Taking Your Dog or Cat From the UK to Europe in 2026: AHC, Le Shuttle and Ferries

The car is packed, the dog's bed is wedged between the suitcases, and the Folkestone terminal is forty minutes away. Then you remember the passport you used last summer, the blue EU pet passport, and you wonder whether it still counts.

For most people in Britain, taking a dog or cat to Europe means going by car, through the Channel Tunnel or on a ferry. Flying isn't much help: most UK airlines take no pets in the cabin, and no airline can fly a pet back into Great Britain in the cabin. The rules for the road changed in April 2026. Here's what applies now.

The short version

• Since 22 April 2026, people who live in Great Britain can no longer use an EU pet passport to enter the EU. You need an animal health certificate (AHC) for every trip.
• The AHC is issued by an official vet no more than 10 days before your pet arrives in the EU. Once issued, it covers onward travel within the EU and the return to Great Britain for up to six months, as long as the rabies vaccination stays valid.
• A private vehicle can carry five pets at most.
• Le Shuttle charges £24 each way for pets, and pets stay with you in the car for the 35-minute crossing.
• Eurostar doesn't take pets to or from London.
• Coming home, dogs need a tapeworm treatment from a vet 1 to 5 days before they enter Great Britain.

The papers: AHC instead of a pet passport

The UK Government's announcement says EU pet passports are now issued only to people whose main home is in the EU. A passport issued to a GB resident before 22 April 2026 may no longer be accepted for entering the EU. For the trip home, an EU pet passport can still be used.

Your pet needs a microchip and a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel. Book the vet appointment for the AHC early: it must fall within the 10 days before you arrive in the EU. The full steps are on GOV.UK: taking your pet abroad.

If someone else drives your pet over, they need your written permission with the pet's documents, and the pet must travel within five days of you.

Le Shuttle (Eurotunnel)

From Le Shuttle's pet travel guide:

• Dogs (puppies over 12 weeks), cats and ferrets travel. £24 each way. Guide and assistance dogs travel free.
• Check in your pet at least 1 hour and no more than 2 hours before your booked departure.
• In Folkestone, take your pet to pet reception before boarding. Heading to France, you get a pet hanger at check-in, then go to pet reception in the passenger terminal.
• Your pet stays with you in the car for the whole crossing, about 35 minutes.
• On the UK side there's a pet exercise area behind the fuel station after you drive off.

Ferries

Each ferry company has its own rules, and they differ by route. On DFDS, Dover to France takes no foot passengers. On Newhaven–Dieppe you can travel on foot with a pet if you book a dog-friendly kennel or pet-friendly cabin. Pets aren't allowed in the public areas on board, assistance dogs aside. Check your route with the ferry company before you book.

The carrier in the car

For a cat, a closed carrier on the back seat or in the footwell is the calmest place on a long drive. It also makes every stop easier: at pet reception, at a service station, at the hotel.

Our P8116 measures 45 × 30 × 28 cm and holds its shape on a car seat, for cats and small dogs up to 10 kg. The roll-up shade lets you darken it when your cat wants quiet. If boot space is tight, the P8115 comes in 45 × 28 × 25 cm and 50 × 30 × 30 cm and folds down to 6 cm once you arrive.

Flying out, driving home

Some people fly out with a small pet in the cabin and come home by car. KLM, for example, takes a cat or small dog in the cabin from UK airports. Because no airline can fly a pet into Great Britain in the cabin, the way home has to be planned first. Read more in our guides to flying with a pet from the UK and KLM from the UK.

What I've learned on long trips with a dog and a cat

Get your pet used to the carrier in the car. Before her first long trip, Mochi, my toy poodle, rode in her bag on our longer drives, about two hours at a time. After a few trips she lay down and slept.

Keep the papers in one folder, on the passenger seat. Pet reception, the border, the hotel: you'll show the AHC and booking more than once.

Plan the vet stop for the way home. The tapeworm treatment has to happen 1 to 5 days before you're back in Great Britain. Find a vet near your last stop before you leave home.

Common questions

Can I still use my dog's EU pet passport to go to France?

If you live in Great Britain, no. Since 22 April 2026 you need an animal health certificate for each trip into the EU. You can still use the EU pet passport for the journey home.

How much does Le Shuttle charge for a dog?

£24 each way. Guide and assistance dogs travel free.

Can I take my dog on Eurostar?

No. Eurostar doesn't take pets on trains to or from London. Guide and assistance dogs can travel if you contact Eurostar at least 24 hours ahead.

Does my cat need a tapeworm treatment?

The tapeworm treatment is required for dogs entering Great Britain, given 1 to 5 days before arrival.

A carrier for the car

P8116 is a structured 45 × 30 × 28 cm carrier for cats and small dogs up to 10 kg.

A short note: entry and exit rules and transport companies' requirements change, and the official information always applies.