Free toolsTravel and emergencies

Travelling with your pet? Start here.

Tell us where you're going and when. You get the checklist for that trip and, for travel abroad, the latest date to start each step so your pet can fly when you do.

Reviewed by Dr. Deborah Udaw, DVM, VCN reg. no. 12252

Your trip

General guidance, not a diagnosis. If you're worried about your pet, talk to a vet.

Taking a pet from Nigeria to the UK or the EU

Nigeria is not on the UK's or the EU's list of approved countries, so pets need more than a vaccine. In outline, and in this order:

  1. A microchip.
  2. A rabies vaccine, given after the microchip, from 12 weeks old.
  3. A rabies blood test at an approved laboratory, at least 30 days after the vaccine.
  4. A wait of three months from the date of the blood test.
  5. An animal health certificate from an official vet, within 10 days of travel.
  6. For dogs going to the UK, Ireland, Finland, Malta or Norway, a tapeworm treatment 1 to 5 days before arrival.

That is at least four months from start to finish. The official pages: GOV.UK: bringing your pet to Great Britain and European Commission: travelling with pets.

Questions people ask

In outline: a microchip, a rabies vaccine given after the microchip, a rabies blood test at least 30 days after the vaccine, a wait of three months from the blood test, an animal health certificate issued shortly before travel and, for dogs, a tapeworm treatment before arrival. Check the current rules on GOV.UK before you book.

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