Import, export or travel with small pets

You can only take with you 5 birds maximum per person as the owner. The owner must accompany the birds or an authorised person who has authorisation in writing from the owner to carry out the non-commercial movement on behalf of the owner.

We recommend you contact an agency or the ferry operator to help you with taking your pet birds to the EU. For St Malo, a copy of the health certificate signed by your official veterinarian should be sent to the ferry operator to forward to French Customs in St Malo before you travel. This allows the authorities time to carry out any checks. For more information you can email Condor Ferries freight on freight.stmalo@morvanvoyages.com.

Pursuant to Commission delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1933, travellers wishing to import 5 specimens at most must present the customs authorities with a health certificate issued by an official veterinarian and a declaration by the owner or their representative (models provided for in the annex to Commission implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1938 - part 1 and 2).

We strongly suggest that exporters get full details of the importing country’s requirements from the veterinary authorities in the country concerned, or their UK representatives, in advance of each consignment.

Contact your veterinary surgeon in Jersey in good time, the whole process may take a month or more to prepare. The birds will have to complete at least 14 days in isolation prior to the date of despatch under veterinary supervision and be subjected to an avian influenza test with negative results. The sample taken must not be earlier than on the seventh day of isolation. The samples will have to be sent to a UK accredited laboratory. The samples may take a few days to arrive at the laboratory.

Find under section 1 “Check what you need to export” the specimen export health certificate and import guidance to read and share with your veterinary surgeon to export to the EU on pet birds to the European Union: certificate 8217 on GOV.UK. The requirements for Norway or Switzerland may be different. The UK guidance on page 6 gives several options. The option to vaccinate for Avian Influenza is prohibited in Jersey. The first option to complete 30 days Pre-Movement Isolation is not allowed in Jersey by the EU. The only option in Jersey is 14 days pre-movement isolation and testing every bird for Avian Influenza not earlier than 7 days into isolation.

When you've discussed with your veterinary surgeon your export and options, complete the application form and submit it to the Animal Health and Welfare Team as early as possible. This will allow us to prepare the export health certificate and send it to your nominated official veterinarian.

Allow at least 15 working days for us to issue the export health certificate. Your vet will need it at least 1 week before the proposed export date to prepare the export health certificate.

The export health certificate is issued in the language of the country that the birds first enter the EU. Not in the language of the final destination. You should allow longer if you need a certificate in a language other than French.

Importing pigeons

You can import breeding or racing pigeons and hatching eggs from:

• the EU
• the UK
  
• Isle of Man
  
• other Channel Islands

Before your import arrives in Jersey you need to:

1. apply and meet the conditions of a specific licence. To apply for a licence email rva@gov.je at least 10 working days before the import
2. meet the customs requirements on imports
3. check if you need a permit or certificate for endangered species
   

Exporting or travelling with pigeons

To export pigeons to breed you need to email rva@gov.je at least 10 working days before the export.

If your pigeons are travelling abroad for a race, you must:

• make sure all racing pigeons have been vaccinated against pigeon paramyxovirus 1 before they travel
• keep record of every race for at least 12 months
• make sure the pigeon keeper is registered with us
  
• if a requirement of the importing country travel with an export health certificate
  

Reptiles and amphibians

Amphibians

This information is for importers to Jersey of amphibian species to raise awareness and to assist in the control of infectious disease.

Current threats are several and varied, but the largest threats facing amphibians worldwide are Chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease of the skin and Rana Viruses, which are a group of highly infectious viruses that can decimate amphibian populations.

It is considered that the mostly likely way of disease arriving in Jersey is through the importation of infected animals. For more information, read the importation of amphibian species to Jersey information leaflet.

To import amphibians into Jersey, the amphibians must be isolated in premises approved for the purpose by the States Veterinary Officer.  An Inspector may have to inspect the isolation premise prior to a licence being issued. The isolation facility must:

• be of an adequate size and design for the type and number of animals to be imported
• be able to meet the animal welfare needs of the imported animals
• be located a sufficient distance away from other amphibians
• be accessible to essential people only
• have strict biosecurity measures in place
• have appropriate clothing for personnel to wear and the equipment must be dedicated for use in isolation facility
  

On arrival, all imported amphibians must be swabbed and samples must be submitted to a Lab approved by the States Veterinary Officer for Chytrid analysis, and give a negative result for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. An Inspector will carry out the swabbing and all reasonable costs will have to be paid for by the importer.

If the animals test is positive for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, the animals may be exported or may be euthanised at the importers cost.

