Exporting a puppy out of UK to Switerland

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Hi,

Does anyone know rules of exporting puppies under 12 weeks from UK?

I read that in order to import them to UK they need to be over 12 weeks and have rabies shot plus 21 days waiting time. Switzerland allows import of under 12 weeks without rabies shot if the puppy was not exposed to a wild animal. Does anyone know if I would be allowed to export such puppy(under 12 weeks, no rabies shot) out of UK after Brexit? Planning to vaccinate it in Switzerland or UK but without the 21 days waiting time..

Thanks

2
Everything you need to know is on the BLV website, conviently in English:

https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/en/home...frettchen.html

Here is the online tool, plug in your variables.

https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/en/home...tchen.html#par

FYI, pay special attention to the requirements for the written declaration needed for dogs under 12 weeks. Quoting from the tool, using what I am guessing are your variables:

Rabies vaccination: Animals younger than 12 weeks do not need to be vaccinated against rabies. The keeper must provide a written declaration confirming that the animals have never come into contact with wild animals of species susceptible to rabies.

Animals aged between 12 and 16 weeks old must be vaccinated against rabies. If entry takes place within 21 days after vaccination, the keeper must provide a written declaration confirming that the animals have never come into contact with wild animals of species susceptible to rabies.

In the case of young animals accompanied by their mother and still suckling, a keeper’s declaration is not required if the mother can be shown to have been vaccinated against rabies before the young animals were born.

Animals younger than 56 days must be accompanied by their mother.

And very important:

Make sure you plan your travel to arrive during regularly scheduled customs hours! It is critical that your puppy is stamped in correctly at the border. We have seen people get into an awful mess because they arrived outside of animal control hours . Switzerland takes a very harsh stance on improper importation, worst case consequences to your puppy could be tragic, especially if not yet vaccinated against rabies. Do not underestimate this point!

(If by some chance you arrive and cannot get stamped, do not let an unvaccinated puppy enter Switzerland. The pup must go into overnight quarantine at the airport, at your expense, and then be prsented to customs the next open day. ( ZH has an animal quarantine facility, not sure about the others.)

If you need help with the formalities to get registered with AMICUS, your Gemeine, etc, please ask.

All the best to you and your puppy!

3
Thank you, I found that info already but apreciate your comment

I am more interested if UK will allow an export of such a young puppy? I know after Brexit they dont allow import of younger than 12 week pupps but no one said anything about export. I was just wondering if anyone here had any experience

Thanks again!

4
Does the UK control the export of pets? There are no export checks on people (it’s the airline asking for your ID). Also note not all airlines allow live animals in the cabin, or in the hold.

5
Have you trawled through the gov.uk site?

https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

If you run into difficulties, is there any reason why the breeder won't keep the puppy a few more weeks?

Any reputable breeder should know the UK export rules, btw. Perhaps yours can help you?

Conversely, when buying a very young puppy from abroad, most of the folks I know have gone to that country, picked up the pup, stayed in that country for a few weeks to start important bonding and socialization, then traveled back to Switzerland with the dog when it's a tad easier to import/export.

Is that something you'd consider doing, should you run into bureaucratic hurdles?

ETA:

Off the top of my head I can’t remember any EFers discussing importing a puppy from the UK post Brexit, but several do regularly travel in and out with their adult dogs. Hopefully someone will be along with personal experience.

Again, all the best.

6
I can't support this enough, particularly since I was one of those people who failed to get a stamp when I entered Switzerland, and it caused a tremendous amount of stress (and also a fine from border control). The onus is on you to ensure that you cross the border when the customs folks are open.

My experience wasn't quite the same (i.e. my puppy was older than 12 weeks), however to echo Bowlie's comment, I don't recall any checks at all upon leaving the UK. They don't seem to care who leaves the country, only who is coming in, which is reasonably logical.

Good luck, and have fun with your new family member

7
Things have changed a lot with the UK in the last few years.

This post does concern me- because why the rush in exporting a puppy less than 12 weeks. How do you intend to do the journey- by car? Ifr so make sure you take the Tunnel, so the dog can stay with you in the car- as in the ferry it has to remain in the car below deck for the whole duration- very stressful. Especially if weather turns bad.

Is there really no possibility that the puppy can stay with its mum until after 12 weeks? What is the rush?

8
You can’t take an unvax’d for rabies pup through France - just incase you’re planning on driving!

9
Another approach you could consider is using a professional service.

4 years ago we moved from the US to Switzerland and we used ACE Pet Moving. They changed their name to Moving Animals (for reasons I don't know) and can be found here: https://www.movinganimals.com/home-en

We moved 4 old dogs, one with serious health issues, one not-so-old dog, and three old cats, one with serious health issues, and we used ACE on the Swiss side of things.

Everything went perfectly.

10
I think you'll have a major headache if the pup is not rabies vax'ed.

TBH, I doub't you'll even get on a ferry without it having a health certificate showing it's been chipped, rabies jabbed & past the 21 day waiting period satisfied as thats compulsory for entry to the EU.

As the pup can't have a rabies jab until it's 12 weeks old, then you have the 21 days (not sure if you still need the blood test to show the antibodies?), 15 weeks would be the correct time to comply with EU entry, the fact that CH has a lesser requirement I don't think would apply as you would have an EU point of entry before CH..

11
You’d have to fly with it direct to Switzerland. If under 8 kilos with the right airline it could go in the cabin.

12

And checks on UK side are now compulsory

Are there any pet checks when I travel from the United Kingdom?

Yes, from 1st January 2021 mandatory checks are required when travelling with your pet(s) from the UK. Read our Pet Travel Scheme Checklist before travelling or visit the DEFRA website for further details.

https://help.eurotunnel.com/hc/en-gb...nited-Kingdom-

Before Brexit, checks were only in France, travelling to UK. Now is it both ways. No dog under 12 weeks, and all vax and passport must be up to date, + microschip and properly recorded, before passport. They are VERY VERY strict.

13
Both Swiss and BA allow small pets in the cabin on non-stop flights. Subject to ... Check their web-sites for details.

Also note both airlines strictly limit the number of animals on each flight so book early. It’s first come, first served.

14
Hi everyone !

Thank you for all the responses. We found a reputable breeder that will keep the puppy until it’s ready to travel plus get all the shots she needs and passport. I will fly to collect her and register her with customs

Thank you for all advise above!

Have a nice weekend!

15
Great news- honestly much much better this way in 100s of ways.

16
If you arriving at Geneva make sure you go through the Red lane to declare the puppy. Otherwise look forward to big fines.

17
Same at any CH airport.

We declared our two at the road border when we arrived. That border is not one that is normally allowed for moves- but we got special permission to avoid making a large detour and then returning, in heavy snow. They opened the border just for us- as most of our future neighbours were border guards, including Head of local Office.