GB to EU pet travel: new guidance for authorising someone to accompany your pet

A clearer document checklist for accompanied travel

DEFRA published guidance on October 7, 2026 for owners authorising another person to accompany their pet from Great Britain to the European Union. The page provides downloadable declarations and instructions for completing them.

This is a guidance publication, rather than the start date of a new travel exemption. It gives families arranging separate journeys a practical reference to share with the person who will accompany the animal.

Match the declaration to the journey

The owner must complete and sign the declaration, and the accompanying person must carry it. Choose a version that includes an official language of the destination country. DEFRA specifies French and English for France, and English only for Ireland.

The form records the owner, the authorised person, the animal’s identification and travel-document numbers, and the owner’s movement date. The owner must travel to the same destination within five days before or after the pet. If that timing cannot be met, DEFRA directs owners to the commercial export process.

The European Commission’s entry conditions also require the appropriate health documentation and preparation. An authorisation declaration is one part of the travel file.

Our planning recommendation

Set out the owner’s itinerary and the pet’s itinerary side by side before arranging the final paperwork. Name the accompanying person early, and ask them to check that their details match the declaration.

Keep one final document pack for the handover. Include the signed declaration, the relevant veterinary documents and a clear itinerary, with copies available to the owner and companion. If dates or the accompanying person change, have the paperwork reviewed again before departure.

For a tailored relocation quote, share the route, intended dates and who will travel with your pet. Those details help define the transport and handover arrangements from the outset.

Plan the full journey

Connect the owner-authorisation document with the EU entry pathway and veterinary timetable.

Read our European Union pet travel guide for preparation steps and official sources.

Read the official sources

• DEFRA: authorise someone to travel to the EU with your pet
• DEFRA: English owner-authorisation declaration (PDF)
• European Commission: bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country

Sources checked October 11, 2026. Requirements can change. Confirm the instructions for your departure country and travel date with the relevant authority.

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