued straightaway. Returning from EU no tick treatment is required. Tapeworm treatment is under review, but it seems likely that if this is still needed it must be done between forty-eight hours and five days before travel. Of course, pets will still have to be micro chipped before having the rabies vaccination

[ike]

Thanks for that info MEL B. You're right, it is a badly designed document. I had wondered whether the authorities would accept using the legalisation section for the clinical exam. cert so it's good to know it's ok. Knowing my luck I'll come up against a jobsworth who says it's unacceptable! Having said that here have been times in the past where the vet didn't complete the clinical exam cert and we re-entered UK without problem but it's not worth taking the risk. Thank goodness the procedures are being changed. Life's difficult enough!

ike