The Pitfalls of Animal Health Certificates and How to Avoid Them

The Pitfalls of Animal Health Certificates and How to Avoid Them | 2 min read

With summer holidays fast approaching, your thoughts may be on sunnier climes, laying on a beach, sipping on cocktails. Unfortunately, your clients are having the same thoughts, only they’ve factored in sharing walks on the beach with their four-legged friends and they need your help in getting them there.

Although fewer than in previous years, claims relating to AHC errors are still common here at the VDS.

Working under pressure on a busy day in practice, an AHC consult in the diary is rarely a welcome sight, especially if it’s marked with the words “urgent”. Poorly designed forms, lack of clarity in official advice and owners not understanding the rules all increase the risk of error.

So, we asked our claims team about the AHC errors that keep them awake at night so that you can avoid them:

1. Recording a date for implantation or reading of the microchip transponder that post-dates the administration of the rabies vaccine
2. Simple clerical errors, typically involving the transposition of numerals in microchip numbers
3. The incorrect final destination being recorded in the consignee box (1.5). This should be the name of the country via which the pet enters the EU, not its final destination
4. Failure to enter the “description of commodity” e.g., dog within box 1.18 and the quantity of animals in box 1.20
5. Failing to ensure box 1.25 is ticked on the final copy to show that the animal(s) are pets
6. Failing to use Latin names for the species in box 1.28s.
7. GB OVs administering rabies vaccinations to pets for which the owner holds an EU or NI-issued Pet Passport, the recording of which invalidates the passport for travel back into the EU
8. The off-licence, concurrent administration of rabies and other vaccines (e.g., Nobivac Rabies and Nobivac L4).
9. Erroneously reusing the Unique Certificate Number.

Of course, it is always good to make sure the owner is aware that it is their responsibility to know the requirements for travel and adhere to them. You may wish to signpost them to the Pet Travel Helpline for any specific queries they have on their plans.

Allocating an in-house proof-reader to double-check all the numbers and dates can vastly reduce the chance of there being a mistake on the form. You may even consider using an electronic platform to assist with certificate completion such as OVForm.

For our Irish members of course, these AHC worries are not a problem at all. EU Pet Passports still remain the appropriate document for travel.

We have dealt with claims where clients have been refused entry to a country, but in fact investigation of the paperwork revealed there was no error. So, remember, if travel problems do arise, please do not admit liability without first speaking to the Society.

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