Flying from Dubai to London with your Pet

Summary

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  Check your pet's microchip – this must be in place before your pet's rabies vaccination and must meet ISO standards.
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  Vaccinations – your pet must be vaccinated against rabies, at least 21 days before travelling.
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  Tapeworm treatment – all dogs need to receive tapeworm treatment from an official vet, no more than 5 days before, and no less than 24 hours before you enter Great Britain.
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  Travel Certification – to travel from Dubai, your pet will need a Great Britain pet health certificate, signed by your official vet.
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  Non-commercial declaration – you will need to fill in a declaration form, confirming that you are not going to sell or transfer the ownership of your pet upon arrival in the UK.

What microchip does my pet need?

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  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.
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  Your pet's microchip must meet the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards ISO 11784 and ISO 11785.
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  If your pet's microchip does not meet ISO standards, you may have to bring your own microchip reader when you travel.

What vaccinations does my pet need?

All pets need a rabies vaccination to enter the UK. Before getting a vaccine, your pet will need:

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  Age: Your puppy must be at least 12 weeks old before its first rabies vaccination.
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  The Wait Period: After the initial rabies jab, you must wait a minimum of 21 days before the vaccination is considered valid for travel.
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  Accreditation: The vaccine must be administered by an accredited Official Veterinarian.
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  Records: Your vet must record the manufacturer, brand, batch number, expiry date, and vaccination date.
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  Boosters: These must be contiguous. The booster must be administered within the valid period of the previous vaccine. If the previous vaccine has expired by even one day, you must restart the process with an initial dose and wait another 21 days.
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  To be at least 12 weeks old.
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  Have a valid microchip.
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  A vaccine that is inactivated or recombinant, approved in the country of use (ask your vet).
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  If getting a booster jab, your dog's rabies booster must be given before their previous rabies vaccine went out of date. If you have missed the booster deadline, you must start the process from the beginning, meaning you will have to wait 21 days before travel.
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  You will have to wait at least 21 full days after the first rabies vaccination (or the last of the first course of rabies vaccinations) is given. Day 1 is the day after the rabies vaccination.
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  Make sure your pet is up to date on all of its regular vaccinations.
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  If your pet has had the Canvac R vaccination:

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    1 dose if they were vaccinated over the age of 5 months.
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    2 doses if they were vaccinated under the age of 5 months – the doses must have been 2 to 4 weeks apart.
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    All pets with the Canvac R vaccination must be at least 17 weeks old before they travel.
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  If your dog has had the Canvac DHPPiL+ R vaccination:

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    Your dog must have had 3 doses of the primary course of the vaccine.
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    Each vaccine dose was 3 weeks apart.
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    Your dog must also be at least 21 weeks old before they travel.

Do I need to get my pet tapeworm treatment?

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  If you are travelling with a dog, it will need a tapeworm treatment administered by an official vet.
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  Because the flight is long and includes ground handling, the treatment must be timed to be valid at the time of arrival/entry into Great Britain, not just the time of departure.
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  The treatment must be given:

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    No less than 24 hours before you enter Great Britain.
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    No more than 5 days (120 hours) before you enter Great Britain.
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  The treatment must have:

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    Approval for use in the country it's being given in.
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    Praziquantel or an equivalent proven to be effective against the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm.
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  When travelling from Dubai to the UK, proof of treatment will need to be registered by your vet in your pet's Great Britain pet health certificate.