Has anyone got a passport for their pet? if so how do you go about getting one and how do they work in terms of travelling abroad? thanks!

PM cooljules on here, I know he takes his dog abroad :)

1. The dog must be microchipped.

Most dogs that have come from rescues are microchipped to the rescue. This is not a problem when it comes to getting a Pets Passport, the chip as far as the scheme is concerned is purely to identify the dog, the chip number is entered into the passport. The dog is scanned before entering the UK and the chip is checked to make sure the number matches that in the passport. This is to stop people trying to smuggle a dog in on another dog's passport.

2. The dog must have a rabies vaccination.

3. 30 days later the dog must have a blood/titre test for rabies antibodies.

New vaccinations have been brought out recently, Quantum Rabies, being one where the blood test is taken 14 days after vaccination, so the 30 days is not set in stone.

4. Providing the titre test results come back positive your vet will then issue you with your Pets Passport. If the test is negative, the vaccination will have to be repeated again, however, this very rarely happens.

5. You can now leave the country BUT, this is very important, your dog will NOT be allowed back into the UK for 6 months from the date of the blood test.

6. Once the 6 month period from the date of the blood test has elapsed then you can come and go as you want. Most rabies vaccinations have to be boosted every 3 years now (some might still be 2). It is very IMPORTANT that you get your dog boosted in time to keep the Pets Passport valid, 1 day late and you'll have to go through the whole process above again! At the beginning of each year when I get our new calendar the vaccination due dates are written up on the calendar in large letters!

We travel to Calais by Eurotunnel because it only takes 35 minutes, the dogs and humans stay in the car together, mine tend to settle down really well on the train. I won't do the ferry because the trip is longer and I worry about leaving them in the car in the hold on their own. Call me a wimp! Eurotunnel have fenced dog excercise areas at their terminals so you can let your hound have a leg stretch before leaving.

We have never had the dogs' passports checked going to France on Eurotunnel although I understand that ferry companies do tend to check them.

To prepare for the return journey, the dogs have to see a vet in France (for argument's sake) to be deflead, wormed, health checked, the vet will also scan the chip. The products which are acceptable are Frontline and Frontline Combo and Drontal Plus, there are others but I know that these are definately ok. It is cheaper to buy Frontline in the local French chemist than at the vets so you can take it with you, my vet always asks me if I have the Frontline and Drontal with me. This appointment has to take place at least 24 hours before you travel, make sure the vet stamps and signs all 3 pages in the passport and check that dates and times are correct. The dog must enter the UK in the following 24 hours after the treatment. So our timetable is:

3pm - 4pm the day before leaving the dogs have their vet check.
The following day we travel to Calais, normally arriving at 8.30pm by which time we are into the 2nd 24 hours so we can go straight to the Pets check in at the Eurotunnel, dogs passports are checked and the dogs are scanned to check identification. This takes just a few minutes. Check in to Eurotunnel, coffee and slow down heart palpitations, the dogs are able to travel and there have been no hiccups, no matter how often you travel there is always a little apprehension as to whether something has been forgotten or whether the chip will be found!

A Couple of other things:

You can find a vet in the area you are going to beforehand if you wish, for France go to www.pagesjaunes.fr (click on the Union Jack if you prefer the website in English) and enter the fields to find a vet in the region you are going to. It is also adviseable to find out what, if any, canine diseases there are in the area and see how you can protect your dog before you go. You do get tick disease in most of France, the most effective way of protecting your dog against tick disease is to use Frontline or Frontline Combo. If using Frontline dogs should be treated every 4 weeks, if we are going to France for 2 weeks I always treat them 2 weeks before we leave the UK so that when they have their treatment before returning to the UK it is due anyway so that are not getting 2 doses of Frontline in less than 4 weeks.

Can I also stress that if your dog does get ill while abroad DO NOT wait until you get back to the UK to see a vet (some people have with fatal results). Tick fever is easily treated when symptoms (lethargy, off food) first present. Vet fees are also a lot cheaper than the UK.

I have pinched this from another forum i go on, it's a really comprehensive and well written.

BRILLIANT! thankyou!

Excellent information Adz. It's something we're thinking about for a year or two's time, we fancy travelling around Germany for a couple of weeks, so that's very useful.

there is one slight error with that long info. the window where you have to see a vet to come back between 48 and 24 hours before the ferry (in my case)

i always get my dog checked out in Germany, either berlin or cottbus, as that gives me plenty of time to drive back towards france..in berlin a 24 hour vet which is good. not expenisve at all for the treatment and inspection and i belive all the nasty frog vets near the tunnel and ferry place always charge sill high prices........i refuse to go, cos i hate the french full stop, cant stand em so refuse to give them my money.

oh each time i have taken arthur around europe, hes qiuet and sleepy for a couple of days, but i think he must pick up the local animal bug, but then hes fine......

getting wittmann done as soon as i can afford it, cant wait to take her to germany

Has anyone got a passport for their pet? if so how do you go about getting one and how do they work in terms of travelling abroad? thanks!

