EU pet passports

[Canalsman]

I have just picked up on a thread on another forum on this topic.

There is apparently no restriction thus far on Belgian vets issuing pet passports to non-residents.

One especially helpful vet has been used by a number of Brits and she is based in Bruges:

De Rycke Lieve, ervaren dierenarts in Sint-Michiels Brugge

Dierenartsenpraktijk Lieve De Rycke ontvangt honden, katten en kleine knaagdieren als konijnen, hamsters, cavia’s. Vrije consultatie of op afspraak.

www.dierenartsderycke.be

She speaks perfect English and she says she has assisted many Brits. The rabies vaccine she uses is valid for three years just like those used in the UK. She can provide an address locally for the purposes of issuing a passport.

The fee for passport issue and rabies vaccination is 67€.

I intend to detour via Bruges on my next trip starting in February.

 

[rugbyken]

unfortunately i have to go the animal health certificate route for maeve the pup to-get her over there as soon as we get down th portugal pauls animal sanctuary will have another resident !

 

[Jo001]

Yes, as I understand it, in France it isn't actually the passport itself that's the stumbling block; but rather that in order to get a passport the animal has to be registered on the ICAD microchip database - and that's what requires a French address, residency for a period of time etc.

In other EU countries that isn't a requirement.

To be valid, the date of the rabies vaccination must not be before the chip date entered in the passport. So if you are having a rabies booster done, be aware that as you go south, a one year vaccination is more common due to the higher risk closer to N Africa. All future rabies boosters must be done in the EU to keep the passport valid, so if you only get a one year vaccination you need to plan your return trip within the year.

 

[Glass man]

If you get an European pet passport please make sure that NO entries are made in UK.
We have been warned about this twice. Luckily before any entries were made. Our vet in Essex has given us a separate document for injections etc that they do.
Rabies must be recorded in the European Passport.
Incidentally many veterinary medicines are easily available and much cheaper than in UK.
We have found Garden centres with pet areas can be very cheap for routine injections, we have even had free worming before coming back.
Some Chemists hold stocks of pet drugs or can get them overnight.
Horticultural and agricultural suppliers often have a wide range.
Happy travelling.

 

[Canalsman]

Yes, I was aware about the need to avoid any UK veterinarian entries in an EU passport.

Thanks for stressing it again.

 

[Budgie]

If you get an European pet passport please make sure that NO entries are made in UK.
We have been warned about this twice. Luckily before any entries were made. Our vet in Essex has given us a separate document for injections etc that they do.
Rabies must be recorded in the European Passport.
Incidentally many veterinary medicines are easily available and much cheaper than in UK.
We have found Garden centres with pet areas can be very cheap for routine injections, we have even had free worming before coming back.
Some Chemists hold stocks of pet drugs or can get them overnight.
Horticultural and agricultural suppliers often have a wide range.
Happy travelling.

We have found buying the tick sandfly treatments etc to be available and much cheaper in a normal chemist in Spain than buying at a pet shop

 

[Canalsman]

Just a quick follow up ...

I visited the vet earlier this week, and the whole process was straightforward. All the arrangements were made by email. The vet was delightful and spoke perfect English.

I spent a night at the nearby aire and walked to the vet which took 20 minutes each way. If you prefer you can park on the street immediately outside.

Do note that the vet has had problems with payment using British credit cards and she will ask to be paid in cash.

It's proving a useful service it seems. The vet said she was seeing four British clients this week, one of whom was in the waiting room when I left!

I can unequivocally recommend using this vet.

PS Bruges is worth a visit, the town is very pretty, and the aire is conveniently placed though quite expensive. 25€ out of season, 30€ in season including hook up.

 

[Deleted member 3057]

This sounds very interesting to me. What about the annual booster jabs? Do they need to be done in europe and recorded on the pet passport or can they be done in uk and recorded elsewhere.

 

[Canalsman]

The rabies vaccination given was a three year vaccine at my request.


Future rabies vaccinations must be administered in the EU.


No entries in the passport, other than for the administration of worming tablets, may be made outside the EU.

 

[RSD7a]

That all sounds excellent if Bruges is convenient.
However ....
IF you live in the Glasgow Edinburgh corridor and IF you don't want to be tied to getting rabies boosters in the EU, then I can recommend

Home - Pawsome Pet Travel

REPEAT ANIMAL HEALTH CERTIFICATES FROM £69 Welcome to Pawsome Pet Travel Our team get you on your way, on the road, in the air, on the sea Helping your furry family join you on your travels, with our low stress AHC service Contact Us UP-TO-DATE AVAILABILITY: Pawsome Pet Travel has some exciting...

pawsomepettravel.com

for low cost Animal Health Certs. £99 for the first one and £59 for subsequent ones. I had great service from them last year. It's all mainly accomplished on line, but with a home visit for the first certificate for the vet to physically read and check your dog's microchip.

