Pet Microchip

The first step to prepare your dog, cat or ferret to enter The Jersey Channel Islands is to have your pet microchipped with an ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15 digit pet microchip.

If your pet currently has a microchip that is not ISO 11784/11785 compliant, then you have 3 choices:

• You can bring your own microchip scanner.
• You can contact the officials at the Border Inspection Post where you will enter the UK and inquire as to whether they have scanners that can read your pet's chip.
• If your pet's current microchip can still be read, your veterinarian can implant compliant chip. The number and implant dates of both microchips must be documented on the EU Health Certificate (see step #5).

A tattoo is an acceptable form of identification as long as it was given prior to July 3, 2011, is clearly visible and your pet was vaccinated for rabies after the tattoo was applied.

Rabies Vaccination

All dogs, cats and ferrets must have proof of a current rabies vaccination administered after a microchip was implanted to enter the Jersey Channel Islands.

The first rabies vaccination after the microchip is implanted is called the primary vaccination and it should be a one year vaccine unless manufacturer specifications permit its use as a primary vaccination. If your pet's previous rabies vaccination had expired before being revaccinated, the next vaccination becomes the primary vaccination.

All vaccinations that are administered after the primary vaccination are called booster vaccinations.

If your pet is entering the Jersey Channel Islands from a rabies-free (click here) or rabies-controlled country (click here), the primary rabies vaccination must be administered no sooner than 21 days before entering the Jersey Channel Islands.

There is no waiting period after booster vaccinations as long as:

• the previous vaccination was administered after a microchip was implanted AND
• the booster vaccination was administered before the previous vaccination had expired.

The Jersey Channel Islands do honor the 3 year rabies vaccination for dogs, cats and ferrets; however, it should only be administered as a booster, not as a primary vaccination. You can speak to your veterinarian about this.

Once your pet has entered the Jersey Channel Islands, a 21 day waiting period is not required for subsequent visits, provided rabies boosters are kept up to date, and the other entry requirements are met.

If your pet is entering the Jersey Channel Islands from a high-rabies country, it must wait for a minimum of 30 days after the primary or booster vaccination before receiving a rabies titer test (see step #3).

Rabies Titer Test

If your pet is entering the Jersey Channel Islands from a high-rabies country (click here), your pet must be microchipped, then vaccinated for rabies (in that order). After waiting a minimum of 30 days after the primary or booster vaccination, a rabies titer test (FAVN) must be administered. (Have your veterinarian scan your pet's microchip prior to the titer test.)

Samples must be processed at approved laboratories. Assuming test results are within acceptable limits, your pet can enter the Jersey Channel Islands no sooner than 3 calendar months after the date the blood was drawn and avoid quarantine. This step is not required unless entering the Jersey Channel Islands from a high-rabies country (click here).

Tapeworm Treatment - Dogs Only

Before your dog can enter the Jersey Channel Islands, it must be treated against certain tapeworms by a licensed veterinarian between one and five days prior to entering the country unless your pet is entering directly from Finland, Ireland, Malta, the United Kingdom or Norway.

Import Permit

If you are importing a pet to the Jersey Channel Islands from an EU Member State outside of the UK for commercial reasons (sell, rehome or change ownership - see step #6), then you will need an import permit from the States Veterinary Department. The permit is valid for 4 months. If you are importing a pet from the UK for commercial reasons, an additional authorization may be needed.

Pet Health Certificate

The type of health certificate required for your pet depends on whether or not your pet's transport is accompanied OR it involves a purchase, sale or transfer of ownership. Choose from two options below.

Non-Commercial Transport: the owner or a legal representative of the owner is traveling with or within 5 days of the pet AND the transport does not involve purchase, sale or transfer of ownership.

Non-Commercial Transport to the Jersey Channel Islands from a country outside of the EU:

Regulations in steps 1 and 2 apply. If entering the Jersey Channel Island from a high-rabies country, step 3 applies as well.

A licensed veterinarian in the originating country must complete the non-commercial UK health certificate for the Jersey Channel Islands within 10 days of travel. The forms must then be endorsed by the government agency responsible for the import and export of animals.

This form is good for transports of 5 or less dogs, cats or ferrets. (see item 7 if you are traveling with more than 5 pets). The form is good for 4 months of travel within the EU as long as the rabies vaccination documented on it does not expire.

Non-Commercial Transport to the Jersey Channel Islands from another EU Member State:

Regulations in steps 1 and 2 apply.

