 Poster: A snowHead
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FFS! The simple answer would be a UK pet passport system on the same terms as the EU. I suppose it’s too much to ask our useless government to sort it out.
I have a ski friend who is currently working for Le Shuttle marketing team and I’ve forwarded it to her asking her to clarify what Le Shuttle intends to do.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If it wasn’t so frustrating I’d say it’s quite amusing that none of the Brexit worshippers are on here telling us how easy it is.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Perty, and a UK passport is on the cards, but there's no date yet, as it is part of a whole revamp of the agriculture and foods regulations. Le Shuttle have already replied to several people, to say that nothing has changed and that they have no plans to do any additional checks. At present, reading the EU regulations, we have a valid passport issued before 22/4 and with plenty of room for worming and future rabies vaccines.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've messaged a fellow second home owner (not french resident) - who also happens to be a retired vet and was a reasonably big cheese in the RVS. I quote her response:
"t'internet gone crazy with this and all sorts of AI quotes coming out!!. Am keeping an eye on vet info coming out too. AS far as I understand so far, if you have an up to date EU passport for your pet nothing changes...though I am glad I'm not planning to go over to France for a week or so to see what develops!! Seems the be some possible misunderstanding in some of info between having residence and having a residency. What is unclear to me is how the french vets will deal with this as looks to me as if decision is in their hands who can have a new EU passport or not...so unless planning to get a new pet that's not a worry. Equally am assuming French vets will happily continue to vax and update current passports. But I am watching what develops. Most of my old colleagues complaining that they are like to have a change to the AHC's for pets with no passports to go from UK to europe as likely even more hassle than current one. Will keep you posted!"
Watch this space for the intel from my friend in Le Shuttle marketing dept. FYI-they are going to Goodwoof (big doggie event in Sussex in Mid May) and so they are on it. ..
Oh! incoming from my vet friend -she says it was on facebook from someone replying to a post on a VET practice's FB site, so can't vouch for it.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'll have to check out whether anything changes with ours. We have an Andorran pet passport and Andorran residents. Andorra isn't in the EU but seems to be part of the scheme.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@hammerite, shouldn't be a problem then.
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The long and short of this is nothing is changing! Despite the alarmist notice from the UK Government, EU vets will continue to issue pet passports to UK based people who can claim "residency" in a EU country. It might affect a small number of veterinary practices who were issuing passports to any passing UK pet owner but they were probably acting outside of the regulations in any case. Le Shuttle seems to have made a sensible decision this time that it is not their role to confirm if the documentation has been correctly issued only that the animal has the relevant jabs etc.
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I am a UK national, resident in Italy with Brexit rights + biometric card and a dog with an Italian passport (which is dependent on my Italian residence).
I've just emailed the EU asking how this new faff will affect us. I'll copy and paste their reply.
Questions can be asked here:
https://europa.eu/european-union/contact/write-to-us_en
Edit: In Italy pet passports are not issued by vets but by provincial animal health offices who follow the regulations absolutely!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Nemisis, why would any of this affect an"Italian" dog?
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Just got this from Eurotunnel.
Saffron (LeShuttle Support)
22 Apr 2026, 10:05 BST
Further to our previous email, we wanted to update you regarding pet travel to the EU. This replaces the previous information we provided.
LeShuttle operates in line with current UK and EU pet travel regulations. Pet owners are responsible for ensuring that their documentation is valid and correctly issued in accordance with official guidance.
The issuing and eligibility of pet travel documents are matters for the relevant veterinary and regulatory authorities. Customers are advised to check the official guidance for their destination country before travelling. You can do that here.
LeShuttle will continue to review and update its information as further official guidance becomes available.
The link they send you to follows....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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So reading that , at the moment , if you have an up to date EU pet passport they will assume that you are a resident in the EU as they are only issued to EU residents . Is that how you interpret this @Matt1959, ?
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@Le Grand Renard, Maybe! We are thinking of turning up on Sunday and, if questioned, say we are EU residents. Anybody know if you need proof of residency to travel?
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You know it makes sense.
