# Important changes to the pet passport scheme from 29/12/14



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/changes-to-pet-passports-to-strengthen-travel-scheme



> .................The changes include:
> 
> 
> a new minimum age of 12 weeks before a pet can be vaccinated against rabies
> new pet passports will include laminated strips and a requirement for more contact details to be provided by the vet issuing the document and certifying the veterinary treatments....................


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

And how about this bit?



> a new requirement for all member states in the EU to carry out checks on their borders (the UK already checks all pets coming into the country through approved routes)


Will we have to get our pets checked as we cross from Spain to France?:flypig:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jimenato said:


> And how about this bit?
> 
> 
> 
> Will we have to get our pets checked as we cross from Spain to France?:flypig:


that's what it seems to mean - can you see that happening though?


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> that's what it seems to mean - can you see that happening though?


Not a chance. It's difficult even to tell where many borders are nowadays.

It must mean something else.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Not a chance. It's difficult even to tell where many borders are nowadays.
> 
> It must mean something else.


maybe this bit is the get out clause?



> through approved routes


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## Expatliving (Oct 21, 2013)

jimenato said:


> And how about this bit?
> 
> 
> 
> Will we have to get our pets checked as we cross from Spain to France?:flypig:


Easy, just get the boat service from Northern Spain to the UK? And vice versa ...

"The thought of endless hours with that windbag in the car with me is daunting" - that's what my wife keeps telling her friends? She means our dog, surely?


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> maybe this bit is the get out clause?


Or possibly...



> a new requirement for all member states in the EU to carry out checks on their _*external*_ borders (the UK already checks all pets coming into the country through approved routes)


... would make some sense.


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## Maureen47 (Mar 27, 2014)

The rules all seem to be about entry back to the UK , are there any changes in entry to Spain or do these apply to the EU ? I cant seem to find reference to this ?

My plan is pet passport in the UK and all will be well for entry into Spain , this is a new experience for us and our dogs will be making a one way trip with us.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Some people we know who run a pet transport business have been also been told that dogs must now be vaccinated twice against rabies, with a minimum of a month between each jab.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Or possibly...
> 
> 
> 
> ... would make some sense.


it would - but it doesn't seem to say that


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

maureen47 said:


> The rules all seem to be about entry back to the UK , are there any changes in entry to Spain or do these apply to the EU ? I cant seem to find reference to this ?
> 
> My plan is pet passport in the UK and all will be well for entry into Spain , this is a new experience for us and our dogs will be making a one way trip with us.


it's about EU regs, so would apply to all borders presumably - I guess because it's written by the UK in that link it refers mostly to entering the UK - & the UK borders are obviously clear


it won't make much difference to you since you are travelling with the dogs as long as you follow the rabies jabs regs


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## Maureen47 (Mar 27, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> it's about EU regs, so would apply to all borders presumably - I guess because it's written by the UK in that link it refers mostly to entering the UK - & the UK borders are obviously clear
> 
> 
> it won't make much difference to you since you are travelling with the dogs as long as you follow the rabies jabs regs


Thanks I guessed that would the case , with so many things to do with the move I want to make sure I do all the right things !


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

maureen47 said:


> Thanks I guessed that would the case , with so many things to do with the move I want to make sure I do all the right things !


Leaving the UK no one is interested, & Spain you just drive in so..............


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## Maureen47 (Mar 27, 2014)

gus-lopez said:


> Leaving the UK no one is interested, & Spain you just drive in so..............


But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be protecting your dogs health and the animals in the country you are moving to , maybe there is a need for more checks, what's the point of DEFRA legislation if it is not being enforced ?


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## Helenameva (Aug 15, 2014)

maureen47 said:


> The rules all seem to be about entry back to the UK , are there any changes in entry to Spain or do these apply to the EU ? I cant seem to find reference to this ?
> 
> My plan is pet passport in the UK and all will be well for entry into Spain , this is a new experience for us and our dogs will be making a one way trip with us.


It might be different under these new regs but when I drove over with our dog and two cats earlier this year, the customs officer waved us through without checking the pet passports. The vets knew exactly which jabs were needed and did all the paperwork and passports. So altogether an easy process.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

maureen47 said:


> But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be protecting your dogs health and the animals in the country you are moving to , maybe there is a need for more checks, what's the point of DEFRA legislation if it is not being enforced ?


Well if you actually want to do it correctly you are meant to export the dogs from yourself, at your old UK address, to yourself at your new Spanish address ; 
Defra supply a multi-page form in English +/language of country going to/through , which is supplied to your vet 7 days before the date on which you are leaving the UK. 
Once the vet has filled this in he supplies on his headed notepaper a statement on your behalf that the dogs are yours, are pets, have not been bred & are not going to be used for breeding & will not be sold or gifted & have been in your care for the previous 3 months , etc. Once in possession of these papers + the pet passport if you so require & added to all the other pet papers etc; you then have 10 days in which to enter your chosen country !!! 
I did all this & when I asked DEFRA , "what if I can't get in within 10 days " the reply was " Don't worry about it . After the vet gives them to you no one will ever ask to see them " Nor did they . :lol:
In fact it was only because I told euro tunnel & booked the 2 dogs in that I got a tag for the interior mirror. What that was all about , I've no idea as no one asked to see anything; no one could even see the dogs in the vehicle. & that was it .


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## Maureen47 (Mar 27, 2014)

gus-lopez said:


> Well if you actually want to do it correctly you are meant to export the dogs from yourself, at your old UK address, to yourself at your new Spanish address ;
> Defra supply a multi-page form in English +/language of country going to/through , which is supplied to your vet 7 days before the date on which you are leaving the UK.
> Once the vet has filled this in he supplies on his headed notepaper a statement on your behalf that the dogs are yours, are pets, have not been bred & are not going to be used for breeding & will not be sold or gifted & have been in your care for the previous 3 months , etc. Once in possession of these papers + the pet passport if you so require & added to all the other pet papers etc; you then have 10 days in which to enter your chosen country !!!
> I did all this & when I asked DEFRA , "what if I can't get in within 10 days " the reply was " Don't worry about it . After the vet gives them to you no one will ever ask to see them " Nor did they . :lol:
> In fact it was only because I told euro tunnel & booked the 2 dogs in that I got a tag for the interior mirror. What that was all about , I've no idea as no one asked to see anything; no one could even see the dogs in the vehicle. & that was it .


Exactly my point we go to all this effort and nobody checks but at least if the dogs have the correct jabs, and everything else they need you have done the right thing just in case they have a checking day !


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