Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain

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Arriving in Great Britain

When you arrive in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland), your pet’s microchip and documents will be checked. Your pet might be checked before you board, for example if you’re travelling by sea or Eurotunnel.

Your pet could be put into quarantine or sent back to the country it travelled from if:

You’re responsible for any fees or charges.

Entering Great Britain from outside the EU

You can only collect your pet after it’s been taken through customs. You can usually pay an agent, travel company or airline to do this for you.

If you cannot get someone to do this for you, you should either:

  • contact customs where you’re arriving before you travel
  • ask the National Clearance Hub at nch@hmrc.gov.uk for more information

Bringing a ferret to England

Ferrets can catch and spread new variants of coronavirus (COVID-19).

If you bring a ferret to England from outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, you should keep it away from other ferrets and from people in other households for 21 days.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Bring your pet to Great Britain: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check if you can bring your pet

    1. Check if you can bring your pet
    2. Find out how you're allowed to travel to Great Britain
    3. Check different rules for guide and assistance dogs

  2. Step 2 Get your pet microchipped

    1. Check the rules for microchips

  3. Step 3 Get your pet vaccinated against rabies

    1. Check the rules about rabies vaccinations

    You must wait for a set period of time after vaccination before you can travel.

    Depending on the country you're travelling from, you might also need to get a blood test.

  4. and Get tapeworm treatment

    If you have a dog, you may also need to get tapeworm treatment before you travel.

    1. Check the rules about tapeworm treatment

  5. Step 4 Get a pet travel document

    1. Check which travel document you need