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@Matt1959, I think I remember you having a place, perhaps a copy of your French "Council tax" would convince a curtesy check.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Jonny996, I think I'll have a copy of that and my electricity account too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Jonny996, Hmm. My tax and EDF accounts have my Scottish address on them!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Reports on FB that checks are being carried out as usual at Le Shuttle PPC, with no questions about residency of the pet owners. We don't know how long this is going to continue to be the case though. We will travel as usual in July unless things become obvious that we won't be allowed to travel. Just a thought. It is actually cheaper to get a 6 month VLS-T French visa (which would mean you were legally travelling with an EU passport), than it is to get an AHC at our vets. I know there are cheaper ones available. Claiming to have EU residency may have tax implications too, but unless these checks are being done by border officials, who would know.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Meanwhile, no-one has yet reported being refused with their EU issued passport. It's complete and utter confusion, and there's nothing actually been said by the EU at all yet.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Given that we are traveling on Sunday we've decided to be better safe than sorry and have organised an AHC through EasyPet.
Couple of things strike me:
Eurotunnel, who must be the biggest pet carrier of customers liable to be affected, appears to have been completely blindsided by this.
Now it's all over the news it will be much harder for carriers to turn a blind eye.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Matt1959 wrote: |
Given that we are traveling on Sunday we've decided to be better safe than sorry and have organised an AHC through EasyPet.
Couple of things strike me:
Eurotunnel, who must be the biggest pet carrier of customers liable to be affected, appears to have been completely blindsided by this.
Now it's all over the news it will be much harder for carriers to turn a blind eye. |
Are you going to keep your AHC in your back pocket and wait and see if they ask for it?
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@Jonny996, Yes!
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Even if Le Shuttle continue to accept pet passports issued in the EU to UK residents, might there be a problem on returning to the UK? Will passport / customs officials insist on seeing a UK-issued AHC?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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From the French Local today:
Second-home owners
The EU's April 2026 crackdown will mainly affect second-home owners.
There had previously been some confusion about the situation for second-home owners as some French vets had been happy to issue EU Pet Passports with only proof of an address in France (eg a utility bill).
The French government in 2022 clarified the rules on this, requiring that pets be registered within the French domestic registry in order to get an EU Pet Passport.
However from April 22nd, 2026, the EU has clarified that Pet Passports issued to owners who are resident in the UK or Northern Ireland will no longer be valid.
This means that not only can French vets not issue them, but second-home owners who already have a Pet Passport can no longer use it to travel. They will instead have to follow the UK-resident system of Animal Health Certificates.
The UK government says: "EU pet passports may now only be issued to people whose main home is in the EU and should not be used by people who have holiday homes in the EU or visit seasonally. EU pet passports issued to GB residents before 22 April 2026 may no longer be valid documents for entry to the EU."
Other changes
Starting on April 22nd, 2026, the EU has also introduced other changes, intended to clarify the difference between people travelling with a pet and the commercial transport of animals.
To this end;
If someone else travels with your pet, extra paperwork is needed. If the owner is not travelling with the pet, the pet must travel within five days of the owner, and the person accompanying the animal must carry written permission from the owner. This permission must travel with the pet’s travel document.
There is a new five‑pet limit per private vehicle. Non‑commercial travel into the EU is now limited to a maximum of five pets per private vehicle, rather than five per person. The existing limit of five pets for people travelling on foot stays the same. Exceptions apply for pets travelling to competitions, events or training, if specific conditions are met.
Border control changes
Tighter border control rules for humans mean that it's more important than ever that the animals and the humans in the group have matching statuses.
The EU's new EES passport controls - being introduced gradually at the UK-France border in 2026 - mean that stays in France are automatically tracked for non-residents.
It is therefore clear at the border whether you are a French resident, and how long you have been in France - non-residents arriving with a pet that has an EU Pet Passport are therefore more likely to be flagged.
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On LeShuttle's website now in the pet section...
Pet Travel Requirements for entering the EU
LeShuttle operates in line with current UK and EU pet travel regulations. To help you plan your journey, we’ve outlined the key requirements below.
