Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain
Rabies vaccination and boosters
You must get your dog, cat or ferret vaccinated against rabies before it can travel.
If you’re coming from a country that’s not part of the EU and not listed your pet also needs a rabies blood test.
When to get the rabies vaccinations
Your vet needs proof that your pet’s at least 12 weeks old before vaccinating them.
You must get your pet microchipped before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination. If you do not, they’ll need to be vaccinated again.
You must wait at least 21 days after the primary vaccination (or the last of the primary course of vaccinations) before bringing your pet to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).
You’ll have to wait longer before travelling if your pet needs a rabies blood test.
What vaccinations your pet needs
The rabies vaccine must be an inactivated vaccine or recombinant vaccine that’s approved in the country of use.
Your pet must have had their first rabies vaccinations (the ‘primary course’). This can be given in more than one dose.
Your pet may need to restart the primary course if they do not have all doses or a booster at the right time. Your vet can tell you if your pet’s rabies vaccinations are up to date.
If your pet has had the Canvac R vaccination
If your dog, cat or ferret has had the Canvac R vaccination, they must have had the right number of doses of the primary course.
They’ll need:
- 1 dose if they were vaccinated over the age of 5 months
- 2 doses if they were vaccinated under the age of 5 months - the doses must have been 2 to 4 weeks apart
All pets with the Canvac R vaccination must be at least 17 weeks old before they travel.
If your dog has had the Canvac DHPPiL+ R vaccination
If your dog has the Canvac DHPPiL + R vaccine, both of the following must apply:
- your dog has had 3 doses of the primary course of the vaccine
- each vaccine dose was 3 weeks apart
Your dog must also be at least 21 weeks old before they travel.
Booster vaccinations
You must get regular booster vaccinations for your pet. Check when the booster vaccination is due on your pet’s vaccination record. This can be found in either their:
Get an Animal Health Certificate if your pet needs a booster vaccination while you’re in Great Britain.
If you miss the booster and you’re travelling from a country that’s not part of the EU and not listed, your pet will need to be vaccinated and have a rabies blood test again. You’ll have to wait longer before travelling.
Vaccination record
Your pet’s vaccination record in their pet passport or health certificate must show:
- your pet’s date of birth
- microchip number, date it was put in or read, and where it is on your pet’s body
- vaccination date
- vaccine manufacturer and product name, for example Nobivac
- vaccine batch number
- date the vaccination is valid until
- the vet’s signature and contact details
Your pet can be stopped from travelling if:
- the details in their pet travel document are in the wrong place
- the vaccination details were added to their passport by a vet in Great Britain after 31 December 2020.
Pet passports issued from 29 December 2014
If you’re travelling from the EU or a country that issues pet passports accepted in Great Britain, the vet only needs to fill in the ‘valid from’ date for the first vaccination (or revaccination if you missed a booster).
If the rabies vaccination record is a sticker, it must be covered by a laminated strip (included with the pet passport).