Bringing Your Dog From the UK To France - And Back Again

Whether you are going on a holiday or biting the bullet and making the big mountain move to France, many people wonder what it takes to bring the beloved family pooch along too. Whilst there may be some logistics to work through, bringing your dog with you to the French Alps is actually a really easy process. So, what are the steps of making sure your four-legged family member has no issues when the time to cross borders comes?

Make sure they are microchipped!

This might be an obvious one, but not all dogs are microchipped straight away! The microchip needs to be a 15 digit ISO compliant one, or you will need to carry your own scanner.

Make sure they have their rabies vaccination

If entering from the UK, you will need proof that a rabies vaccination was administered after the microchip was implanted. If the rabies vaccination is your dog's first one prior, you need to wait 21 days before travelling. There is no waiting period after booster shots so long as:

• The previous vaccination was administered after a microchip was implanted AND
• The previous vaccination had not expired when the booster was given.

Visit your vet and ask for a passport

If your pup is microchipped and has the appropriate vaccinations, all you have to do is visit your vet and ask for a passport. They are usually issued on the spot, and the fees shouldn’t be too high.  

Puppies

As puppies can’t have their rabies vaccination before 12 weeks - and there is 3 week wait once they have their first jab - puppies are not allowed to enter France from the UK until they are at least 15 weeks old.

Returning to England

Every time you head back to the UK, you need to take your dog to a registered vet for a brief check-up and worming tablets, one to five days before each return journey to the UK. Don’t forget to do this, because it is noted in the pet passport, and if customs officers don’t see a record of it your pooch won’t be allowed back into the UK!

Restricted Dogs

France restricts the import of certain breeds without pedigree certification. If you are the owner of a Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler or Tosa, you must provide evidence of it being a pedigree as crossbreeds are not permitted. 

In France, owners of these dogs must have a "certificate of aptitude" for keeping a dangerous animal from the town hall of residence (the Mairie), and keep the dog leashed and muzzled in public.

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