-EU pet passports are no longer valid for travel from England, Scotland or Wales to the EU, even if they were originally issued in the EU
-For travel from Great Britain to the EU, you’ll need a new Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for each trip, issued by an official veterinarian within 10 days of travel
-GB residents can still use EU pet passports for their return journey to Great Britain
For those of us who travel multiple times per year with dogs (5-6 times in my case) we're completely screwed by this, it'll cost us ££££££. Brexit really is the gift that keeps on giving eh?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@DeuxBieres, the online vets (many close to the channel ports) offer an initial one for £99 plus £40 for each additional animal (up to 5). Subsequent copies are often cheaper as they have all your details on file. Not as easy or cheap as a French/Belgian one, but not unaffordable. https://www.animalhealthcertificates.com/ourprices . This one is very handy for Eurotunnel.
Some have even waived their emergency fees for anyone travelling in the next few days
Now we need to lobby our MPs to get on with the re-introduction of UK passports for entry to the EU which was agreed but with no date set.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Just to add to this, does this mean that the dogs now need all the jabs again as the UK Vets can not recognize the jabs administered in the EU, just like the EU vets couldn't recognize the jabs administered by the UK vets.
You have to wonder who thinks these things up, defiantly not a pet owner.
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@Jonny996, the rabies vaccine in the current EU pet passport can be transferred across to an AHC. This has been confirmed in the AHC Facebook group by an official vet.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Hells Bells, thanks for the link, good to know that some vets aren't charging the earth (ours quoted £220 per pet per time!). I'd imagine they're going to get very busy very quickly as the summer approaches.
The irony is that our two dogs were born in Greece, microchipped and vacc'd in Greece, passport issued in Greece when they were 4 months old, and because the poor sods now live with us in good old England their birth passport is now invalid for travel back to the EU!! Talk about taking their birthrights away!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Jonny996, I've just got an AHC on the French jabs recorded in the passport.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Matt1959, Thanks good to know.
@Hells Bells, Some very good info, thanks. You seem to be really up to speed on this. Can I ask how you found those AHC suppliers? I am looking for one in Edinburgh that costs the £100
Edit, actually found Vethomecerts.co.uk who does home visits & issues a AHC for £99. A great service on the face of it but the fact that the times are after 19.00 & weekends definatly sounds like it is vets jump cashing in above the day job.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 23-04-26 8:58; edited 1 time in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Jonny996, we used Abbeywell in Folkestone who are also an online company. All very efficient and in and out in 10 minutes. The online vets do lots of these and are more likely to be accurate than a local vet who only does one or two a year.
I've not used this company but they do seem to offer Edinburgh https://vethomecerts.co.uk/areas-covered/
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Hells Bells, Huge Thank You.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Just to add to the confusion the Le Shuttle site says
| Quote: |
| If you live in the UK and plan to travel to the EU with your pet, you will need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) instead of the previously accepted EU Pet Passport (unless your Pet Passport has been issued by an EU veterinarian). Here’s what you need to know about the AHC: |
ie those with valid EU pet passports issued by approved vets in an EU country are still valid for those ordinarily resident in the EU for travel to France
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think it is quite clear on their website, that if you are a UK resident with a UK passport then a AHC is now required.
Pet Travel Requirements for entering the EU
LeShuttle operates in line with current UK and EU pet travel regulations. To help you plan your journey, we’ve outlined the key requirements below.
EU pet passports are no longer valid for travel from England, Scotland or Wales to the EU, even if they were originally issued in the EU
For travel from Great Britain to the EU, you’ll need a new Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for each trip, issued by an official veterinarian within 10 days of travel
GB residents can still use EU pet passports for their return journey to Great Britain
Pet travel requirements may vary depending on your destination country
Pet travel documents are issued by veterinary and regulatory authorities, so we recommend checking the latest official guidance before travelling: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/pets-and-other-animals/index_en.htm
LeShuttle will continue to reflect official guidance as it is updated by the relevant authorities.
@Matt1959, I am sure you will report back if they challenge you & you have to magically whip out your AHC.
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Do they need to get their little paw prints taken too?
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| ster wrote: |
| Do they need to get their little paw prints taken too? |
Do the existing EU pet passports or AHC include a photo of the pet? (Genuine question). 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Alastair Pink, No
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| Matt1959 wrote: |
| @Alastair Pink, No |
No pug shot then?
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FAQ
