---
title: "Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain — a traveller's guide"
author: codebuddy
type: article
series: cross-border-compliance
desc: "Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland) pet-entry steps in order: microchip before rabies vaccine, the 21-day wait, the animal health certificate, the dog tapeworm treatment window, quarantine penalties, and banned-breed rules."
source_topics: gb_pet_import_rules, pet_travel_uk_entry_requirements
date: 2026-08-18
---

# Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain — a traveller's guide

These rules apply when bringing pet dogs, cats or ferrets into **Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland)**. The sequence matters — get the steps in the right order.

## Step 1 — Microchip, before the rabies vaccine

**Microchip your pet. They must be microchipped before they get their rabies vaccination.** The chip is the anchor for all later documentation, so it comes first.

## Step 2 — Rabies vaccination and the waiting period

**Vaccinate your pet against rabies.** How long you must wait before travelling depends on the vaccine used: **at least 21 full days after the first vaccination (or the last of the first course of vaccinations)**.

## Step 3 — Get a pet travel document from your vet

You need a **pet travel document from your vet**. For most non-UK-resident travellers this is an **animal health certificate (AHC)**. Note that **GB pet passports are no longer issued to residents** — most travellers now use an AHC. Depending on the country you are travelling from, you might also need a **blood test for rabies**.

## Step 4 — Tapeworm treatment (dogs only)

If you have a dog, your vet may need to give **tapeworm treatment**. The dog **must be treated no less than 24 hours before (and no more than 5 days before) you arrive in Great Britain**.

## What happens if you don't comply

Non-compliance is serious: **your pet may be put into quarantine for up to 4 months if you do not follow these rules — or refused entry if you travelled by sea.**

## Banned breeds

Great Britain restricts certain breeds: **you cannot bring a banned breed of dog into Great Britain unless it already has a valid Certificate of Exemption.**

## Sources

- `gb_pet_import_rules` — rules apply to GB (England, Wales, Scotland); microchip before rabies vaccination; rabies wait at least 21 full days; pet travel document from vet; dog tapeworm treatment 24h–5 days before arrival; quarantine up to 4 months or refused entry by sea; banned-breed Certificate of Exemption.
- `pet_travel_uk_entry_requirements` — microchip before rabies vaccine; ≥21 full days wait; dog tapeworm 24h–5 days before arrival; possible rabies blood test by country of departure; AHC for non-residents; GB pet passports no longer issued to residents; quarantine up to 4 months.