Pet Travel From Turkey to the United Kingdom

Hi PetRelocation,

I am going to drive with my dog from Turkey to the United Kingdom via Greece, Italy and France, and have just been told that the law changed on June 1st, to say that animals now have to wait 90 days after their blood test to enter any EU country from Turkey (non-EU), and wondered if you could confirm this? As I will not actually be staying in Greece, but just passing through, I wonder if this applies or not.

Thanks,
Gillian


Hi Gillian,

Thanks for contacting us with your question! International pet travel can definitely be tricky, so we'd be happy offer any guidance that we can. The United Kingdom is one of the tougher countries to enter due to their rabies-free status, so your pre-move actions will need to be carried out carefully.

Here is the best source of information for moving pets to the UK. According to DEFRA, Turkey is not an EU-approved country so you will face a stricter set of requirements. In particular, you must have a blood test carried out at an approved lab at least 30 days after the rabies vaccine is administered.

Many people in your position choose to spend time in an EU country before they attempt to enter the UK so that the restrictions aren't as cumbersome. Again, refer to the DEFRA site for everything you need to know.

As you can see this has the potential to be a complicated move, so don't hesitate to contact us if you need any more help or if you'd like to find out more about our services. Good luck!
 

Pet Travel Question Details:

Name: Gillian
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
From: Turkey
To: United Kingdom
 

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in June 2011 and has been updated with new information.