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Export Certificates

The term “export certificate” can be somewhat misleading. If you are taking your pet abroad, outside the group of countries that qualify for the pet passport scheme, it doesn’t feel like you’re exporting it - you’re taking it with you, and anyway “export” is what you do to rice and sugar and computers - not pets.

DEFRA (the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), however, in their wisdom have decided that this is the term that applies and in fact the export of pet animals is a very small branch of the animal export business which is more involved with farm animals which are (unfortunately or otherwise) regarded more as a commodity.

An export certificate is a means of getting an animal from the UK into another country. Exactly what is involved in the export certificate varies tremendously depending which country you are going to. Some countries require dogs to be fully vaccinated, others insist that they must NOT be vaccinated against certain diseases. Some insist on veterinary certification that the animal has been wormed and treated for external parasites with specific drugs at precise times, other countries simply ask for a letter from your vet on headed note paper. Some need to be planned several months in advance and may require several visits to the vet, others only require a quick check a few days before departure.

An export certificate is a once only thing - it will cover one specific journey only with precise departure and arrival times and modes of transport. If you miss the plane, you need a new certificate. An export certificate doesn’t always certify your pet as fit to travel; depending on how you are travelling and which carrier you are using you may need an additional health certificate for this.

The take home message is to plan well ahead and get the correct information. DEFRA is a useful starting point although their web-site is concerned more with agriculture, there are numerous commercial organisations who can help and you can also contact the relevant embassies for the countries you are intending to go to. See the links below; I can’t guarantee any of the content but they will allow you to start to compare and contrast what is available.