Animal Health Certificates are the official veterinary travel documents required for the travel of dogs, cats and ferrets from the UK to the EU and Northern Ireland. AHCs replaced the passports of the previous Pet Travel Scheme in January 2021. An AHC is valid to travel out of the UK within 10 days of completion. It is only valid for a single trip and travellers returning to the UK on the AHC must do so within 4 months of issuance. An AHC can only be completed by a vet with the additional Official Veterinarian (OV) qualification. For the latest government information about EU pet travel, please visit https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

Your pet must have been microchipped and had a rabies vaccine at least 21 days before we can issue an AHC. The vet giving the rabies vaccine must issue you with a signed rabies vaccine certificate. This certificate must include full details of the rabies vaccine and written confirmation that the microchip has been scanned/implanted prior to the vaccine being given. The certificate must also include the owner's full name and address as well as the sex, breed, colour and date of birth of the pet. If your vet has not issued a certificate, you will need to contact them to issue one before you make a booking. Existing valid UK pet passports can also be used as proof of rabies vaccination. We may need to verify your pet's rabies vaccinations by contacting your registered practice.

Prices quoted are valid to provide a home visit service to Alderley Edge, Altrincham, Bramhall, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Chelford, Chorlton, Didsbury, Gatley, Hale, Handforth, Hazel Grove, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Mobberley, Prestbury, Poynton, Sale and Wilmslow. We can also offer a 'Click and Collect' service if you're based outside of this area. Home visits in other areas may be possible but would incur additional costs.

The AHC is completed on the assumption that the registered owner will be present for the signing of the owner declaration during the home visit, and will also be the person travelling with the pet. This must be the same person named on the rabies certificate. If this is not the case, you must make us aware at the time of booking as the AHC will to need reflect this.

No, the AHC cannot be posted. Your pet will need to have their microchip scanned and checked during the visit. The document also needs to be signed by the owner in the presence of the vet.

Once we have received your travel details and documents, we'll get in touch to confirm the visit date followed by an invoice to confirm the booking. As the paperwork is all prepared prior to the home visit to ensure the appointment is as convenient as possible for you, payment will be needed in advance. 

If your travel plans change and you need to change the date of your AHC we can reschedule your visit once for no additional fee, provided you give more than 14 days' notice. Changes of date within 14 days of travel, will incur an additional £25 administration fee for each change.

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If you decide to cancel your AHC and not reschedule, our refund policy depends on the timing of the cancellation. Cancellations made more than 2 weeks before the home visit date will receive a full refund. Cancellations made 7-14 days before the visit will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations made within 7 days of the visit will not receive a refund as the AHC will have been prepared.

Dogs travelling to Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway must be given a tapeworm treatment by a vet between 24 and 120 hours before travel. The worming tablet must contain praziquantel or equivalent. The Cheshire Travel Vet is able to supply and administer Drontal (or equivalent) worming tablets for an additional fee of £20 for dogs up to 20kg bodyweight, £25 for 20-40kg and £30 over 40kg. If you request this service, we will need to know the weight of your dog in advance, and will schedule the home visit AHC for 1-5 days before departure. Owners providing their own suitable tapeworm treatment for the home visit will not be charged for our vet administering the tablet.

Dogs travelling to other countries will need the worming tablet administered by a vet in the EU 24-120 hours before returning to the UK.

The registered owner's name appears on the document so should attend the home visit to sign the owner declaration. If the owner is unable to attend and another family member or pet transport company is responsible for signing the documents then we will need to know the exact details from the outset as the paperwork is completed differently. If the owner is not travelling with the pet, again the paperwork is completed differently and we must also receive a signed declaration from the owners to prove that they will be reunited with their pet within 5 days of entry into the EU. 

In the eventuality an owner is not reunited with their pet within 5 days of travel, or if the animal is being sold in the EU, an AHC is not the legal travel document and an Export Health Certificate (EHC) is needed. The Cheshire Travel Vet is NOT able to issue an EHC as part of the services we currently offer.

The Cheshire Travel Vet provides Animal Health Certificates only. Any other services, including vaccinations, should be booked with your own registered vet.