Post-Brexit pet travel scheme comes into effect

1 hour ago Share Save John Campbell BBC News NI economics and business editor Share Save

Getty Images The Pet Travel Document scheme covers dogs, cats and ferrets

A new scheme aimed at simplifying post-Brexit pet travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland has come into effect. After Brexit, Northern Ireland remained part of the EU’s animal health zone while Great Britain was outside. That has meant pets being taken from Great Britain to Northern Ireland have required rabies vaccinations and a new travel certificate for each trip. The new Pet Travel Document (PTD) will be valid for the pet’s lifetime and the requirement for rabies vaccination has been dropped.

What does the Pet Travel Document mean?

Getty Images

A spokesperson for the UK’s Department of Environment said pet owners and assistance dog users who are travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland “can now apply for a free pet travel document that’s quick and easy to get online, and will last the pet’s lifetime”. “This is in stark contrast to the old system, which required pet owners to obtain expensive health treatments and cumbersome journey certificates from a vet every time they travelled,” they added. The main conditions of the PTD scheme are that the pet must be microchipped and the owner must sign a form saying the animal will not be brought into the Republic of Ireland. The scheme covers dogs, cats and ferrets. There are separate arrangements for other animals. The arrangements only apply to pet owners living in Great Britain. Northern Ireland residents returning home from Great Britain do not require the travel document but their pet must be microchipped. The PTD is part of the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland’s revised Brexit deal, which amended the original NI Protocol agreement.

‘Imposes a pet passport scheme’