always scan the microchip before giving your pet a rabies vaccination.
If your pet does not yet have a microchip or has a microchip that doesn’t work,
ask your veterinarian to implant an ISO-compliant* microchip.
If your pet has a working microchip, but it is not ISO compliant,* you will need
to travel with your own scanner that can read the microchip OR have a second
microchip implanted that is ISO compliant.* Make sure both microchips are
listed on the health certificate!
*ISO-compliant microchip numbers are usually 15 digits long and meet specific
international standards (ISO 11784 and ISO 11785). You can check ISO-compliance
with the microchip manufacturer.
Rabies Vaccination
“Primary” Rabies Vaccination:
The first rabies vaccination your pet getsafterits microchip or afterany lapse
in coverage is a “primary” rabies vaccination according to EU rules.
For all pets vaccinated in the United States, a “primary” rabies vaccination is
only valid for 1 year. Even if your pet is an adult animal and receives a three-
year vaccine, if it is a “primary” rabies vaccination according to EU rules, it is
only valid for 1 year.
If your pet does not receive another rabies vaccination within 1 year of a
“primary” rabies vaccination, it means the vaccination coverage lapsed and
you must start over. Even if the vaccination coverage only lapses by a day, the
next rabies vaccination is again considered a “primary” rabies vaccination, and
it is only valid for 1 year.
“Booster” Rabies Vaccination:
If your petdoesget its next rabies vaccination within 1 year of a “primary”
rabies vaccination, this “booster” rabies vaccination can be valid for 1-3 years,
according to the vaccine manufacturer’s instructions.
Note:If your pet’s most recent rabies vaccination before traveling to the EU is a
“booster” rabies vaccination (rather than “primary”), you are responsible for
providing all relevant rabies vaccination certificates to prove there was no lapse in