‘Last straw’: UK dog owner to sell French home over new pet passport rules

A dog owner says the sudden tightening of French pet passport rules for UK second-home owners is the “last straw” and he will sell his house in Vienne, which he has owned since 2019. 

Gus MacIver, who is nearing retirement from his work in accountancy, said the additional costs of paying for an UK Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for every trip is too much on top of having to comply with the EU’s 90/180 days rule and register in the Entry/Exit System.

“I’m heartily sick of it and will be putting my house up for sale,” he said.

He said both pre- and post-Brexit he had used an EU pet passport issued by a French vet without issues.

UK owners face extra costs

However, he said the UK government’s announcement in April that UK residents must no longer use EU-issued passports had led to confusion, with Brittany Ferries telling him they would still accept his passport for now but it “might change at any time”, and UK vets uncertain whether the French rabies vaccination entered in the EU passport was acceptable for an AHC.

The announcement came as an EU regulation came into force which stated explicitly for the first time that EU pet-passports should only be used by people who have their habitual residence in the country that issues them. 

It has been interpreted as closing a loophole whereby previously second-home owners were able to use them if their pet was registered in France’s I-CAD database and rabies jabs were done in France. 

Owners await clarity on new rules

Mr MacIver usual vet quoted €275 for an AHC and another €305. He identified vets 60 miles away with a lower fee of €99, but then they were unsure if they could accept the vaccination.

For a trip in May he decided to pay €50 to have the dog re-vaccinated (a year earlier than normal) by a new practice in his area, which then issued an AHC for €200. He expects to use the cheapest vet for a subsequent trip, but it means a 120-mile round trip.

He added: “The AHC is just a form that says ‘this is a dog’, ‘it has a microchip’, etc. I know the vet has to be registered [as an ‘official veterinarian’], but once they’ve done it once, it’s money for old rope.”

He adds he is aware of hopes that the UK will be able to issue EU-approved pet passports again once a plant and animal health agreement is in place, possibly next year. 

However, he said he doubts it will be a top priority. “We're just getting a bit fed up with the whole thing.”

Another reader also wrote about confusion at the local vets over the French vaccination. 

He was initially told one recorded in the AHC (costing €140) would be valid only one year instead of the usual three, however the vets changed their mind when he challenged this.

“They said they think the three years will be valid now – but I hope in the coming months this is formalised, as at the moment it seems a bit of a mess. I recommend other readers check everything they are told.”

From our research, vaccinations in a French EU pet passport may be used to complete a UK AHC as long as the vet is satisfied that the information is valid and was completed correctly. 

Validity length can vary depending on the type of vaccine and whether the last vaccination was a primary one or a booster.

We are not aware so far of pet owners from the UK who have been refused travel or entry to France due to using an EU pet passport.