or why not just check the DEFRA website, thats why i did

there is one slight error with that long info. the window where you have to see a vet to come back between 48 and 24 hours before the ferry (in my case)

i always get my dog checked out in Germany, either berlin or cottbus, as that gives me plenty of time to drive back towards france..in berlin a 24 hour vet which is good. not expenisve at all for the treatment and inspection and i belive all the nasty frog vets near the tunnel and ferry place always charge sill high prices........i refuse to go, cos i hate the french full stop, cant stand em so refuse to give them my money.

oh each time i have taken arthur around europe, hes qiuet and sleepy for a couple of days, but i think he must pick up the local animal bug, but then hes fine......

getting wittmann done as soon as i can afford it, cant wait to take her to germany

Jules, your Berlin vet recommendation may come in very useful in the next year or two if we decide to take Jet!

Jules, your Berlin vet recommendation may come in very useful in the next year or two if we decide to take Jet!

Definately. I cannot wait to get back there, and if the dog's with us, so much the better!

Although not requiring the use of a passport we took the dogs to the Isle of Wight on a ferry for a weeks camping. We had no issues he could come on deck with us and everyone was ery helpful and thoughtful. I personally would be terrified though about them not being able to find the chip or something being wrong with the paperwork, i suppose the more you do it the better you get.

Definately. I cannot wait to get back there, and if the dog's with us, so much the better!

then take your dog to Ruegen............
http://www.julianhales.co.uk/images/07%20July%20German%20Trip/German%20sea%20side/IMGP0452.JPG

or berlin
http://www.julianhales.co.uk/images/07%20July%20German%20Trip/berlin%20sunday/IMGP0624.JPG

or dresden
http://www.julianhales.co.uk/images/07%20July%20German%20Trip/dresden/day_two/PICT1986.JPG

or cottbus
http://www.julianhales.co.uk/images/new%20found%20fotos/PICT1928.JPG


or poland...
http://www.julianhales.co.uk/images/07%20July%20German%20Trip/poland/day%202/PICT1876.JPG


i could go on with another 1000 fotos......

Although not requiring the use of a passport we took the dogs to the Isle of Wight on a ferry for a weeks camping. We had no issues he could come on deck with us and everyone was ery helpful and thoughtful. I personally would be terrified though about them not being able to find the chip or something being wrong with the paperwork, i suppose the more you do it the better you get.

i had something go wrong due to the pet passport the last time i went with arthur........sorted a few hours later when the frogs called DEFRA

Jules, your Berlin vet recommendation may come in very useful in the next year or two if we decide to take Jet!

that vet i saw, refuesd to sign the tierpass to say arthur was healthy enough to travel, he said arthurs heart is very very bad but i explained i knew that and he had just spent a month all over germany having a good time and if he droped dead he would have died with me, on holiday having fun and he made the 900 mile drive ok on the way, and if arthur couldnt go back to england then neither would i....he understood that i knew the risks and agreed that better to die happy rather than left at home missing me for a month.

arthur did nothing but swim, run at campsites or at friends places for the month, germans like dogs, so do the poles...and lots of dog friendly places.

WOW at those photos Jules :love:

Jet is going to love it! Berlin rates as my favourite holiday I've ever been on, so add my beloved doggy to the mix and I'd be in heaven. Maybe Ock and I should just stay there?? :D Better then Sheffield!

WOW at those photos Jules :love:

Jet is going to love it! Berlin rates as my favourite holiday I've ever been on, so add my beloved doggy to the mix and I'd be in heaven. Maybe Ock and I should just stay there?? :D Better then Sheffield!

i like berlin a lot, but so much prefer dresden, i just love that city adn arthur does too. he would swim in the river elbe everyday and walk in the countryside, proper german meat and always made welcome.

ruegen on the ostsee is the germans version of blackpool, but with clean water, and no drunken idiots.....loverly campsites there. easy to get too. dog beaches too. just be prepared to see lots of naked germans walking past....young and old...took some getting used too!

Eeeeek naked Germans! Hopefully make me look good in comparison though :lol:

We were going to nip out to Dresden whilst we were there but simply didn't have time. Ock went on his own a few years ago though, and I'm think he went then. Jet loves the beach, and camping, We'd be well away. We were looking at a proerty magazine whilst abroad three weeks ago and it's so cheap. I'd love to move away from England after I graduate. Who knows what will happen though. Germany would be ideal though-we both like it there, they are a thousand times more civilised then us, and bonus, Andy speaks the language so we could get by until I learnt enough to do the only thing I ever need to do: buy chocolate and pretzels :hihi:

Not that I would be naked on a beach, can I just clarify this..... :o

Great photos Jules! Love the Poland one!

I think a month camping around Germany would be a great holiday, might have to be 2 weeks with work though!

Pet passport definately on the "to-do" list for the next couple of months!

Was going to say! A month?! How exactly do you expect me to run that one past my "beloved" workplace? :P

was going to say! A month?! How exactly do you expect me to run that one past my "beloved" workplace? :p

quit!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're on. :)