Moving Pets between Portugal, the UK and Ireland

The UK and Ireland have additional pet travel restrictions to most of mainland Europe. Make sure your pet is properly prepared...

Dogs and cats may travel between UK, Ireland, Malta and Sweden and Europe without quarantine, provided some (stringent) requirements are met. The system allowing travel is called the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS).

DEFRA, the UK Department for Environment Food and Rural affairs, has comprehensive and up-to-date information on the website, including how to get and use a horse passport. DEFRA will provide an information pack on request.

Entering the UK, Ireland, Malta or Sweden

As of 1 January 2012, the rules regarding moving pet animals to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden and Malta have been harmonised with the rest of the EU. A blood test after the rabies vaccination is no longer necessary and the waiting time before entry is shortened from six months to 21 days. Tick treatment is not obligatory.

Dogs must be treated against tapeworm no less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours (five days) before arriving in the UK. This treatment must be recorded in the pet passport by a veterinary surgeon. Dogs arriving from Malta, Ireland or Finland do not need to be treated against tapeworm.

For information from Sweden and Ireland’s governments: