A very important member of the British family - your pet!

It occurred to me that you might need to know about the relocation of that most important member of the British family - your pet!

The standard requirements for bringing a pet into Greece are that your pet must be micro chipped and registered, and must have had a rabies vaccination within the last 12 months, more than 30 days prior to travel.

Throughout the EU there are standard rules for the issuing of a PET passport and animals travelling within the EU are required to have one. More information on the passport scheme and travelling with pets is available on the DEFRA Website.

You are able to bring your dog or cat from EU and non-EU listed counties into or back into the UK without quarantine provided it complies with the stringent rules as laid out on the above website. These include anti-rabies, blood sampling and anti-worm/anti-tick hygiene requirements.

The pet must be micro-chipped, vaccinated against rabies and blood tested. They can be brought back into the UK only after six months have elapsed after a satisfactory blood test. A number of airlines, including British Midland, Olympic Airways, Finnair and Lufthansa plus a number of ferry lines are currently authorised to bring non-quarantined animals into the UK.
It would be wise to find out the location of a local vet (ktiniatros) and obtain an emergency telephone number as soon as you arrive in Greece with your pet.

Just remember that travelling with an animal in Greece, unless in your own vehicle, presents problems. No matter how well behaved the animal is, taxi drivers are loath to transport it and buses and trains refuse to do so. If you do finally manage to find a taxi, expect to pay a heavy surcharge and be prepared for the fact that your pet may have to travel in the boot of the car.

Never, ever let your animals stray. Unfortunately poisoning of animals is a fairly common occurrence in Greece. People are not inclined to overlook or forgive roaming or barking dogs or wailing cats...Dogs and cats may eat something coated in poison, or get poison on their paws and lick it off. If you suspect your pet has eaten poison contact your vet immediately. Intravenous drugs to counteract the effects must be given as quickly as possible.

Keep those tails wagging...!

Carol Dunning
The Overseas Guides Company
Have you been to the main website yet? http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/