Pet Passport nightmares

Mar 15, 2022
3
0
10
Visit site
I wanted to ask if everyone travelling to the Eu is experiencing a greater strictness with dog passport checks. I had a recent very poor experience with my 2 dogs who have Eu passports. The staff member at Eurotunnel kept insisting that it was MY responsibility to check in detail even minor mistakes made by a Vet. Last time I checked I was not qualified as a Vet. Obviously I do check my passport for obvious errors each time I travel but I find the insistence on the fault being with me when I have paid for a service when minor errors have been made by others, which I feel are impossible to check as a lay person. I was threatened that my dogs may not be able to travel in future and I would be given a one time pass this time. Is there any mechanism for the vets error to be accountable for this instead of the passenger?
At the time another passenger next to me was hauled up as the microchip number had 1 written wrongly by the Vet in the passport. How within reason are you supposed to pick this up.
The attitude of the staff that was less than sympathetic did not help. I learn the numbers of pets being turned away at the pet passport check in is increasing.
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,100
6,131
50,935
Visit site
I wanted to ask if everyone travelling to the Eu is experiencing a greater strictness with dog passport checks. I had a recent very poor experience with my 2 dogs who have Eu passports. The staff member at Eurotunnel kept insisting that it was MY responsibility to check in detail even minor mistakes made by a Vet. Last time I checked I was not qualified as a Vet. Obviously I do check my passport for obvious errors each time I travel but I find the insistence on the fault being with me when I have paid for a service when minor errors have been made by others, which I feel are impossible to check as a lay person. I was threatened that my dogs may not be able to travel in future and I would be given a one time pass this time. Is there any mechanism for the vets error to be accountable for this instead of the passenger?
At the time another passenger next to me was hauled up as the microchip number had 1 written wrongly by the Vet in the passport. How within reason are you supposed to pick this up.
The attitude of the staff that was less than sympathetic did not help. I learn the numbers of pets being turned away at the pet passport check in is increasing.
Are you talking entry into this country or exit? Either way the examining official can only go by what is in the documents. You are fortunate to have met an official who had some flexibility. As UK is now out of the EU we are classed as a third country, and I’m afraid we have to live with it. You don’t say what the problem was, or was it the microchip number. Even a lay person can check that against the dogs microchips registration ID.
 
Mar 15, 2022
3
0
10
Visit site
it was for entrey into the Uk at Calais, and the problem was with the date of the microchip as entered by the vet in the pasport, did not match the date of the microship installation. It just seems that the responsibilty is on the passenger to check every page in detail and read the Defra rules to know what is needed. Appararently the date must be not the date the vet "reads" the chip but date of installation. Although both options are on the pasport for date of "read" and date of installation, So confusing. I found this out later after checking on the Defra guidance, It is just I pay for a service, is it my job to check the regs as the Vet should have done?- sorry bit of a rant.
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,100
6,131
50,935
Visit site
it was for entrey into the Uk at Calais, and the problem was with the date of the microchip as entered by the vet in the pasport, did not match the date of the microship installation. It just seems that the responsibilty is on the passenger to check every page in detail and read the Defra rules to know what is needed. Appararently the date must be not the date the vet "reads" the chip but date of installation. Although both options are on the pasport for date of "read" and date of installation, So confusing. I found this out later after checking on the Defra guidance, It is just I pay for a service, is it my job to check the regs as the Vet should have done?- sorry bit of a rant.
Sounds then as if your vet isn’t that familiar with the requirements which could be a case if they haven’t done many of the new passports now required. Our vets has a Portuguese and American vet in the practice. I bet they may not be too familiar with the process, or even may not be authorised to issue the passport. Oh it used to be so simple when we took our pooches abroad. Fortunately they are too old at 15 years to travel overseas again.
 
Jul 18, 2017
11,944
3,326
32,935
Visit site
UK vets no longer issue passports and this only done by vets in the EU. We have to get an Animal Health Certificate issued in the UK for travel to the EU. No issue leaving the UK, but is required more for the re-entry into the UK.
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,100
6,131
50,935
Visit site
UK vets no longer issue passports and this only done by vets in the EU. We have to get an Animal Health Certificate issued in the UK for travel to the EU. No issue leaving the UK, but is required more for the re-entry into the UK.
The Animal Health Certificate is required for entry to the EU as it details the animals vaccination record microchip date and details. It is only valid for 10 days prior to entering the EU and is only valid for one visit.
 
Mar 14, 2005
17,557
3,051
50,935
Visit site
Unfortunately this is another case where the law places the responsibility for the accuracy of documentation on the holder/owner, and that's where the buck stops. Look at it from another perspective, The boarder controls are there to prevent the passage of illegal people or pets into a country. Its errors in documentation that often exposes fraudsters, so to that extent the boarder officials are doing their job.

You should be talking to the vet that incorrectly wrote up the documentation.
 
Jul 22, 2022
1
1
15
Visit site
it was for entrey into the Uk at Calais, and the problem was with the date of the microchip as entered by the vet in the pasport, did not match the date of the microship installation. It just seems that the responsibilty is on the passenger to check every page in detail and read the Defra rules to know what is needed. Appararently the date must be not the date the vet "reads" the chip but date of installation. Although both options are on the pasport for date of "read" and date of installation, So confusing. I found this out later after checking on the Defra guidance, It is just I pay for a service, is it my job to check the regs as the Vet should have done?- sorry bit of a rant.
Could you share the Defra info that relates to this as I can't find any ? I have a read date and experienced a bit of a problem when coming back with DFS ferries at Calais - no problem with the Tunnel and think the staff member at Calais was being awkward and or misinterpreting things wrongly. Note the chip reading date coincided with the date of the actual vaccination renewal (see issue below).