To import amphibians, you must:

1. complete the application below for a licence to import amphibians. The form includes conditions to prevent import of diseases
   
2. meet the customs requirements on imports
3. check if you need a permit or certificate for endangered species
4. complete the notification form below for the movement of animals into Jersey to notify us at least 24 hours before the animal's arrival
   

Application form for licence to import amphibians,

Notification form for the movement into Jersey of animals

Specimen copy of licence to import amphibians 

Reptiles

To import reptiles to Jersey you must:

• meet the conditions of a general licence to import reptiles. A copy of the general licence must accompany the reptiles during transport
• meet the customs requirements on imports
• check if you need a permit or certificate for endangered species
• notify us at least 24 hours before the animal's arrival using the notification form for the movement into Jersey of animals
  

Notification form for the movement into Jersey of animals

General licence to import reptiles

Rabbits and rodents

Importing pet rabbits and rodents (non-commercial)

To import pet rabbits and rodents not to be sold or transferred to another owner you need to:

• only import up to 5 animals in any consignment from the EU or other European countries
  
• declare your import and pay GST (if applicable). See Goods and Services Tax (GST) section below
• check if you need a permit or certificate for endangered species

You do not need to complete an online pre-notification form.

There are no health requirements for imports from:

• the EU
  
• the UK
• Isle of Man
• other Channel Islands
  
• Andorra
• Switzerland
• Faroe Islands
• Gibraltar
• Greenland
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
  
• Monaco
• Norway
• San Marino
• Vatican City State

If you import rabbits and rodents from countries other than those listed above, they must be kept in a licensed quarantine for 4 months. Jersey does not have an approved quarantine unit so you must arrange quarantine and get an import licence in the UK.

Guidance on bringing pets in Great Britain on GOV.UK

Guidance on pet quarantine on GOV.UK

Travelling to the EU, Switzerland and Norway (non-commercial)

Each country has their own rules and requirements can vary.

It's your responsibility to make sure you meet the requirements of the country your pet travels to. You should contact their authorities for advice.

You’ll need to:

• complete the application for an export health certificate (EHC) for rabbits and rodents below. The certificate is issued in Jersey and needs to be signed by your vet. For pet entering France, you’ll receive a French EHC. Some countries don’t need an EHC
  
• book a pre-export health examination with your vet
• meet the entry checks at the Travellers Point of Entry​
• if you travel to France, contact your ferry or airline to tell them you want to travel with a pet. They may need to inform customs

Certificates are free but you may need to pay your vet for the examination.

It takes at least 10 working days for us to process EHC applications. Make sure you contact us in advance. 

When your application is approved we'll try to send the EHC to your vet 1 week before your trip. They’ll need to do your pet’s pre-export health examination and sign the EHC.

They'll also make 2 copies:

• 1 for themselves
• 1 to send to us to complete our records

The original certificate must stay with your pet during their trip.

You don’t need to register with the UK government but you can find supporting documents and more information on export health certificate on GOV.UK. You should contact your vet in advance of your trip and show them an example export certificate. They'll advise on any test, treatment or vaccination you pet might need and when they are deemed fit to travel.

Application for an Export Health Certificate for rabbits and rodents to Europe

Example of an export certificate for pet rodents and rabbits to France​

Commercial movements of rabbits

You can freely import rabbits for re-selling or farming from:

• the UK
• the Isle of Man
• other Channel Islands

If you want to import rabbits for commercial purposes from the EU, you need:

1. an import licence for rabbits and rodents
2. an export health certificate issued by the country of export
3. your premises registered under Balai Directive
4. to declare your import and pay GST (if applicable). See Goods and Services Tax (GST) section below
5. to check if you need a permit or certificate for endangered species

Import licence application form to import rabbits and rodents

Application to register premises under the Balai Directive

Commercial breeding of rabbits

If you keep 5 or more female rabbits for the purpose of breeding for sale you must have a Animal Welfare Licence.

Apply for an Animal Welfare Licence

Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 2004

Customs requirements on imports

If you import live animals into Jersey you need to:

1. declare your import and pay GST (if applicable)
2. complete a pre-notification of import form (only for commercial imports from the EU and not required for rabbits and rodents)

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

You may need to pay GST on the animal you import if the total import cost exceeds the personal allowance. This includes the cost of:

• the pet
  
• freight
  
• insurances
  

If your animal is free, for example a rescue animal, you need to get your animal valued for customs purposes. If your animal do not have a specific breed or species you should research the value of a similar breed or species is usually sold for. For more information email Jersey Customs and Immigration Service or call +44 (0) 1534 448000.

Importing unaccompanied personal goods and paying customs duties

Pre-notification of import

Once you have declared your import you must complete the online pre-notification form at least 1 working day before the animal's arrival in Jersey. You'll need the CAESAR declaration number from your GST declaration.

You must complete the notification form below a minimum of 1 working day before the animal is due to arrive in Jersey. You only need to complete the form for commercial imports from the EU and it's not required for rabbits and rodents. 

Notification form for the movement of animals into Jersey