When we moved out here last year, we brought our cats on the Pet Passport scheme, however as we didnt think we would be returning to the UK the passport only entitled the cats to be brought out to Spain and not for them to return to the UK. Does anyone know what the procedure is for taking them back to the UK? I understand it is more complex, has anyone done this? Thanks

Why are you returning? I think you have to do a blood test for rabies and then wait for 6 months. Try the DEVRA website

Thanks for the reply. We are reluctantly returning because unfortunately we cant find any work. I will give the website a look, thanks

I'm a bit confused there .... we've done the pet passport thing but the whole idea of it is that it gives your pet free movement within the eec as its been immunised etc. Therefore your pet passport should allow you to enter back into the UK (It seems you haven't been in Spain too ,long).

Hi there, yes you are right, but we didnt do the bloodtest and wait six months back in the UK as it wasnt a requirement just to bring them out to Spain, only if you wanted to return back with them. We didnt initially have any intention of moving back to the UK, but unfortunately the money we had to "tide us over" has all but run out, so we have no choice but to go back to the grindstone in the UK.
Thanks for the reply

I should double check that. The vet knew exactly that we were leaving within a few months. Cat had the inncoulations, and then 3 weeks later had the blood test, but nothing was said about having to wait another 6 months. I know if you are coming back without a pet passport then there is the probability of a 6 month wait.

Not sure where you are btw, but I will have a van in the Valencia / Alicante area the week of the 15th September (moving our stuff out) if you need anything bringing back

Yes maybe that was it, we didnt have the bloodtests done, but I phoned the UK vet who issued the passport and he confirmed that we would need to get the bloodtests done here and the procedure is more rigorous to bring them back to the UK than initially to bring them to Spain.

Btw we are near Alcoy about halfway between Alicante/Valencia, what size Van??

Its a 35 cwt tail lift Luton box van, takes about 18 cbm / 1200 kilos
We're in Oliva which is about 20 mins North of Benidorm on the motorway

Hi,

The procedure to bring pets back into the UK is far more rigourous than to take them out of the UK, it's because we are a rabies free country. The blood test is required and the wait is 6 months. Between 24-48 hours before leaving Spain they also need to have tick and tapeworm treatment. I am a cat breeder and have both imported and exported cats within Europe.

That's correct, we've crossed over the UK several times with dog (bitch Bicson) and once the animal is chipped and then the blood done and appropriate paper work (you need to have it signed off an official Veterinary - not sure where you'd do that in Spain as we came from Germany) and a six month wait you can bring your pet in with minimal hassle.


Just before you leave you need to fill out some paper work saying you've done the tick and tapeworm. That part is done more on scouts honour, we picked the paper work up a week ahead of time and gave her the dates and times that we needed. Only caveat is to make sure you use official documents, stupidly, each are country spefic, documents from Germany won’t help you from Spain. What happens if you move as we’ve done, don’t know.

Its unfortunate that it didn't work out, have you considered teaching English, that seems to be the stock and trade of every expat I've meet here (at least till they get established)

correct me if I'm wrong, the pet passport is simply a standardized record of immunization shots. To bring your pet into the UK requires that they be chipped, blood tested, official paper work and dewormed before arriving.

else its six months at the kennel.

Not that we're thinking of bringing it back anyway, but I was under the impression thet it gave your pet the right to travel between any EU countries as and when ........ to get our pet passport we had to have it chipped, immunised and blood tested to get the passport in the first place.

The passport also has to contain details of the chip and blood tests as well as all vaccinations etc.

It is vital to have the rabies jabs done every year. If you go one day over 12 months you have to wait another 6 months for a new blood test.

We have had all our pets passported ready to come to Spain. They have to be blood tested, vaccinated against rabies and mocrochipped. When passports first came out they had to be 'anti-rabied' every year now it is 3 years. They do however still have to have their usual yearly vacc. and be treated for fleas and worms as normal. This allows us to bring our pets back at anytime but they must be seen by a vet first before leaving Spain who will vaccinate them and give a cert. as proof. You must remember to have them redone before the last date on passport or you will have to start again which means they could not return to U.K. for 6 months, or be put into quarrentine

It depends on the vaccine.

In Spain the Rabies vaccine is valid for 1 year only.

At least, that's what our vet says.

Even if you are not intending to return to the UK all registered kennels and catteries require up to date rabies vaccinations before admitting an animal.