How to fly with a dog?
For a dog flying from Great Britain to an EU country such as France, the official sequence is microchip, rabies vaccination, then an animal health certificate issued by a vet. Airline rules and approved routes are separate checks you must confirm with the carrier before booking.
Flying with a dog involves two layers of rules that people often blur together. The first layer is the animal-health paperwork set by government authorities: microchip, rabies vaccination and a travel document. The second layer is everything the airline decides: whether dogs fly in the cabin or hold, crate standards, breed restrictions and fees. UK government guidance covers the first layer thoroughly. The second layer is not defined in that guidance at all, so it has to be confirmed directly with the carrier.
[1][2]The official steps before you fly
- Microchip first. The dog must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, its rabies vaccination. If the vaccination happens first, the dog has to be vaccinated again.
- Rabies vaccination. The vet needs proof the dog is at least 12 weeks old before vaccinating. After the first vaccination, you must wait at least 21 full days before travelling, depending on the vaccine used. Boosters with no break in cover do not require a waiting period.
- Animal health certificate. For travel from Great Britain to an EU country, your vet issues an animal health certificate rather than a pet passport. It is valid for 10 days for entry into the EU, 6 months for onward travel within the EU, and 6 months for re-entry to Great Britain. A new certificate is needed for each trip.
- Tapeworm treatment. Some countries require dogs to have tapeworm treatment. For return to Great Britain, treatment must be given no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival.
- A signed declaration. When the certificate is issued, you sign a declaration confirming you will not sell or re-home the pet abroad.
A worked example: Bella flies to France
Suppose Bella, a three-year-old terrier in England, is booked on a flight to Paris in December. This is a hypothetical illustration, not advice for a specific journey. Her owner checks the sequence. Bella was microchipped as a puppy and her rabies boosters have been continuous, so no 21-day wait applies. The vet issues an animal health certificate in early December, which covers entry to France within 10 days of issue. Because the trip is a holiday, the owner signs the non-sale declaration. Before the return leg, the owner books a tapeworm treatment in France timed so it lands between 24 hours and 5 days before arrival back in Great Britain. One wrinkle: if Bella's rabies vaccination expires mid-trip, the certificate can no longer be used for onward travel or re-entry, so the owner checks the vaccine expiry date against the whole itinerary.
[1][2]What the official rules do not tell you
The government guidance is about the animal's health status and documents. It does not tell you which airports accept pets, which airlines carry them, cabin versus hold policies, or crate specifications. Airport listings are route-planning context only, not a list of approved pet entry points. Those points must be confirmed with the destination authority and the carrier as separate checks. Rules also change, so the current official source should be checked close to the booking date.
[3]Decision checklist before you book
- Confirm the destination country's current entry requirements with its official animal-health authority, not just the departure country's guidance.
- Verify the microchip date precedes the rabies vaccination.
- Check whether the 21-day waiting rule applies, based on vaccination history.
- Book the animal health certificate appointment with enough lead time before the flight.
- Ask the airline directly about pet policy, crate rules and whether the route carries animals at all.
- If the dog is flying with someone else, prepare a signed declaration naming that person, with travel within 5 days of your own journey.
- Plan the tapeworm treatment window for the return leg if required.
A practical next step: before paying for flights, phone or email the airline with your route and dog's details, and book the vet appointment for the animal health certificate at the same time. That way the document timing and the flight date stay aligned, and you avoid paying for a ticket the paperwork cannot support.
[1]Sources and dates
- https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad · accessed 2026-10-18
- https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain · accessed 2026-10-18
- https://petscrossingborders.com/ · accessed 2026-10-18