Can I bring a dog adopted in France to the UK?

Reader question: We live in the UK but recently adopted a dog at our second home in France after our old dog died. We want to bring the new dog back with us. What do we need to do? And when we return to France for future trips with the dog, are there any additional steps we should take?

Pets being brought from France to Great Britain must fulfil a number of requirements.

Animals must be:

• microchipped;

• vaccinated against rabies;

• treated for tapeworm in the 24 hours to 120 hours before entering Great Britain;

• assigned a non-commercial declaration form by their owners stating they will not be sold;

• declared to UK customs if being transported as part of a home move.

Pet passport or health certificate?

In addition, owners need either an EU pet passport or a pet health certificate, which can be obtained from vets in France (une certification sanitaire vétérinaire). You should specify that it is to take the pet to the UK.

Animals based in the UK and returning with their owners from trips of up to six months are covered by the UK animal health certificate (AHC) issued when they travel out.

Since April, owners who are main residents in the UK cannot obtain an EU pet passport for their animals, even if they have a second home in the bloc.

The UK allows main residents of EU countries to use pet passports for travelling with their pets to the UK, but you will be unable to obtain one in your situation.

Closer EU-UK integration aims eventually to align pet passports, but this is unlikely to change until late 2027.

A French vet with vétérinaire officiel (official vet) status will be able to complete and sign the certificate you need. You can ask for it at the same time as the dog is vaccinated.

You must enter the UK within 10 days of obtaining the certificate.

Returning to France with your dog

Once you have entered the UK with the pet, it is treated as any other pet in the UK for journeys back to France.

This means you will need to obtain an animal health certificate each time you travel to France with your dog.

While the certificates now remain valid for six months for return journeys to the UK, you only have 10 days from one being issued to enter the EU.

This means you need a new certificate each time you enter France, regardless of how many times you visit.

More information on obtaining animal health certificates and EU pet passports is available via the UK government and French authorities.