Welfare of your dog

Dog welfare is of primary concern to the Kennel Club. When deciding whether you want to travel to the UK to show your dog, you really need to decide whether it is in your dog’s best interest to travel a great distance to compete in the UK. This must be foremost in your mind, rather than the thought of achieving success in the show ring!

If you are certain that the welfare of your dog will not be compromised when travelling to the UK, then the following information should be useful to you.

Insurance

It is strongly advised that you consider travel insurance which will cover you and your pet for emergency overseas veterinary costs, kennelling fees and third party liability.

Air travel with your dog

• When flying into the UK, ensure that the airport has the facilities to cater for dogs entering the UK under the Pet Passport Scheme - not all airports in Britain have signed up to the Scheme yet.
• Ensure that your dog has sufficient water in its flying crate and that this will be checked by the airport staff before your dog is loaded onto the aircraft and at any stopovers.
• On arrival in the UK, Customs may request that you give a value for your dog. Although viewed by Customs as imported ‘goods’, you should not overstate the value of your dog since this attracts tax.

Staying in the UK

• Once in the UK, be aware that not all hotels will accept dogs. If they do, they may make an additional charge for its stay.
• Transport your dog safely, preferably by using a special dog guard, dog cage or canine harness. Always ensure your dog has plenty of ventilation and shade in a car and that fresh drinking water is always readily available.
• Never leave your dog unattended in a car for long periods of time, and NEVER in hot weather.
• Open for Dogs is the Kennel Club's campaign to make public places more accessible for dogs and their owners. Search through over 10,000 listings on the Open for Dogs website to find places you can go with your dog across the UK and Europe.

To search for dog friendly places in the UK visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/openfordogs to find out more.

Dog laws in the UK

Please be aware of dog laws in the UK.

The Kennel Club Information Guide, Do you know dog law? will assist you. Further relevant information on dog law and travelling with your dog in the UK can be obtained by reading the Kennel Club Information Guides entitled Do you know dog law? and Road travel with your dog, which are available to download here

What you need to do before entering the UK:

• Before you may enter the UK with your dog, you will need to comply with strict regulations laid down by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). An outline of these regulations is given below, although the Kennel Club advises that you check the DEFRA website for further information.
• Your dog must be microchipped with an ISO approved microchip.
• After the dog has been microchipped, it must be vaccinated with an inactivated rabies vaccine. Details of both the vaccine and microchip should be recorded on your dog's veterinary record.
• Approximately 30 days after the vaccination, your vet should take a blood sample which must be sent to one of the DEFRA approved laboratories to check that the vaccine has taken effect. This check can be done later, although 30 days is the optimum for an accurate result.
• The result of the blood test will be returned to your vet, and in order to pass, the titre (antibody) level must be 0.5 or more. If the titre level is less than required, then the vaccination and test must be repeated.
• Your vet will issue a Pet Passport (for Europe) or a certificate confirming all the above on completion.
• Six calendar months after a successful blood test you will be free to travel to the UK from the approved countries listed on the DEFRA website.
• Dogs must be treated for ticks and parasites by a qualified vet who will record this information on a certificate (or in the Pet Passport for European dogs) not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours before entry into the UK.

Entering the UK:

• The routes allowing entry into the UK are varied and not all airlines and ports are currently part of the Pet Travel Scheme. Therefore it is advisable to contact DEFRA for full details on the applicable routes and airlines.
• All the necessary checks should be made before a dog enters the UK, except for those dogs flying into the UK, whose documentation will be checked on arrival at the airport.
• A full list of the Pet Travel Scheme approved countries can be obtained from the DEFRA website.

Changes to the Pet Travel Scheme (from 1 January 2012)

Please note: the rules regarding obtaining an Authority to Compete (ATC) number do not apply to exhibitors or competitors from the Republic of Ireland or the Channel Islands.

• Guidelines, rules and regulations relating to competing with a dog at Kennel Club licensed events in the UK can be found in the schedules of the events in question, which are generally available from the secretary of the club or society. More detailed information can be found in the Kennel Club Year Book, which is available from the Kennel Club Publications Department. Call (00 44) 0844 4633 980 or visit www.thekennelclubshop.org.uk to order your copy.

Competitors particularly need to make themselves aware of the Kennel Club rules regarding double handling, grooming and fouling. Certain welfare issues also need to be taken into account, such as dogs left in vehicles on hot days.

