PETS Process In Detail - January 2012 Onward

Note: This is based on the procedure outlined here that will be effective January 1, 2012.

First off, a few links:
DEFRA's Main PETS Page
DEFRA's PDF explaining the January 1, 2012 changes
Non-EU Travel Routes

Next up, the documents:
DEFRA's Long (6pg) EC 998 Form
DEFRA's Short (2pg) EC 998 Form (Preferred)

The process:
- First up, make sure that you vet is USDA approved. Most vets are, but just call your state's USDA office to check.
- Next, you may want to check with the airlines (as listed on DEFRA's approved routes list) to see if they have any restrictions for the date(s) you wish to travel. Some airlines refuse to fly animals in extreme cold or heat, for example, which may alter your plans. You should also find out what extra paperwork (if any) the airline requires for your pet to fly. (Some require a basic health certificate, some require an APHIS 7001 form - possibly also signed off by your state's USDA vet, some require a letter of acclimation for temperature.)
- A note on costs: you will need to check with your vet and the airlines for quotes on this process. Prices vary by location, time of year (for airlines), size of the pet, size of the carriers, etc.


1. Take your pet to the vet and verify that they are microchipped. Ideally, they should have an ISO standard chip (International Standards Organisation Standard microchips meeting specifications 11784 or Annex A of ISO Standard 11785). According to DEFRA

As ISO (International Standards Organisation) Standards are used in Europe, vets and transport companies who undertake PETS checks are likely to have only ISO-compatible scanners.

If you travel to Europe with your animal whose microchip cannot be read by an ISO-compatible scanner, you must carry with you a scanner that will read its microchip. If you do not, your animal may not be eligible for re-entry to the UK under PETS. It may have to enter quarantine with a view to obtaining early release.

If your animal’s microchip can be read by an ISO-compatible scanner, you will not need to provide a scanner for its microchip number to be read.

If an appropriate scanner does not read your animal’s microchip at the first attempt, further attempts should be made moving the scanner slowly and thoroughly over the animal. A more powerful scanner should be tried if available.

Note: I can't speak for other airports, but the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow has scanners that will handle US-formatted microchips.
Note: The Pet Travel Store rents scanners.


2. After you've verified presence/type of microchip as well as its number, get your pet vaccinated for rabies.
Option A: microchip already present prior to vet visit + pet has current vaccine - can opt to skip re-vaccination if you can prove that the microchip was put in before the current vaccine was given, and move on to stop 3.
Option B: microchip already present prior to vet visit + pet vaccinated for rabies before microchip - you will have to re-vaccinate your pet, as the microchip must be put in first before the vaccine.
Option C: no microchip + pet has current vaccine - you must microchip your pet and then re-vaccinate.
Option D: no microchip + no current vaccine - you must microchip your pet and then vaccinate

DEFRA does not care if you do a 1-year or 3-year vaccine, but it must be an inactive rabies vaccine.

Some important notes:
- Make sure your vet lists the pet's microchip number on the rabies vaccine
- Make sure the following information is entered on your EC 998 form:

• pet date of birth/age
• the microchip number, date of insertion and location of the microchip on the animal
• the date of vaccination
• the vaccine product name
• the batch number
• the date its booster vaccination is due (calculated by reference to the vaccine manufacturer's data sheet)

Another important note: The day you do the vaccination is the day your pet's 21-day countdown begins for when they can travel to the UK.

You can have your vet finish their part (sections I-V) at this point. They will need to enter in all the information about the previous steps. Make sure your vet uses the correct date format - generally all dates on the form should be in European (DD/MM/YYYY) format (rather than US MM/DD/YYYY format). Your vet does not have to sign off on the bloodwork, as that is no longer required.


3. Get the EC 998 Form endorsed by your state USDA vet.
The EC 998 form, once signed by the USDA vet, gives your pet a 4-month window in which to travel.


4. Book your pet's travel.
Check with the airlines (as listed on DEFRA's approved routes) for their requirements. Some airlines won't let you book pet travel until 14 days pre-flight, others want you to book them as soon as you book your reservation (if you're flying with your pet). Also, verify what extra documentation the airline might need in order to accept your pets. Some require the APHIS 7001 health form, others just want a letter from your vet saying your pet is healthy, etc.

Your pet cannot travel to the UK until at least 21 days have passed since they were given the rabies vaccine.


6. 24-48 hours pre-check-in, visit your vet again for tick/tapeworm treatment. OPTIONAL
From DEFRA's info:

Requirements for tapeworm treatment are to be confirmed, so you are advised to check
the Defra website prior to travel. Tick and tapeworm treatment is still advised. It is best
practice, and best for the health of you and your pet, to treat your pet for ticks and
tapeworm before returning to the UK. Consult your vet for further advice

Previous guidelines were: You will need to get your pet treated against ticks and tapeworms 24-48 hours before check-in for the flight. (Check with the airline to see when they would like your pet, most want them ~4 hours before take-off.)

Important note: DEFRA has very specific requirements for the treatments:

Your pet must be treated against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis using a veterinary medicine whose active ingredient is praziquantel.

The tick treatment must be licensed for use against ticks and have a marketing authorisation in the country of use - Please note some treatments may not be applicable to both cats and dogs (or ferrets) and this should be checked with your vet. A collar impregnated with acaricide is not an acceptable form of treatment against ticks.

