Thinking of taking your pet to Europe? You'll need some new paperwork!

Forget the old pet passports, since January 2021, it's all about Animal Health Certificates (AHCs) for dogs, cats, and ferrets traveling from the UK to the EU or Northern Ireland.

Here's the info on AHCs:

Get it within 10 days of your outbound trip

One trip only: Think of it like a single-use RETURN certificate for your pet.

The AHC is valid for return within 4 months of issue, so plan your return trip accordingly.

Official government vet to issue - Not all vets can do these, so find one with an "Official Veterinarian" (OV) qualification. The Wirral Travel Vet is registered.

Nice and easy……
If you wish to proceed with an AHC then simply register and we’ll check availability and costings.
If it's simply an enquiry then use our contact form at the bottom of this page and we’ll aim to respond in 24 hours.

Your pet needs a microchip and a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before you can get an AHC.

The vet clinic who administers the vaccination need to give you a signed/stamped vaccination record stating the vaccine was given and the microchip was read at that point.

Don’t worry if you haven’t got this - we have a form you can take into your vets with all the information required.

We can usually issue an AHC within 72hrs if we are provided with the correct documentation so still contact us even if your trip is imminent.

AHCs are valid for any mode of transport. However, if flying, some airlines require a “Fit to Fly” certificate in addition which we can issue. This is a clinical examination and a check for an infectious disease or the presence of parasites, as well as a general health check. We charge £45 for “Fit to Fly” certificates if required.

Home visits are available on the whole of the Wirral up to Chester City centre.
If you’re base outside of these areas we have collection points in Liverpool (Switch Island and Edge Lane) , North Wales (Mold) and Cheshire(Preston Brook M56)
Home visits in other areas may be available but would incur additional costs.

Plans can change. If your date of your trip changes and it’s more than 5 days before your appointment then we can be flexible regarding rebooking. Under 5 days the AHC will have been worked on and will incur a 50% fee.

Worming at the time of AHC issue is only required for pets travelling to Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta and Finland. The worming is required between 24 and 120 hours prior to arrival in your destination so the appointment for the AHC is determined by this.
The worming is for tapeworm and needs a wormer containing praziquantel or equivalent eg Drontal.

We are happy for client’s to supply their own wormers for administration but we can supply if required.

Dogs travelling to all OTHER countries will need the worming tablet administered by a vet in the EU 24-120 hours before returning to the UK.

The owner needs to be there for the home visit to sign the AHC.

If they can't be present, someone else from the family or a pet transporter can sign instead. But we need to know all the details upfront because the paperwork is different.

If the pet's owner isn't traveling with the pet, we need a signed declaration stating they are being reunited with their pet within 5 days. (i.e. proof of travel arrangements)

If the owner doesn't travel within the 5 days, or if they're selling the pet in the EU, we’ll need a different kind of certificate called an Export Health Certificate. These can be issued by The Wirral Travel Vet with prior arrangement.

If you’re planning to travel outside Europe then your pet will need an Export Health Certificate (EHC). These are a little more involved but The Wirral Travel Vet can provide these if necessary. Please contact us directly using the form at the bottom of this page for details and pricing.