NIGEL THOMPSON MARJORIE YUE Plans on paws
Pet owners taking their fourlegged friends to the EU on holiday could be turned away at the border if Britain crashes out without the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal in place.
The EU is due to ratify it at a summit today and then it will go to Parliament for debate next month.
But, as a precaution, the RSPCA is urging travellers with dogs and cats to take action if they are planning trips after March 29.
Why? There is a risk of a no-deal Brexit leaving owners needing FOUR MONTHS to prepare to take their pets to Europe.
The charity recommends that anyone planning a getaway should visit their vet now to ensure animal travel documentation is in order, because they may find they will no longer be able to travel with the ease they are used to.
A no-deal scenario could mean the EU no longer recognises the UK as a trusted country. Pet passports issued in Britain would not be valid for travel and essential checks such as rabies testing could take up to an additional three months to complete.
An RSPCA spokesman said: “Anyone who plans to travel with their dog or cat after the end of March 2019 should talk to their vet right now.
“For the past 15 years it has been very simple for pet owners to take their pets abroad.
“But if we leave the EU without a deal, getting the necessary travel documentation for pets could take much longer than at present – up to four months.”
He said that without the right paperwork, “pets and their owners risk being delayed or even turned back at borders.’’
The Government has issued key advice for EU travel with pets in a no-deal Brexit, including full details about getting them microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.