Taking dogs to Morocco

[garry55]

We have read loads of information on various forums about the correct procedure for taking our dogs into Morocco.
Both dogs have a current EU (Portuguese) passport with valid, up to date Rabies injection.
As we understand it, we need to get them a Rabies booster as soon as we enter France, then wait 21 or 30 days (different information from different Spanish vets) before getting a Titre test done. Then we have to wait however long until we get the Titre certificate and if it's OK, get an Animal Health Certificate at Algeciras, swap that for an export document at the PIF office at the port, then we are OK to travel.
We have made travel arrangements (we leave next week) to work around this schedule and thought that was it.
BUT - we have just come across a video where the (UK) presenter states that we cannot re-enter the UK until after 90 days from the date of the Titre test being taken - time we do not have as we have already taken upwards of 40 days to get compliance to take the dogs into Morocco.
Is this true?
Has anyone who has taken their dogs that have had a Titre test done before travelling to Morocco and returned to the UK before the 90 day "window"?
It's looking increasingly like we won't be visiting Morocco after all

 

[CaptainPaul]

Hi garry55
Unfortunately your returning to the UK 90 day rule is correct
I'm a regular visitor to Morocco with my dogs personally for me being Irish the whole EU pet passport etc doesn't apply for my pets but many of my UK motorhoming friends have went down this route and the rules as I know them are your pet must have their rabies vaccination in an EU vet and your titre test must also be carried out and processed in an EU approved laboratory basically all your UK vaccines etc are defunct but reading your post it seems you are doing all this correctly already,
As I can see it your only way around this is to do everything that you are doing at present and stay in Morocco (non Schengen) for long enough to let your titre test reach its 90 days allowing of course for your remaining EU allowance days
I think you said you had used 40 days which leaves you 50 days if I'm correct? Meaning you would have to stay in Morocco at least 40 days to bring it all up to 90 days from titre test to UK re-entry if you understand what I'm talking about lol its all very confusing and makes me glad we're still in the EU here
My friend Tam Northernraider is a full timer and stays in and out of Schengen every year and might know a bit more as he is a UK resident but as I see it my option above is probably your only way out of it
Good luck hope you get it sorted
Paul

 

[Northernraider]

Never heard of this before .

The UK is not interested in the slightest about a titre test for returning to the UK, the only rule for entering the UK from Europe is that the dog must have a valid rabies vaccination and that its wormed within the 5 day window.

The titre isn't for entering morroco its for re entering the EU.
I had 3 of my dogs titre tested in Spain 2 years ago and I entered morroco 2 days after receiving result which was 21 days after the test. I then re entered the EU 60 days later and drove up through Spain over 2 weeks and then 4 days through France i got worming done the last day in Spain and then back to the UK .

I had my youngest dog titre tested in Italy early july 2023 I recieved the results by email within 5 days and had them entered in to passport in Germany whilst having them wormed on the 23rd , and re entered the UK on 27th July 2023.

 

[CaptainPaul]

You may have been lucky Tam...

 

[gus-lopez]

You may have been lucky Tam...
View attachment 996895

That would appear to be for dogs that are not UK resident & are travelling to the Uk for the first time.
If the OP's dog has a rabies jab from the Uk already then that is what he would be returning to the UK on.
The rabies jab in France ,the titre test , & the blood test result is solely to allow reentry in to Europe(Spain) from Morocco ?

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[Northernraider]

You may have been lucky Tam...
View attachment 996895

I don't understand why that would be necessary.

The UK doesn't require a titre test for entering only a valid in date rabies vaccination. Mine travelled in and out the UK for 4 years before I got them titre tested. The ONLY reason I had them titre tested was for re entering the EU from morroco/Turkey.

So no one at the UK border even looks at the titre page of a pet passport as its not required .

They simply check the rabies vaccine page and as long as the vaccine is valid and was administered 21 days previous AND the worming was done more than 24 hours and less than 5 days .

No requirement for titre entering Europe from UK.
No requirement for titre entering UK from Europe.

So why would it be checked .

I entered Greece from Albania...no check
Entered Greece from Turkey...no check
Entered Spain from morroco...no check
Entered UK from France....no check


The only check ever done was paperwork only leaving Spain. Neither the vet or the pif actually laid eyes on the dogs. The dogs were in the van the whole time

I took passports in to the vet and the form the vet gave me to the pif.




So it might say it online..... but its either incorrect OR like a lot of other daft rules , the people employed to uphold them don't know them or don't enforce them.


