Pet owners are being urged to act now to avoid travel disruption post-Brexit.
Once the UK leaves the EU, current pet passports will not be valid for travel to Europe and a new type of passport will have to be applied for. But if the UK is no longer recognised by the EU as a ‘trusted country’, essential checks such as rabies testing could take an additional three months to complete, meaning there could be a four-month wait for pet passports to be processed.
The RSPCA’s head of public affairs, David Bowles, said: “Anyone who plans to travel with their dog or cat after the end of October 2019 should be talking to their vet right now.
“For the past 15 years, it has been very simple to take a pet abroad but many pet owners don’t realise just how lengthy and complex the process could now become if we leave the EU without a deal.
“And without the right paperwork, pets and their owners risk being delayed or even turned back at borders.”
