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Laws for pets travelling into the UK have been criticized in the past for being too strict. In January 2012, however, new legislation in the shape of a Pet Travel scheme was introduced.

Applies to Cats, Dogs and Ferrets
The Pet Travel Scheme makes it easier for pet cats, dogs and ferrets to be brought into Britain. These types of pets won’t have to be put in quarantine, as long as they meet the Pet Travel Scheme criteria.

What animals are allowed into the UK is still dependent on where the animals travel from. DEFRA has compiled a list of countries that the Pet Travel Scheme applies to, and all European Union countries are covered. All passports are signed and dated.

Requirements for Pets Coming into the UK
Animals that do qualify for the Pet Travel Scheme will still need to be micro chipped and vaccinated against rabies. This should be done a minimum 21 days before the date that the pet is due to travel. The rabies vaccinations will still need to be done every two to three years.

In addition, pet owners should have either an EU Pet Passport, or, alternatively, a third country official veterinary certificate. In the case of dogs, the animals should have received tapeworm treatment. This should be done between one to five days before a dog enters the UK. All pets will also need to enter the country accompanied by a transport company that has been approved, and which has used an authorized route.

Differences for Non-EU Countries
To enter the UK, with a cat, dog, or ferret from a non-EU country there are a number of additional things that the pet owner will need to do. As well as being microchipped, and being vaccinated against rabies, an animal will need to have passed a blood test a minimum of 30 days after they have been vaccinated. There should then be an additional period of three months after the blood test before trying to enter the UK. An official vet will then need to issue a certificate, as confirmation that all the above steps have been adhered to.

As with pet owners in EU countries, anyone entering the UK with a pet from outside the EU will also need to come to the UK via an authorized travel company and route. Dogs will, as is the case with EU countries, have to receive treatment to eliminate the risk of tapeworm. This should be done from one to five days before they are due to arrive in the UK.

To help your pet settle on the trip, there should be relevant preparation undertaken beforehand, so that your animal won’t be spooked too much by unfamiliar surroundings. Getting an animal to feel comfortable in the crate it will be travelling in is one important aspect of preparing your pet. If you’re travelling to Manchester, it’d be advisable to stay in a Manchester Airport hotel overnight to ease the stress for your animal of more travelling.

The author writes about travel destinations around the UK and hotel reviews, read more about other exciting cities and places on lastminutehotelnews.com.