The United Kingdom (UK) - England, Scotland, and Wales
Entry Requirements
Is the UK a good place to travel or relocate to with pets?
Here are reviews and details to help you see if this country is a good place to travel and the requirements for bringing a dog and/or cat to the UK
Official British government website on importing pets
Official government website on pets coming from the US to the UK
The United Kingdom has strict regulations that make it a bit more difficult to bring your dog or cat with you. One way they do this is by restricting how animals get into the country.
Pets can not fly in the cabin or as checked luggage directly into the UK. If you want to fly directly to the UK with your pet, there are licensed pet cargo companies that provide that service. This service can help with all the complexities, but it tends to cost thousands of dollars, so it can be unaffordable for many.
You can read about the three ways a dog can fly in this article. Focus on cargo for flying directly into the UK.
A cheaper alternative is to fly into a nearby country in the EU and cross a land border.
This guide will focus on what is needed specifically for the UK. If flying into an EU country first, requirements from both countries need to be followed.
Entry Requirements from Non-high Rabies Country
Medical Requirements:
Rabies – You must wait 21 days after the primary vaccination before arriving in the UK. The vaccine needs to be recorded with the microchip number.
De-worming – Give tapeworm treatment with praziquantel no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before entering the country (except for pets coming from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta, or Norway)
Documentation Required and how to get it:
Pets traveling from Part 1 listed countries (Europe) will use their pet passport or a Great Britain pet health certificate. The original certificate is valid from Part 2 listed countries which includes the United States (USDA vet) and Canada. Pets from the US must arrive in the UK within 10 days from the date APHIS endorses the health certificate.
This makes the timeline tricky. You will need to get the health certificate first, have it endorsed, then take your pet and the endorsed certificate back to the vet for deworming.
Entry Requirements from High Rabies Country
Medical Requirements:
A rabies titer test is required from all countries that are “not listed”
- Your pet must have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination.
- The sample is tested at an EU-approved blood testing laboratory from either inside the EU or outside the EU
- The results of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful
- You must wait 3 months from the date the blood sample was taken before you travel – you do not need to wait if your pet was vaccinated, blood tested, and given a pet passport in the EU before traveling to a country that is not listed.
- The vet must give you a copy of the test results and enter the day the blood sample was taken in a health certificate.
The blood test will continue to be valid as long as your pet’s rabies vaccinations are kept up to date.
Extra requirements if traveling from Malaysia with a negative blood test result for the Nipah virus antibody.
De-worming – Give tapeworm treatment with praziquantel no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before entering the country
Documentation Required and how to get it: Original Great Britain pet health certificate is used for countries that are not listed.
Additional Considerations
Microchip Requirements:
meets International Organization for Standardization ISO 11784 and ISO 11785. You must get your pet microchipped before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination.
Quarantine Requirements UK (if any):
If the pet doesn’t follow the rules listed above, it could be put in quarantine for 4 months, returned to the country it traveled from, or put down.
Breed Restrictions:
Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro
Number of pet restrictions:
5 pets
Is this country considered high-risk rabies for entry into the US?
No
Is this country considered high rabies for entry into EU countries?
No
Are you flying to the UK?
Read Flying with a Dog Under the Airplane Seat: The Ultimate Guide
Read Flying with a Big Dog: Travel Tips for Ease & Safety
This information was last updated January 2023. If you notice any errors or updates, please let us know by contacting us here.
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2 Reviews on “The United Kingdom (UK) - England, Scotland, and Wales”
Worth noting that there are some boroughs in London that are more dog friendly than others: for example East London is the most dog friendly. Since the pandemic, there have been more openness to accommodate people with pets generally across London. While public transport has always been dog friendly, private cabs (Uber, Addison Lee etc) have started to allow passengers with dogs (black cabs were always dog friendly). There are some parks that are more suited for dogs as they don’t get too crowded (if you wished to have your dog off lead for example and needed a more enclosed space) such as Victoria Park, Battersea Park and if you want to venture out a bit, try Epping Forest (only for dogs with fantastic recall as it is also famous for dogs getting lost there due to being distracted by wild life).
Oh no! It sounds like Epping Forest is a fun place for dogs, but that also sounds really scary (especially for terrier owners who know we are no competition for a squirrel!)
England is one of the most dog friendly places in the world. However, they are also one of the hardest countries to get into with a dog or a cat. Unless you want to pay an arm and a leg, it’s impossible to fly directly into London. Lots of people have creative solutions to fly into other European countries and then get in that way. Once you are there, dogs are beloved and welcome to sit outside at the pub. You will see people with their dogs everywhere you go. If you get a little outside of the city, lots of people take their dogs on walks through the fields. That can be a bit of a problem for some because if people are out of the city, they like to take their dog off the leash and not all dogs deal with that very well. Dogs can ride the train and the metro, so it is easy to get around.