Blu entered the UK less than 1 month after her titre test was done last July

 

[Northernraider]

That would appear to be for dogs that are not UK resident & are travelling to the Uk for the first time.
If the OP's dog has a rabies jab from the Uk already then that is what he would be returning to the UK on.
The rabies jab in France ,the titre test , & the blood test result is solely to allow reentry in to Europe(Spain) from Morocco ?

That's how I would read it.

 

[CaptainPaul]

I think the bottom line is its the luck of the draw, 9 times out of 10 you'd probably get through no problem but it only takes one jobsworth
I remember being stopped one time in Calais because on one of my Irish pet passports the telephone number on the vet stamp was slightly blurred and I had to ring my vet on speaker phone and get her to confirm the number even though the other pet passports had the same vet with the same stamp and the telephone number was as clear as gin on them but oh no madam jobsworth wasn't too pleased about it and kept me waiting for ages until she finally waved me to leave pet reception..
I think garry55 best bet if he can is to go with what he intends to do at present and stay out in Morocco until he's near the 90 day

 

[CaptainPaul]

That would appear to be for dogs that are not UK resident & are travelling to the Uk for the first time.
If the OP's dog has a rabies jab from the Uk already then that is what he would be returning to the UK on.
The rabies jab in France ,the titre test , & the blood test result is solely to allow reentry in to Europe(Spain) from Morocco ?

You could be right gus-lopez but OP dogs are Portuguese pet passports so I'm really not sure he would be best to contact which department deals with it, but again its another grey area lol

 

[CaptainPaul]

I don't understand why that would be necessary.

The UK doesn't require a titre test for entering only a valid in date rabies vaccination. Mine travelled in and out the UK for 4 years before I got them titre tested. The ONLY reason I had them titre tested was for re entering the EU from morroco/Turkey.

So no one at the UK border even looks at the titre page of a pet passport as its not required .

They simply check the rabies vaccine page and as long as the vaccine is valid and was administered 21 days previous AND the worming was done more than 24 hours and less than 5 days .

No requirement for titre entering Europe from UK.
No requirement for titre entering UK from Europe.

So why would it be checked .

I entered Greece from Albania...no check
Entered Greece from Turkey...no check
Entered Spain from morroco...no check
Entered UK from France....no check


The only check ever done was paperwork only leaving Spain. Neither the vet or the pif actually laid eyes on the dogs. The dogs were in the van the whole time

I took passports in to the vet and the form the vet gave me to the pif.




So it might say it online..... but its either incorrect OR like a lot of other daft rules , the people employed to uphold them don't know them or don't enforce them.


Blu entered the UK less than 1 month after her titre test was done last July

I know all that Tam but I think OP would be better to double check it before he heads off you & Richard are probably right but better to be safe, having said that I know people on here who have called DEFRA and got different answers every time!

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[Northernraider]

You could be right gus-lopez but OP dogs are Portuguese pet passports so I'm really not sure he would be best to contact which department deals with it, but again its another grey area lol

I've 2 dogs with Spanish passports and 2 with Greek passports .


The one and only problem I've ever had , 2nd year in Spain so 2019 and I hadn't realised that jade's rabies vaccination was only a 1 year one.. and it had expired in April. I had worming done in France and an alleged per health check done in November to return to the UK...the French vet somehow missed the fact her rabies vaccination had expired too .. I get to calais and the vet passport check spots it so I couldn't come home .. I had rabies vaccination done the next morning and spent 3 cold wet weeks in Belgium and Germany.. returning to the UK 2nd week in December.

The titre page was blank on jade milo and elas passports till February 2023.


I really don't see why they'd require it . Neither uk or eu requires titre testing going between them .
It's only required entering the EU from countries outwith the EU, morroco. Turkey , Albania etc .

 

[Northernraider]

I know all that Tam but I think OP would be better to double check it before he heads off you & Richard are probably right but better to be safe, having said that I know people on here who have called DEFRA and got different answers every time!

Aye personally I think they haven't a clue


Same as dvla and all the other government offices lol.

 

[CaptainPaul]

I must be unlucky!
I've been stopped going Belfast to Stranraer but they were looking for puppy farm smugglers between UK & Ireland
Stopped once coming from Holyhead back into Dublin by the Irish authorities all paperwork checked plus they looked at the dogs
Stopped once coming back from Morroco into Spain and they inspected that port authority sheet you and me got when we went out together they also looked at the dogs but just said hola!
I must look dodgy compared to you!

