Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to publish further guidance on pet travel to Europe after the UK leaves the EU.

Whatever the outcome of negotiations, when the UK leaves the EU, owners of pet dogs, cats and ferrets will be able to continue to travel to the EU with their pets but there may be changes to the system.

We want owners to continue to be able to travel with their animals with the minimum of disruption, whilst maintaining our high biosecurity and welfare standards. However, it’s our duty as a responsible Government to prepare for all eventualities, including a ‘no deal’ scenario.

On 6 November 2018, Defra published guidance on Pet Travel to Europe after Brexit in preparation for the possibility of leaving the EU without a deal. The guidance also contains advice on the documents and health preparation required for pets to return to the UK from the EU.

The Department will continue to keep this guidance up to date as the arrangements that allow pet owners to travel to and from the EU with pets after the UK leaves the EU are confirmed.