My grandmother wants to visit Britain and bring her dog with her, does the dog have to be put in quarantine and if so, for how long

A.� For nearly one hundred years pet owners entering the UK had to put their animal in quarantine for six months.

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Q.� What’s the situation now

A.� This all changed recently with the introduction of The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) in 2000. This scheme allows people to travel more freely with their pets, as long as the pet has undergone certain checks.

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Q.� What checks

A.� Owners need to have their pets microchipped, vaccinated against rabies, blood tested, treated against ticks and tapeworms and issued with a certificate. There has to be a six-month gap between a satisfactory blood test result before your pet can enter the UK.

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And these checks have to be performed in a specific order in order for your cat or dog to qualify.

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Q.� Can any animal enter the UK under this scheme

A.� No, it only applies to cats and dogs. Anything more exotic isn't included, also there are some breeds of dogs that are illegal in Britain and aren't covered by the PETS scheme either.

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Q.� Does it matter which country my grandmother is travelling from

A.� Yes. The scheme only applies to European countries and some long haul countries, although there is a slightly different procedure for these.

Also check how your grandmother is travelling, some routes and transport companies are not covered by the scheme.

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Once you've satisfied the PETS requirements and are all set for travel, don't forget to make your journey as comfortable as possible for your pet:

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Feed your pet earlier in the day, rather than immediately before travelling.

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Don't leave them in vehicles where they could over heat or suffocate.

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Try to travel overnight, so that your pet will sleep most of the way.

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Have you got a question about your pet Click here to ask.

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by Lisa Cardy