 

[alcam]

That all sounds excellent if Bruges is convenient.
However ....
IF you live in the Glasgow Edinburgh corridor and IF you don't want to be tied to getting rabies boosters in the EU, then I can recommend

Home - Pawsome Pet Travel

REPEAT ANIMAL HEALTH CERTIFICATES FROM £69 Welcome to Pawsome Pet Travel Our team get you on your way, on the road, in the air, on the sea Helping your furry family join you on your travels, with our low stress AHC service Contact Us UP-TO-DATE AVAILABILITY: Pawsome Pet Travel has some exciting...

pawsomepettravel.com

for low cost Animal Health Certs. £99 for the first one and £59 for subsequent ones. I had great service from them last year. It's all mainly accomplished on line, but with a home visit for the first certificate for the vet to physically read and check your dog's microchip.

Never heard of them , good info . I used vet down south previously but now have Spanish passport and 3 years rabies .
As you say getting it done at home will suit some . Vets in UK are most definitely taking the pee with some of their charges

 

[Jo001]

This sounds very interesting to me. What about the annual booster jabs? Do they need to be done in europe and recorded on the pet passport or can they be done in uk and recorded elsewhere.

Apart from rabies, just get your other boosters done at home and recorded on a separate card - some campsites require proof.

Vets in UK are most definitely taking the pee with some of their charges

I have a bit of sympathy with vets. It takes ages to complete the AHC if they aren't geared up to have all the info completed online by the client, like the people mentioned above do.

Their degree is a six year one so many start out with a bigger loan to repay than people doing less complex qualifications; their overheads can be pretty high; and modern veterinary medicine means a lot of pets will have extensive diagnostics that simply wouldn't have been available 30 years ago, and these things come with a cost.

Additionally, vets can't buy drugs at discounted rates, like we can from the online pharmacies who run from warehouses and benefit from economy of scale.

I also think our awareness of the cost of healthcare is skewed, because we naturally make comparisons with the NHS.

 

[alcam]

Apart from rabies, just get your other boosters done at home and recorded on a separate card - some campsites require proof.


I have a bit of sympathy with vets. It takes ages to complete the AHC if they aren't geared up to have all the info completed online by the client, like the people mentioned above do.

Their degree is a six year one so many start out with a bigger loan to repay than people doing less complex qualifications; their overheads can be pretty high; and modern veterinary medicine means a lot of pets will have extensive diagnostics that simply wouldn't have been available 30 years ago, and these things come with a cost.

Additionally, vets can't buy drugs at discounted rates, like we can from the online pharmacies who run from warehouses and benefit from economy of scale.

I also think our awareness of the cost of healthcare is skewed, because we naturally make comparisons with the NHS.

Perhaps you are correct but when vet here charges £50 for passport book (not rabies Jag) only you have to wonder . Spanish passport cost €9
£99 for AHC is , possibly, reasonable . Yet some vets charge £300 .
I find , in general, level of care better .
Vet I go to in Spain always does blood test initially, with full print out of results. Never happened here .
There are many examples which , frankly , don't show UK vets in a good light

 

[Jo001]

No argument there. Vets are definitely a lot cheaper in Spain - like many things.

 

[Drover]

Left uk on AHC then, had the pet passport done in la linea in spain , they are only allowed by law to give 1 year rabies.it took 7 days as the microchip has to be registered with the authorities. Then 3 year rabies done in france around 6 months later.

 

[Jo001]

they are only allowed by law to give 1 year rabies

That's not quite correct. In the southern regions, because they are closer to high risk areas of North Africa, they give a one year vaccination. Further north they can give a three year one.

 

[Jo001]

t took 7 days as the microchip has to be registered with the authorities.

I've not heard that before.

 

[Drover]

I've not heard that before.

Microchip was done in the uk not spain , vet said it had to be checked due to proximity to Morocco . Dog now has Spanish address.
Further east and north and no checks are done....I was also baffled by the wait. spanish bureaucracy I guess.

 

[yeoblade]

I have been quoted about 80 euro for a french vet PassPort, consultation, icad registration and jabs (or what ever is needed) will find out if it goes OK next month.
And I do think many vets charge excessive fees in the UK.

 

[RichardP]

My vet has quoted over £350 for rabies jab and AHC in Yorkshire. They will only do one a week as they're so time consuming, so I guess the price aims to discourage. Thanks to the info above I'll be looking for a cheaper one for Izzy's first trip abroad where we'll get an EU pet passport