Guidance and regulation

Check the transport companies and routes you can use to bring your pet cat, dog or ferret to England, Scotland or Wales.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 30 April 2024

• Pet travel: airlines and airports you can use

  We update these lists when we are told of changes. You should check with…

• Pet travel: sea and rail routes and companies you can use

  We update these lists when we are told of changes. You should check with…

Guidance for local authority inspectors on licensing activities involving animals.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 15 May 2024

• Animal activity licensing process: statutory guidance for local authorities

  Local authorities can grant animal activity licences to an individual…

• Dog day care licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

  This guidance is for local authority inspectors in England. You should…

• Dog breeding licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

  This guidance is for local authority inspectors in England. You should…

• Home boarding for dogs licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

  This guidance is for local authority inspectors in England. You should…

• Dog kennel boarding licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

  This guidance is for local authority inspectors in England. You should…

• Selling animals as pets licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

  This guidance is for local authority inspectors in England. You should…

• Keeping or training animals for exhibition licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

  This guidance is for local authority inspectors in England. You should…

• Cat boarding licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

  This guidance is for local authority inspectors in England. You should…

• Hiring out horses licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities

  This guidance is for local authority inspectors in England. You should…

This is the Hub for all the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's communications on current and future regulatory changes.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 20 May 2024

Find out what you must do before you get a pet pig, how to register as a keeper and get a pig walking licence and what you can feed pet pigs.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 12 July 2023

When to follow Balai rules to import animals and germinal products to Great Britain from EU and non-EU countries.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 30 April 2024

Guidance and legislation covering pet welfare and animal cruelty.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 18 April 2013

When your pet must go in quarantine, how to book a pet carrier and quarantine premises, and how to get your pet released from quarantine.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 20 December 2019

What you must do to bring your pet to the UK from Ukraine if you are seeking refuge.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 30 March 2023

If you buy a pet dog or cat, it’s important that you make checks to help combat the illegal trade in pet animals.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Updated: 20 January 2020

How to contact the VMD for specific services or enquiries.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 22 October 2021

How to comply with the exemption from the Veterinary Medicines Regulations that allow certain animal medicines to be sold without a marketing authorisation.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 17 May 2024

Registers of authorised manufacturers, wholesale dealer sites and retailers.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 4 January 2023

Guidance for the veterinary pharmaceutical industry on the production and submission of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs) and product literature mock-ups.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 29 April 2024

How to get approval to transport pet cats, dogs and ferrets, and when you must transport assistance dogs with their owners.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 15 August 2023

How to spot Echinococcus multilocularis, what to do if you suspect it and how to prevent its spread.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and 1 others
• Updated: 27 January 2021

This enforcement policy sets out the general principles and approach taken by the VMD.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 17 May 2024

Guidance for the veterinary pharmaceutical industry on the production of mock-ups for assessment.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 29 April 2024

How to submit an application, data package and responses for proposed or existing marketing authorisations.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 17 May 2024

Explanation of what Pharmacovigilance means and who is responsible. These documents must be read with the Implementation Explainer at VMD Information Hub.

• From: Veterinary Medicines Directorate
• Updated: 20 May 2024

The CMA has launched a review into the veterinary services market for household pets.

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Updated: 19 October 2023