UK HOME OFFICE REMINDS PET OWNERS TO SEEK ADVICE BEFORE TRAVELLING TO EU IN 2021
Source: schengenvisainfo.com (Extract)
Posted: August 20, 2020
The United Kingdom Home Office has issued a notice reminding British passport holders who own pets and want to travel to the European Union Member States with the pet(s) on the new travel rules that come into force starting from January 1, 2021.
With the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ceasing to be an EU member on January 1 next year, the rules of travelling for the UK passport holders, considered third-country citizens to EU by then, will change. The same will also change for taking a pet on a trip to the EU.
Therefore, the government encourages pet owners to check the latest advice on travelling with pets at the end of the EU exit transition period for the UK.
“During the transition period, pet owners have been able to continue to travel with their pets using a Pet Passport. The UK government is working with the European Commission to ensure a similar arrangement for pet travel between Great Britain and the EU from January 1, 2021,” the notice reads.
It still explains that in a scenario in which an agreement between both sides is not reached, new requirements could become effective for those travelling with a pet from the UK to the EU after December 31, 2020.
According to the notice, all those planning to travel to the EU with their pet(s) from January 2021 onwards should contact their vet four or more months in advance of the date of their trip to discuss the latest requirements, including the necessary documentation and vaccinations.
The UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss points out that travellers planning to take their pet(s) abroad can receive the right advises on their trip from their vet in order to get the correct documentation to travel to the EU Member States.
“We continue to be in contact with vets to highlight this issue, and they are expecting pet owners to consult with them and plan ahead. Pet owners can also stay up to date with the latest advice on gov.uk or by searching ‘pet travel’,” she said.
Home Office is continuously updating its guidance on pet travel which has been available since November 2018; thus, many pet owners are already with that they need to do, and some may have already taken action.
