Procedures for Vets

• Microchip identification
• Certification
• Vaccination
• Blood testing
• Treatment against ticks and a tapeworm

A pet cat or dog, including guide and hearing dogs, will have to meet certain conditions to be able to enter or re-enter the UK without quarantine. It will have to be:

1. Identified with a microchip.
2. Vaccinated against rabies (but not before it is 3 months old).
3. Successfully blood tested at a laboratory recognised by Defra.
4. Issued with an official PETS certificate .
5. Treated against ticks and a tapeworm and be issued with an official certificate of treatment.

These steps must be carried out in the order shown.

Once microchipped, vaccinated and successfully blood tested, a government authorised veterinarian will need to issue the official PETS certificate to the owner / keeper to verify that these procedures have been carried out. Any vet can carry out steps 1-3 and 5.

Where PETS procedures can be carried out

Pets can be fitted with a microchip in any country. The rabies vaccination (including boosters), blood sampling, issuing the PETS certificate, the tick and tapeworm treatment and issuing the official certificate of treatment must all be carried out in either the British Isles, the Republic of Ireland or a qualifying country.

The six month rule

Pets may not enter the UK under PETS until six months have passed from the date that the blood sample was taken which led to a successful test result. Once the PETS certificate has been issued and after that six month period has passed, the PETS certificate is valid and the pet may enter the UK.