At this point your EC 998 Form should be complete (sections I-VII and both signatures). If necessary, also get your vet to fill out any additional health forms for the airlines so that they know your pet is healthy enough to fly.


7. Check your pet in, and travel.
Pretty straight-forward, make sure you follow the airline's requirements for carrier size, check-in and travel restrictions (food, water, etc.).

DEFRA does not mind if your pet is accompanied or not. (Some airlines do, though!)

Some airlines may require that you use an agent for drop-off and/or pick-up. Airlines do not always include the cost of this in their quotes, so ask in advance.

Once you land, you'll need to head to whatever area DEFRA has for holding/processing animals. They will check over all your paperwork, verify your pet's microchip identification, etc, and then release your pet to you to take home.

Final note: If you complete the process and you need to delay your pet's travel for some reason, you are fine to do that as long as their rabies vaccination record stays up-to-date. You may need to re-fill out/endorse your EC 998 form, as that only has a 4-month window, but you will not need to re-do 21-day wait unless the rabies vaccination coverage has lapsed (i.e. it expired in February 2010 and you didn't get the pet re-vaccinated until May 2010).

Thank you very much for taking the time to do this!! This helps tremendously.

D'oh, just realized steps 6 and 7 should be 5 and 6, and now I can't edit. Oh well, rest assured there is no mysterious step 5!

Oh, close enough!

Wonderful news! Thanks for the detailed information. This has been my biggest worry.

So it isn't 6 months you have to wait for between giving them the vaccination and going to the UK now, it's 21 days? I'm not moving until Oct 2012 (if everything with the visa goes smoothly) so under the current PETS thing I was going to have my cat microchipped in Jan and then vaccinated in March or April.

But under the new guidelines I wouldn't have to have him vaccinated until less than a month before we leave?

So it isn't 6 months you have to wait for between giving them the vaccination and going to the UK now, it's 21 days? I'm not moving until Oct 2012 (if everything with the visa goes smoothly) so under the current PETS thing I was going to have my cat microchipped in Jan and then vaccinated in March or April.

But under the new guidelines I wouldn't have to have him vaccinated until less than a month before we leave?

That's right. If he's due for re-vaccination in March/April, you may as well do it then (as it doesn't matter how recent the vaccination is, as long as it's current). Otherwise, you can get it all done within a month if you can get the USDA paperwork signed off in that timeframe.

That's right. If he's due for re-vaccination in March/April, you may as well do it then (as it doesn't matter how recent the vaccination is, as long as it's current). Otherwise, you can get it all done within a month if you can get the USDA paperwork signed off in that timeframe.

I actually think he's not due for vaccination until June 2012, but I would still need to get him microchipped before that, probably still in Jan just to get the ball rolling.

How long does it usually take for the USDA to sign off on paper work?

How long does it usually take for the USDA to sign off on paper work?

You'll need to check with your state's vet. I was able to go in-person so it took me about 2 hours total. Some will let you mail the forms in, in which case I would guess it would be a week or two.

You'll need to check with your state's vet. I was able to go in-person so it took me about 2 hours total. Some will let you mail the forms in, in which case I would guess it would be a week or two.

Guess I need to start on that as soon as we get back from the honeymoon, lol. But with the new rule I won't have to wait so long I guess. Now can I do all this and get everything done before the 3 month mark to leave for the UK and he still be okay?

Now can I do all this and get everything done before the 3 month mark to leave for the UK and he still be okay?

Yes, as long as you can do the microchip/vaccine, 21 day wait, and get the USDA paperwork signed off, you're fine. You'll need to check the requirements for tick/tapeworm closer to the date, as they're not finalised yet. Plus whatever requirements the airline might have for flying your pet.

Yes, as long as you can do the microchip/vaccine, 21 day wait, and get the USDA paperwork signed off, you're fine. You'll need to check the requirements for tick/tapeworm closer to the date, as they're not finalised yet. Plus whatever requirements the airline might have for flying your pet.

So there isn't a expiration date on the Vet certificate once the vet signs off and the USDA signs off on it? As long as there is 21 days between the vaccination test and moving?

Oh yes. Delta requries a health ceritficate which has to be gotten and must encompass the time he flies and we land in the UK. >.<

So there isn't a expiration date on the Vet certificate once the vet signs off and the USDA signs off on it? As long as there is 21 days between the vaccination test and moving?

As stated above, there is a 4-month window on the EC 998 form once the USDA vet signs off (when your vet signs off doesn't matter).

You don't have to test for the vaccine anymore, just administer it.

As stated above, there is a 4-month window on the EC 998 form once the USDA vet signs off (when your vet signs off doesn't matter).

You don't have to test for the vaccine anymore, just administer it.

OH!! You know I completely and utterly missed that? lol

So with us not moving until Oct I can get him the vaccination when it's currently due (in June) and that will be covered under the 4 month mark from the time the USDA signs off that it's been done.

A lot more simpler than the process was....

So with us not moving until Oct I can get him the vaccination when it's currently due (in June) and that will be covered under the 4 month mark from the time the USDA signs off that it's been done.

Yep, as long as the vaccination doesn't lapse, you're fine.