• A dog which has been docked after 6th April 2007 cannot be shown at shows in England.
• Dogs with cropped ears are not eligible to compete at any Kennel Club licensed event.
• Before you may show your dog in the UK, you will need to apply for an ATC number from the Kennel Club. Forms can be obtained direct from the Kennel Club by mail, or can be downloaded from the Kennel Club website. You may not enter any competitions in the UK until you have received your ATC number, and this number must be quoted on all entry forms. Failure to do so may result in your entry form being returned.
• All ATC applications must be submitted with a three generation pedigree for the dog (a photocopy is acceptable) issued by the overseas kennel club with which the dog is registered, and with which the Kennel Club (UK) has a reciprocal agreement, or which has membership of the FCI. The pedigree must show the name of the owner of the dog (the same as the person applying for the ATC). If the correct ownership is not shown on the pedigree, the Kennel Club will need to receive a copy of the registration/transfer document to show that the person applying for the ATC owns the dog.
• On acceptance, the owner of the dog will receive an ATC number which, as well as being quoted on all entry forms, must also be quoted on all correspondence. The ATC number lasts for the lifetime of the dog.
• N.B. Dogs registered overseas, which were originally registered with the Kennel Club, do not require an ATC number as the Kennel Club already has the information needed. Owners of these dogs should enter the dog's original Kennel Club registration number in place of the ATC number on all entry forms.
• For registration purposes, the overseas Champion title of the home country will be the only one recorded, along with any recognised Irish Kennel Club titles. Any other overseas titles exist in the UK and where the overseas country test is considered to be of a similar standard to that existing in the UK. Such titles will only be added, if the relevant sub committee makes a recommendation of acceptance to the General Committee.
• It is the exhibitor's responsibility to ensure that their dogs are eligible for the class that they have entered, especially when calculating wins which count towards the title of Champion.
• Prior to exhibition, permission must be sought from the General Committee of the Kennel Club to exhibit any dog which has undergone an operation to alter its natural conformation. Dogs that have been spayed or castrated are permitted to be exhibited at Kennel Club licensed events. However, the owner of the dog must inform the Kennel Club, prior to exhibition, of the date of the operation, the name of the veterinary surgeon and the practice where the operation was carried out.
• Please note that no substance that alters the natural colour, texture or body of the coat may be present in the dog’s coat for any purpose at any time during the show. No substance that alters the natural colour of any external part of the dog may be present on the dog for any purpose at any time during the show. Any other substance (other than water), which may be used in the preparation of a dog for exhibition, must not be allowed to remain in the coat or on any other part of the dog at the time of exhibition.
• Overseas exhibitors are reminded that the Kennel Club has the jurisdiction to investigate, and if necessary to penalise, any breaches of Kennel Club regulations or complaints made under Rule A42.
• A list of qualifying breeds and groups is available to view on the Kennel Club website: www.fitforfunction.org.uk.
• It is possible to purchase Individual Regulation Booklets for each of the different disciplines. Call (00 44) 0844 4633 980 or visit the Kennel Club online shop to order.
• The Activity Register enables your pedigree and/or crossbreed dog(s) to compete in activities such as Agility, Flyball, Heelwork to Music, Obedience and Working Trails. However, it does not qualify for entry on the Kennel Club pedigree breed register, or its progeny, or to compete in Field Trails or Gundog Working Tests.
• If your dog is already registered on the Kennel Club breed register, it is not necessary to also apply for registration on the Activity Register, as it is already eligible to compete in all these activities. If both parents of your dog are on the breed register you should apply to have your dog added to the breed register. Call 0844 4633 980 for further information

Travelling to the UK with your dog

The Kennel Club welcomes overseas dogs competing at UK licensed events, especially Crufts, but bringing your dog into the UK takes some organisation. Of course you will need to comply with all the regulations required for the Pet Travel Scheme, but there are many other regulations that require consideration, from travelling safely in a car to travelling on planes or ferries. These regulations can change on a regular basis, so it is wise to check before you leave. Check whether your dog can travel with the airline and ferry company you wish to use. You can travel by Eurotunnel but NOT by Eurostar (assistance dogs only).

Eurotunnel is the Kennel Club’s official train carrier.

Pets are part of the family and are treated them like any other passenger.

Visit www.eurotunnel.com for more information and book online.

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 388/2010

This EU Regulation requires anyone wishing to travel in Europe with more than five pet dogs at any one time to undergo veterinary checks on each dog. This examination must take place less than 24 hours before the dogs are scheduled to travel.

Correct at time of print March 2011

A PDF version of 'Thinking of showing your dog in the UK?' is available to download here

More Information Guides are available on lots of dog related subjects.

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