Pet travel: France to the UK - Microchip/tattoo?
I am French, currently living in France and I will relocate permanently to the UK by the end of the month. I will bring my cat with me but I have a concern about the pet travel scheme. My cat was tattooed in 2008 (the tattoo is clearly legible), he does not have a microchip, he is vaccinated against rabies and has his pet passport.
According to the UK Government's website (https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad/microchip), pets need to have a microchip except if they were tattooed before 2011, which is the case for my cat. However, I wanted to be absolutely sure that this information was still valid so I called the Pet Travel Scheme helpline and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. The first one told me that I need to microchip my cat even though he was tattooed before 2011 and the second one told me that I don't need to microchip him. Consequently, I am lost and I don't want to experience any trouble when I enter the UK with my cat.
Has anyone experienced a similar situation and/or does anyone have feedback to give me on this specific subject?
Best Answer
As you note, you've already satisfied the UK requirements for bringing your cat with you to England. Relocating with pet is stressful, for both you and your cat.
While the microchip and the tattoo accomplish the same, providing a permanent id, you may want to consider adding the chip, for a number of reasons:
- it would be less intrusive for your cat during the UK entry process, having the chip read by a scanner, rather than having to be handled by stranger(s).
- it would be a more immediate way of identifying your pet, should the worst happen: shelters and recovery organizations routinely scan for chips; it may take longer to see that your pet has a tattoo, and, again, requires handling.
- it would give you the opportunity to put your new UK address into the pet recovery database (either way, remember to update your contact information, whether for chip or tattoo).
Pictures about "Pet travel: France to the UK - Microchip/tattoo?"
What do I need to bring my dog back to the UK from France?
You can enter or return to Great Britain with your pet cat, dog or ferret if it:Do dog microchips work internationally?
Most commonly within the US microchips are AVID and contain either 9 or 10 numbers. However, these chips are not ISO compatible due to their encryption. Therefore, before a pet can travel internationally, they must be equipped with a 15-digit ISO compatible microchip, which is the world standard.Does UK Accept EU pet passport?
If the pet passport was issued in the EU or Northern IrelandYou can use the passport to bring your pet into the UK and to travel in the EU or to Northern Ireland. An EU or Northern Ireland pet passport is valid for life as long as your pet's vaccinations and treatments are up to date.What do I need to take my dog to France from the UK 2021?
Your pet will need a new AHC for each trip to France. On arrival in France, pet owners travelling with pets will need to enter through a designated travellers' point of entry (TPE). If you are a UK national living in France and plan to travel with your pet using a UK-issued pet passport, you should speak to your vet.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Helena Jankovičová Kováčová, Yaroslav Shuraev, Yaroslav Shuraev, Yaroslav Shuraev