For the record here is what I have found
https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/travelling-with-us/travelling-with-your-pet/checklist/
Microchip
In order to identify your pet (dog, cat or ferret) it must be fitted with a microchip, before or same day as the initial rabies vaccination is carried out.
The microchip number of the animal must be identical to the microchip number on the pet’s documentation.
A tattoo from any country in the world is acceptable providing it has been done at the latest on the 3 July 2011.
When the vet is completing your pet’s official travel documents, make sure the date of implantation or date of reading of the microchip is the same date as, or before, the rabies vaccination.


https://www.connexionfrance.com/art...t-passport-not-accepted-on-UK-to-France-ferry
Reader question: Why was I refused boarding with my dog on Brittany Ferries recently after showing them my pet’s new EU pet passport that was issued by a French vet?
Several British travellers going between the UK and France have been turned away by authorities, be it ferry or train services, due to issues with their pet’s new EU passports or old UK pet passports.
British EU pet passports ceased to be valid from January 1 this year due to the UK leaving the EU.
Now, pet-owners who previously had British pet passports have two options if they wish to travel to the EU with their animals.
They can visit a vet in the UK for an animal health certificate (AHC), valid for up to four months for a single trip, onward travel in the EU and re-entry. These can typically cost around £100 each, plus any treatments and vaccinations the pet may need.

Or, those who are residents in France or have a second home there, can change to getting an EU pet passport. An EU pet passport issued in France will cost between €15 to €20, and can be used for up to 28 trips, including to the UK, where it is valid.
However our reader, who has chosen to get a new EU pet passport in France, experienced a combination of two issues on his recent trip.

Rabies vaccine details must be included on EU passport
The main problem was that his vet did not include the details of his animal’s rabies vaccine on his new EU pet passport.
This means that the only travel record our reader has of his animal’s rabies vaccination history is on his old UK pet passport, which is now a defunct document.
Furthermore, the last jab was done by a UK vet.
Read more: Can a UK vet give a rabies jab for a French pet passport?

An expert from the Pet Travel Scheme helpline run by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that some, but not all, French vets are willing to transfer over details of a UK jab into an EU pet passport.
In this case, he said, the French vet should include as much detail as possible about the rabies vaccination on the new EU pet passport on page five of the document.
This includes the vaccine type, the batch number, date of the vaccination, its expiry date and any other relevant details.
We note, however, that this contradicts information previously given to The Connexion by a French Agriculture Ministry spokesman, who said:
“The last vaccination must have been done by a vet accredited in the EU” and that if the last one was done in the UK this invalidates the EU passport.
The alternative therefore, where the animal has not had a French or other EU jab, is to get a French vet to give your animal a new booster dose of a rabies vaccine, which will be valid after three weeks.
However, anyone getting a new EU pet passport should be careful with the date of the rabies vaccination, as it is important.
Date of application / reading of transponder must predate rabies vaccine
On page three of the EU pet passport is the section: Date of application or reading of the transponder (referring to the animal’s identification chip, with ‘application’ referring to the date it was fitted to the animal).

Under EU rules, the date that is written here must precede the date the most recent rabies vaccination was given. Some vets in France will score out the “date of application” of the microchip if they do not know it, and instead only insert the “reading date”, which means the date they themselves scanned the microchip.
They will then be likely to mark the reading date as whatever the day’s date is. This is not a problem if they then go on to give the animal a rabies booster shot.
However, if they are using details about a rabies vaccination that was done before then it will cause a problem as the reading date will be later than the vaccination date. This was another issue our reader faced.

The Defra helpline adviser said that if this is the case on your EU pet passport, then there are two solutions.
The first is that you ask your vet to write in the “date of application” of the microchip, if they know it, which will undoubtedly predate the last rabies vaccination date.

If they cannot do that or do not know the application date, then the only other solution is to give the animal another rabies shot, ensuring that the date of the vaccination comes after the reading date they have included on the document.
 
  • Like
Reactions: otherclive
Mar 15, 2022
3
0
10
Visit site
Just a follow up to this. My vet in the EU is 100 % sure she is right, and as such she signed a declaration to say that what she had done was correct. I am still not sure as I cant find any EU law that states that the transponder date "read" can be after the rabies when creating a new passport. For example if you lost a passport and the vet "read" the transponder on the date of passport creation and has older records of rabies jab then although this is supposedly correct it would not pass with Defra Regs????
I eventualy got the vet to replace the passport with the date of transponder installation - i showed her the microchip certificate which showed this. This was a way round which has been accepted on recent travel.
MY BEEF - still is that Eurotunnel or ferry expect ME OR YOU as laypeople to know if something a vet does on a passport is incorrect. This is unsound at best and surely just a way to make us go back to Calais vets to get the suff done again!!!
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,100
6,131
50,935
Visit site
Just a follow up to this. My vet in the EU is 100 % sure she is right, and as such she signed a declaration to say that what she had done was correct. I am still not sure as I cant find any EU law that states that the transponder date "read" can be after the rabies when creating a new passport. For example if you lost a passport and the vet "read" the transponder on the date of passport creation and has older records of rabies jab then although this is supposedly correct it would not pass with Defra Regs????
I eventualy got the vet to replace the passport with the date of transponder installation - i showed her the microchip certificate which showed this. This was a way round which has been accepted on recent travel.
MY BEEF - still is that Eurotunnel or ferry expect ME OR YOU as laypeople to know if something a vet does on a passport is incorrect. This is unsound at best and surely just a way to make us go back to Calais vets to get the suff done again!!!


It used to be so simple didn’t it.?
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts