What changed after Brexit
Before Brexit, UK pet passports were valid for travel between the UK and the EU under the EU Pet Travel Scheme. Post-Brexit, UK-issued pet passports stopped being valid for EU entry. The replacement document for UK→EU travel is the Animal Health Certificate (AHC).
For travel in the opposite direction — pets arriving in the UK from Portugal — different rules apply, but those are outside the scope of this site.
The Animal Health Certificate
The AHC is issued in the UK by an Official Veterinarian (OV) — a vet authorised by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to issue export documentation. The certificate covers a single trip and is valid for EU entry for up to 10 days from the date of issue, then for onward EU travel for four months from issue.
The implication for UK→Portugal pet travel: the AHC must be issued within the 10-day pre-travel window, so the appointment with the OV is scheduled tightly against your departure date. Most general veterinary practices are not OV-authorised; if your usual vet is not, you will need to book with one that is. The APHA can confirm OV-authorisation for a given practice.
Microchip, rabies, and other requirements
For the AHC to be issued, your pet must have:
- A working microchip, implanted before any rabies vaccination.
- A current rabies vaccination administered at least 21 days before travel (a rabies vaccine given before the microchip does not count).
- For dogs entering Portugal, no specific tapeworm treatment is required (tapeworm-treatment rules apply for entry to Finland, Ireland, Malta, and Norway, but not Portugal).
- Evidence of identity matching the microchip and the AHC.
Transport options
Three main routes for pet travel UK→Portugal:
- Owner-accompanied by car and ferry — Channel crossing then onward driving through France and Spain. Slower but the lowest-stress option for the pet for shorter-distance retirees who want the pet with them throughout.
- Owner-accompanied by air — direct UK→Lisbon or UK→Porto flights with the pet either in-cabin (very small dogs and cats) or in the aircraft hold under approved IATA carrier transport. The flying day itself is stressful but the journey is shortest.
- Specialist pet-transport firm — a dedicated pet-transport company collects the pet from your UK address, handles the AHC where included, drives or flies the pet to Portugal, and delivers to your Portuguese address. Highest-cost option but most hands-off for the owner.
What we do not do
We do not transport animals. Pets do not travel in removals vehicles — the temperature, ventilation, journey-time, and animal-welfare regulatory requirements are entirely different from cargo, and any firm willing to put a live animal in a removals lorry is one to walk away from.
We work alongside specialist pet-transport firms when our customers need them. Two we have a working relationship with and trust — we are happy to refer when you reach the planning stage.