Pet Transport from Italy to the United Kingdom

Italy to the UK is a well-travelled route for expats and Italian nationals with British connections. The process is managed under the UK's Pet Travel Scheme, which covers all EU member states. No …

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Days quarantine on arrival

Airlines on this route

Step by step

The Italy to United Kingdom import process

Check your pet's EU pet passport or records before booking travel.

Confirm microchip recorded before vaccination date in travel document

Responsible: Your Italian veterinarian

4-6 weeks before travel.

Book cargo with ITA Airways or BA

Responsible: You or your cargo agent

Vet appointment timed precisely around your confirmed arrival time at the UK entry point. Treatment recorded in travel document.

Tapeworm treatment for dogs: administered 24-120 hours before UK arrival

Responsible: Veterinarian in Italy

APHA checks microchip, vaccination, tapeworm record. Compliant pets cleared on arrival day.

UK border vet inspection at approved entry point

Responsible: APHA border veterinary authority

Requirements

United Kingdom entry requirements

Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.

Microchip

Required. ISO 11784/11785 standard. Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination.

Rabies vaccination

Required. 21-day wait after first vaccination. No additional wait after booster if vaccination cover is continuous.

Rabies titre test

Not required. Italy is an EU member state, listed under the UK's Pet Travel Scheme.

Import permit

Not required for personal imports.

Health certificate

EU pet passport or AHC from Italian official vet. Must show microchip, rabies vaccination record, and tapeworm treatment (dogs).

Leaving Italy

Export requirements

Export permit

No formal export permit required for companion animal exports from Italy.

Health certificate

EU pet passport (issued by a licensed Italian veterinarian) or an Animal Health Certificate issued by an Italian official veterinarian. Both are accepted for entry into Great Britain.

Costs

What this route typically costs

ITA Airways or BA cargo fee from Italy to UK

IATA-compliant crate for cargo

Italian vet for tapeworm treatment (timed to travel)

Pet transport agent fee (optional)

Critical points

The tapeworm treatment window is 24-120 hours before the pet's arrival time in Great Britain. Book your vet appointment around your confirmed cargo arrival time, not the departure time. If treatment falls outside this window, your pet may be refused entry or quarantined at your expense.

Italy's large Italian diaspora in the UK means there is good demand on this corridor and specialist pet shippers are familiar with this route. Using an experienced agent helps avoid the tapeworm timing pitfall.

Airlines

Approved carriers on this route

Airline	Notes	Type
ITA Airways	Cargo from FCO and MXP to LHR. ITA Airways has well-established live animal cargo handling between Italy and the UK.	Cargo Only
British Airways	Cargo from FCO, MXP, and VCE to LHR. BA World Cargo accepts dogs and cats on this corridor. Book through an IATA-registered cargo agent.	Cargo Only

At a glance: Italy to UK vs other EU-to-UK routes

Requirement	Italy to UK	Spain to UK	France to UK	Portugal to UK
EU pet passport accepted	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Titre test	Not required	Not required	Not required	Not required
Tapeworm treatment (dogs)	Yes, 24-120 hrs before UK arrival	Yes	Yes	Yes
Quarantine	None if compliant	None if compliant	None if compliant	None if compliant
Ferry option	No direct ferry	Yes (Brittany Ferries)	Yes (many routes)	No direct ferry
Complexity	Low-moderate (tapeworm timing)	Low-moderate	Low	Low-moderate

All EU-to-UK routes share the tapeworm requirement for dogs. Italy has no direct ferry option to the UK, so all pets travel by air cargo. Spain and France have ferry options for owners driving through.

FAQ

Common questions about this route

No. Italy is an EU member state and is listed under the UK’s Pet Travel Scheme. No titre test is required. The requirements are: ISO microchip, current rabies vaccination, tapeworm treatment for dogs (24-120 hours before UK arrival), and a valid EU pet passport or Animal Health Certificate.

Dogs only (not cats) must be treated against tapeworm by a veterinarian between 24 and 120 hours before their scheduled arrival time in Great Britain. The drug must contain praziquantel. The treatment must be recorded in the EU pet passport or AHC with the date, time, drug name, and vet signature. If the treatment falls outside this window, the dog may be refused entry.

Yes. An EU pet passport issued by a licensed veterinarian in Italy is accepted for entry into Great Britain. It must show the microchip number recorded before the rabies vaccination date, current rabies vaccination, and the tapeworm treatment entry for dogs for this specific journey.

ITA Airways and British Airways are the main options for cargo shipment from Italian airports to the UK. ITA Airways operates cargo from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa to Heathrow. British Airways serves the same route via BA World Cargo. Low-cost carriers Ryanair and easyJet do not accept pets. Book through an IATA-registered cargo agent for the best options.

For compliant pets, the APHA inspection at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester is brief. The border vet scans the microchip, checks the travel document, and verifies the tapeworm treatment record. If all is in order, the pet is released on arrival day. Incomplete documentation can result in quarantine at an authorised facility at the owner’s expense.

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