An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is needed to take your pet into the EU. This document is now used in place of the old style passports due to the UK leaving the EU. Pet passports from the UK are no longer valid for travel if you have one.
In this document, we will go through what to expect before and during your appointment with us for the issuing of your AHC. If you have any further questions about this, do not hesitate to contact the team.
If you would like to read the regulations for travel as per the government, please head to:
Before
When we get you booked in, it is important that you provide us with specific information about your travels. The following information is required:
Species of pet, i.e. Dog/Cat
Your animal’s name
The colour of your pet
Their microchip number (we can scan this during an appointment)
Date of your pet’s rabies vaccination (and proof of the vaccination)
The country that will be your first point of entry into the EU
The full name of the person travelling with your pet
During
When you arrive at Pickles, you will be greeted and asked to take a seat. A few steps will then be followed:
We will scan your pet’s microchip
We will clarify the information given in advance of the appointment (as outlined above)
We will perform a brief health check
The person travelling with the pet signs the document
We take a copy of the document and authorise this
We then hand the document over to you and take you through what you need to know for your trip!
Important information!
The AHC needs to be issued within 10 days of your travelling date, and more than 21 days after the rabies vaccination was given.
One certificate is valid for one return trip to the EU with up to four months onward travel while you are there. Once you return to the UK, the certificate is void.
Please bring the pet you are travelling with to the appointment, otherwise we will not be able to issue the certificate
If possible, please can the owner travelling with the pet be in attendance at the appointment. If this is not possible, please notify us in advance of your appointment.
If you hold an EU pet passport, you may not need to get an AHC issued. Please speak to a member of our team to clarify this.
When returning to the UK, your pet will need to be wormed within 5 days of returning, but more than 24 hours before.