Travel to Europe with your cat and holiday with the entire family  

Pet Transportation Checklist

• Valid DEFRA approved veterinary certificate showing your pet has been micro chipped, vaccinated & blood tested for antibodies to rabies
• Tick & fox tapeworm treatment must be administered by a vet not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours prior to returning to the UK. An official certificate is required from the country in which treatment is carried out. This must be signed, dated and include date and time of treatment.
• Pets must be vaccinated against rabies after 3 months and have subsequent rabies booster vaccinations

Full Pet Travel Checklist

Required Checks & Regulations

Required Vaccinations

Tick and fox tapeworm treatment must be administered by a vet between 24 and 48 hours before check-in from a foreign port. An official certificate is required from the country in which treatment is carried out. This must be signed, dated and include date and time of treatment.

If the certificate does not comply with this, we regret that we will not be able to carry the animal under the Pet Travel Scheme. For that reason, when planning your return journey on any of our routes, please give careful consideration to the timing of the tick and tapeworm treatment.

Vaccination from kennel cough is not a requirement, but you are recommended to seek the advice of your own vet about health and travel concerns.

Animals you can take on holiday

Dogs, cats and ferrets can travel under the Defra PETS Pet Travel Scheme.

Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats, gerbils and chinchillas can currently move between EU countries (including the UK) and into the EU from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican with no requirements with regard to rabies. From these countries, these animals can enter the UK on any route at any port, subject to Transport Company’s agreement.

For entry from other countries there is a 6 month quarantine requirement. The EU may impose conditions at a later date.

DFDS Seaways can accept bookings for such animals on the Newcastle–Amsterdam (IJmuiden) and Harwich-Esbjerg routes, provided that they are suitably secured and kept in your vehicle. There should be sufficient space for the animal to move freely, and you should make the animal as comfortable as possible, using absorbent bedding, equipment and toys with which the animal is familiar with.

Before leaving your vehicle you must ensure that the animal(s) will have enough ventilation and water/food. This will normally mean that one or more windows will need to be left partly open, but it is important also to ensure that the animal(s) cannot escape. Animals should be adequately restrained and should be carried in a suitable secure container.