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Hi there

First time around you really need to allow a good 7 months from the first jab until your pet will be allowed to return to the UK.

Here's a simplified version of what you will need to do...your vet should advise you more about the process required.
First step is a microchip
Then a rabies vaccination
ONE MONTH later a blood test to check the success of the rabies vaccination
ONLY if that blood test is successful can the dog travel back to the UK from an EU Pet Passport approved country, and only after a mimimum of 6 months.

So, if you were to start the process tomorrow with the microchip and rabies vax then if you go on holiday as planned in June you pet can't come home until November.

I'd book kennels for your dog this year...and take her away next summer instead

What period of time does the passport cover? Do you have to do this every year, for example?

Joan

You need to allow a minimum of 6 months from the first vaccination before you can travel, thats the law.  Your dog must be chipped, and then they do a blood test, much as 'Irishcamper' has said above.  We traveled to France with our dog for the first time earlier this month and had no real problems.  I think we found a good english speaking vet in Calais via this site http://www.dogsaway.co.uk/index.htm I think her name was Valerie (cant remember surname) near the centre of Calais with good parking in the opposite square. Cost was about 60 euros, all they do is scan the chip, give a 'Frontline' type flea treatment and an oral or injected wormer (she gave us the choice) then stamp the Passport.  Dont forget to get this done between 24 and 48 hours before you travel back to UK, we were a bit out on this and had to wait at the Pet Passport control at the Tunnel for 2 hours before they would let us travel back, no problem as we nipped into the huge Carrefour supermarket.  You wont be able to take your dog abroad untill October, maybe time it for next summer.

Hope this helps

Stevey H

There are lots of pet passport posts on the "Caravanning and camping abroad " section, if you do a search. We have taken our dog several times, it's all very straightforward once you have got the passport. (yes, it takes seven months to get, and it's about £150 for the chip, treatments and test)

You obviously don't have to use a vet at the port if you are travelling, but can use one a days drive away, so you are not hanging around in Calais or whichever port you are returning from. We have used vets in St Quentin and nr Poitiers, both charge us around 35€. I have heard that Calais vets are the dearest.