Moving your pet from Australia to UK can sometime be worrisome; how can you guarantee your pet will be ok during the big move? Choosing a good international moving company can help relieve some of the stress, as well as being familiar with the protocols involved with taking your pet when moving from Australia to the UK. Being prepared will ensure your pet’s move is as smooth as possible and that your furry friend can be in back in your arms in no time. Therefore, to help you out, we’ve compiled a list of some important things you need to know and do before sending your pet over to the UK.

Firstly, make sure your pet can come

Before you make any cemented plans, it’s important to ensure that your pet can actually come to the UK with you and you won’t have to leave your beloved behind. Luckily, the UK permits Australians to bring their dog, cat or ferret to the UK, so long as it has been microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and has a third-country official vetinary certificate. Unfortunately, if you don’t follow all of these rules, the UK Government reserves the right to refuse your pet entry into the country. In addition, you will also be responsible for any charges and fees associated with failing to follow protocol, so we strongly recommend following protocol for the safety of yourself and your pet. In addition to this, the time frame in which your pet enters the country from when its owner arrives will determine the “type” of move it has. If your pet arrives within 5 days of you arriving, it’s classified as a “commercial movement.” On the other hand, if your pet arrives outside the 5-day period, it’s known as a “non-commercial” movement. This is important because commercial shipments can only be cleared in London and are not allowed to enter any other part of the UK.

Microchipping

One of the main requirements of your pet being allowed into the UK is that your dog, cat or ferret is microchipped. It’s important to remember that microchipping can only be performed by a vet, student, vet nurse or, alternatively, someone who has been trained in microchipping before the 29th of December 2014 with practical experience. However, you can’t just choose any type of microchip for your pet. Companies in the EU can only read microchips that meet the ISO standards ISO 11784 and ISO 11785 and unfortunately, if your pet’s microchip cannot be read, they could be refused entry or placed into quarantine.

Rabies

Next, you need to ensure that your pet has been vaccinated against rabies, so long as it’s over 12 weeks old. It’s important to do this after microchipping your pet as, if microchipping is performed after the rabies vaccination, your pet will need to get a second vaccination. Moving your pet from Australia, a listed country, means that you will only need to wait 21 days after your pet has received the vaccination to bring them to the UK. Finally, like any vaccination, your pet will need to receive rabies boosters to guarantee its immunity.

Tapeworm and Dogs

Before your dog enters the UK, it must be treated for tapeworm and have the treatment recorded on their EU health certificate. Your dog’s tapeworm treatment must be given no less than 24 hours before its arrival, yet no more than 5 days (120 hours) before you enter the UK, which must be checked and approved by agriculture. Failing to follow this could see your dog placed in quarantine upon arrival.

Moving Cats from Australia to UK

If you’re moving a cat from Australia to UK, you are required to sign a declaration that confirms your cat has not been in a residence or holding whereby in the last 60 days, cases of Hendra virus have been confirmed.

International moving companies with experience in moving pets abroad can guide and help you through the processes to make it less stressful for you and  your furry friend,