Have your veterinarian update an EU Pet Passport for your pet. An EU health certificate is not required for pets traveling to Austria from another EU Member State unless a rabies booster was administered by a veterinarian outside of the EU at any time after your pet received its microchip.

No matter what country you are entering the Jersey Channel Islands from, you or your representative must sign a Declaration of Non-Commercial Transport stating that your pet's transport does not involve the sale or transfer of ownership of your pet.

Commercial Transport: the owner or a legal representative of the owner is not traveling with or within 5 days of the pet OR the purpose of the transport involves a sale or transfer of ownership OR more than 5 dogs, cats or ferrets are traveling with or without their owner.

Commercial pet transport to the Jersey Channel Islands from a rabies-free or rabies-controlled country outside the EU:

Regulations in steps 1 and 2 apply. Step 3 does not apply.

A licensed veterinarian in the originating country must complete the commercial UK health certificate within 48 hours of travel. If your pet is traveling from the United States or Canada, the veterinarian must be accredited by the USDA or CFIA respectively and the commercial EU health certificate must be endorsed by the local USDA (United States) or CFIA (Canada) office. If your pet is traveling to the Jersey Channel Islands from another country, then the government agency responsible for the import and export of live animals must endorse the forms.

This form is good for transports of 5 or less dogs, cats or ferrets. (see item 7 for transports of more than 5 pets). It is valid for 4 months of travel within the EU as long as your pet's rabies vaccination does not expire.

Your pet must enter through an approved Border Inspection Post (BIP) at an international airport in London Heathrow or Gatwick. Notice must be given 24 hours prior to arrival.

An import license must be obtained from the States Veterinary Department. It can take up to 3 months for approval to import a dog, cat or ferret for resale or adoption.

All dogs must be vaccinated against distemper.

Commercial Transport to the Jersey Channel Islands from high-rabies countries outside the EU:

Dogs, cats and ferrets can only enter the Jersey Channel Islands from these high-rabies countries. Pets must conform to all rules above and also have a titer test according to step 3 above.

Commercial pet transport to the Jersey Channel Islands from another EU Member State:

Regulations in steps 1 and 2 apply.

Your pet must travel from a licensed premises which is registered with the governing authority in your EU country responsible for the import and export of animals.

Your veterinarian must obtain and update an EU Pet Passport for your pet.

Your pet's veterinarian must issue an Intratrade health certificate completed within 48 hours of entry.

If your pet is traveling to the Jersey Channel Islands under commercial regulations from another EU Member State, a licensed agent in the origination country who is registered to enter transports into IPAFFS must handle the transport.

Entering the Jersey Channel Islands from Malaysia & Australia

If your pet is entering the Jersey Channel Islands from peninsular Malaysia, the following conditions must be met:

1. Your pet has had no contact with pigs during at least the past 60 days prior to export.
2. Your pet has not lived in a place where cases of Nipah disease have been confirmed during the past 60 days.
3. Your pet has been tested with negative a result to an IgG capture ELISA test carried out in a laboratory approved for testing for Nipah disease viruses within 10 days of export.

Cats may only enter the Jersey Channel Islands from Australia under the condition that they have not lived in areas where cases of Hendra disease have been confirmed during the past 60 days.

Traveling with more than 5 pets

If you are traveling with 6 or more cats, dogs or ferrets, in order to transport them under non-commercial regulations, they must be 6 months or older and attending or training for a competition, show or sporting event. If this is not the case, your pets must meet the requirements for commercial transport. (see step #5)

Entering the Jersey Channel Islands by Air

All pets entering Jersey must do so on approved carriers unless entering from Ireland.

Unaccompanied pets entering by air bound to the Jersey Channel Islands from outside the United Kingdom must do so on an approved airline at Border Inspection Posts of London Heathrow, London Gatwick or Edinburgh Airports. Once the pet is cleared in London or Edinburgh, it can be forwarded on to the Jersey Channel Island's Jersey Airport.

All domestic dogs and cats must be free of evidence of disease communicable to humans when examined at the port of entry in London and must conform to UK regulations. If your dog or cat is not in apparent good health, further examination by a licensed veterinarian may be required at your expense.

Entering the Jersey Channel Islands by Boat

Cats and dogs arriving onboard private yachts, boats or commercial vessels cannot enter Jersey from any country unless they are traveling from Ireland.

Puppies and Kittens

Unvaccinated puppies and kittens are not permitted to enter the United Kingdom and thus the Jersey Channel Islands. Puppies and kittens must be microchipped, then vaccinated for rabies no sooner than 12 weeks of age. All regulations in steps 1-5 will apply.