Is My Pet Fit For An Animal Health Certificate?
From 1st October 2026, as part of issuing an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), our Official Veterinarian is now required to carry out a clinical examination of your pet.
The vet must be satisfied that your pet:
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shows no obvious signs of disease; and
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is fit to undertake the intended journey.
This is a legal requirement of the Animal Health Certificate process and is not something that PassPets can waive.
For the vast majority of healthy pets, the examination should be straightforward.
What will our vet consider?
There is no single list of medical conditions that automatically means a pet will or will not meet the requirements for an Animal Health Certificate.
Our Official Veterinarian will assess your pet’s overall health and whether they are fit to undertake the intended journey. This may include considering the following:
🌡️ General health and signs of illness
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General demeanour and overall condition
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Severe lethargy or an unusual lack of energy
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Weakness or collapse
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Changes in gum colour or other signs of systemic illness
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Swollen glands or lymph nodes
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Any obvious signs of infection or infectious disease
🫁 Breathing and respiratory symptoms
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Breathing and respiratory function
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Persistent coughing
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Frequent or repeated sneezing
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Thick or coloured discharge from the eyes or nose
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Increased respiratory effort or difficulty breathing
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In flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds, any noticeable increase in breathing difficulty compared with normal
🤢 Gastrointestinal symptoms
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Active or repeated vomiting
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Significant, persistent or watery diarrhoea
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Blood in vomit or diarrhoea
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Bloating or significant abdominal discomfort
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Other signs of an acute stomach or intestinal problem
🐾 Mobility, pain and physical condition
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Ability to stand, walk and move comfortably
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Pain, weakness or significant distress
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Recent injuries that is still causing significant pain
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Recent surgery that is not resolved
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Whether any existing medical conditions appear stable
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Pregnancy or recent giving birth, where relevant
🧠 Neurological or behavioural changes
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Stumbling or loss of coordination
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Confusion or altered awareness
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Seizures
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Sudden or unexplained aggression
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Significant or unusual changes in behaviour
👄 Swallowing and salivation
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Difficulty or pain when swallowing
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Excessive or unusual drooling or salivation
🐕 Skin, coat and wounds
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Open, raw, weeping or discharging wounds
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Oozing or discharging skin lesions
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Circular areas of hair loss, crusting or scaling
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Significant itching, scabbing or crusting
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Any other skin changes that could indicate infectious or parasitic disease
✈️ Recent travel or disease-risk concerns
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Unusual symptoms developing following recent overseas travel
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Known contact with an animal with an infectious disease
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Relevant recent exposure to disease where known
🚗 The intended journey
The vet will also consider the journey itself, including where relevant:
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The expected duration of travel
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The method of transport
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Your pet’s ability to tolerate the proposed journey
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Whether an existing condition could make the journey unsuitable or significantly increase the risk to your pet
Every pet is assessed individually. The vet may also consider anything else that is clinically relevant to your pet or the proposed journey.
This list is intended as general guidance only. It is not exhaustive and does not replace the clinical examination carried out by our Official Veterinarian.
Does an existing medical condition mean my pet cannot travel?
Not necessarily.
Many pets with long-term medical conditions are able to travel safely. Having a condition such as arthritis, a heart condition or another ongoing health problem does not automatically mean that an Animal Health Certificate cannot be issued.
The important question is whether the vet is satisfied, following examination and conversations with you at the appointment, that your pet meets the certification requirements on the day.
Similarly, a pet that is normally healthy may not meet the requirements if they develop an acute illness shortly before travelling.
Can you tell me in advance whether my pet will meet the requirements?
Unfortunately, we cannot confirm this in advance.
Our reception team cannot provide veterinary advice or assess whether a particular medical condition will prevent an Animal Health Certificate from being issued.
Even where you provide us with details of a diagnosis or symptoms by telephone or email, the final decision can only be made by the Official Veterinarian after examining your pet and considering the intended journey.
For this reason, please do not contact our reception team asking whether a particular condition will "pass" or "fail" the examination, as they will not be able to answer this.
My pet has a medical condition. What should I do?
If your pet has a stable, ongoing medical condition and they are otherwise well, you can attend your appointment as normal.
If your pet has symptoms of a potentially infectious illness, has recently become unwell, or you are concerned about whether they are fit to undertake the planned journey, please speak to your usual veterinary practice before attending your PassPets appointment.
Your usual vet is best placed to advise on your pet's health because they have access to their full clinical history and can carry out any investigations or treatment that may be required.
Please be aware that an opinion from your usual vet does not guarantee that an Animal Health Certificate will be issued. The Official Veterinarian signing the AHC must still make their own assessment at the appointment, taking your usual vets assessment into account.
What if my pet becomes unwell before the appointment?
If your pet becomes unwell before your AHC appointment, particularly if they develop symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, breathing difficulties, significant lethargy, pain or another new illness, we recommend contacting your usual veterinary practice for advice.
Please also contact us before attending as your local vet may advise you to rearrange your AHC appointment.
What happens if the vet cannot issue the AHC at your appointment?
The vet can only sign an Animal Health Certificate if they are satisfied that they can make the required declaration.
If the vet is not satisfied that your pet meets the requirements at the time of examination, we will not be able to issue the AHC on that day.
Depending on the reason and timeframe of your trip, it may be possible for your pet to be treated at your local vets or allowed time to recover and then be reassessed at a later date. In other circumstances, the vet may advise that the proposed journey would not be appropriate.
We appreciate that this could have significant consequences for travel plans. However, the decision must be based solely on the vet's clinical assessment and the certification requirements. Existing bookings, travel costs or other financial consequences cannot influence whether the vet is able to sign the certificate.
Important
An Animal Health Certificate cannot be guaranteed before your pet has been examined.
The purpose of the examination is not to find reasons to prevent pets from travelling. For most healthy pets it will be a simple part of the AHC appointment. However, the Official Veterinarian has a professional and legal responsibility to make sure that they can truthfully sign the declaration contained within the certificate.
If you have concerns about your pet's health or suitability for travel, please speak to your usual veterinary practice before attending your PassPets appointment. If they advise that your pet should not travel or needs further assessment, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss rearranging your AHC appointment.