 

[Northernraider]

I must be unlucky!
I've been stopped going Belfast to Stranraer but they were looking for puppy farm smugglers between UK & Ireland
Stopped once coming from Holyhead back into Dublin by the Irish authorities all paperwork checked plus they looked at the dogs
Stopped once coming back from Morroco into Spain and they inspected that port authority sheet you and me got when we went out together they also looked at the dogs but just said hola!
I must look dodgy compared to you!

I wish they would look at mine sometimes... I'd then feel better about how much has been spent on vets , tests vaccinations and worm tablets etc .

The fact one of my dogs failed the titre test despite having 3 rabies vaccines previously and needing a further one and a second titre test done shows that the vaccines are obviously not that reliable anyway yet are the only thing required for dogs within Europe unless you take them out of it is complete madness.


Add to that I know of at least 4 dogs that came in to Spain from morroco with no passports and no checks and it really does make a mockery of the whole thing

 

[DBK]

If you are still in the UK you could get an AHC for the dog and leave and re-enter the UK using the AHC. Use the EU pet passport for entry into France and subsequent travel to Morocco.

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[CaptainPaul]

If you are still in the UK you could get an AHC for the dog and leave and re-enter the UK using the AHC. Use the EU pet passport for entry into France and subsequent travel to Morocco.

I had thought about that too but wasn't 100% sure what way it works but that would take a lot of the pressure off as would staying in Morocco for a good few weeks
Hopefully OP gets it all sorted out

 

[CaptainPaul]

I wish they would look at mine sometimes... I'd then feel better about how much has been spent on vets , tests vaccinations and worm tablets etc .

The fact one of my dogs failed the titre test despite having 3 rabies vaccines previously and needing a further one and a second titre test done shows that the vaccines are obviously not that reliable anyway yet are the only thing required for dogs within Europe unless you take them out of it is complete madness.


Add to that I know of at least 4 dogs that came in to Spain from morroco with no passports and no checks and it really does make a mockery of the whole thing

Yea that's true the whole things a bollocks

 

[garry55]

You may have been lucky Tam...
View attachment 996895

Thanks for this, but it does muddy the waters somewhat!
The way that I read this is that it applies to a pet that is travelling from the EU (or Morocco) for the first time i.e. a stray that is being re-homed. This is enforced (IMHO) by the final comment on microchipping - a UK registered dog has to have a microchip to leave the UK.

 

[Bill-H]

You may have been lucky Tam...
View attachment 996895

Been in and out of the EU each year - several times some years, last return was June 24 and NO titre test certificate has been required or asked for using four different departure and re-entry points to the UK.
Have been in and out of the EU through Montenegro, Albania and Greece both ways as well and still no requirement for titre.
Spain may well require it for re-entry from Morocco but not for coming into the UK .
My dogs have EU pet passports as well.

The added complexity required by Spain has rather put me off going to Morocco for just a few weeks with my dogs,. Shame really as I like the country the times I've been there dog free.
Morocco must be considered a higher rabies risk for those regs to be in place

 

[garry55]

Just to muddy the waters further.........
Taken from GOV.UK site "Bringing your pet to Great Britain"
Your pet only needs a rabies blood test if you’re travelling from a country that is:

• not part of the EU
• not listed

Check if a country is not listed.

How to get your pet a rabies blood test​

1. Your pet must have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination.
2. Your vet must send the blood sample to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory from either inside the EU or outside the EU.
3. The results of the blood test must show that the vaccination was successful (rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml).
4. The vet must give you a copy of the test results and enter the day the blood sample was taken in a pet passport or Great Britain health certificate.
5. You must wait 3 months from the date the blood sample was taken before you travel.

You do not need to wait 3 months if your pet was vaccinated, blood tested and given a pet passport or Great Britain health certificate in the EU before travelling to a country that is not listed.
The blood test will continue to be valid as long as your pet’s rabies vaccinations are kept up to date.

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[gus-lopez]

Spain may well require it for re-entry from Morocco but not for coming into the UK .

You were lucky as it is the EU ,not Spain, that requires the titre test for re entry into the EU from any non EU state.

 

[Bill-H]

You were lucky as it is the EU ,not Spain, that requires the titre test for re entry into the EU from any non EU state.

Not required for EU entry from the UK whether pet is traveling on an AHC or an EU pet passport.
This official EU webpage lists several Non-EU countries from which entry for Dogs does not require a titre test

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2021/404/2021-04-20#id-24286b60-11ec-4908-9d1d-f9da7d945326