Lake Como, Italy has all the ingredients to make for the perfect holiday.

A microchip is a device with a unique number which is permanently inserted under the animal's skin and can be read by a scanning device.  All documentation relating to the animal must have the unique identification number of the microchip on it.  Any microchip is acceptable, but owners should note that if the microchip does not conform to ISO Standard 11784 or ISO Standard 11785, the ferry company or other operator may not have the equipment needed to read it.  In such cases, the pet owner will be required to provide a suitable microchip reader.

For travelling to Europe you need a 15 digit chip at 134.2 khz that conorms to the above ISO Standard. e.g Crystal Tag microchip.

A pet should not be vaccinated until it is at least three months old.  If an animal has already been vaccinated but not microchipped then the vet must insert a microchip and re-vaccinate in order to comply with the requirements.  The vaccination can be carried out by any private vet using a suitable inactivated vaccine.

If taking you pet from Italy to UK

The relevant certificates need to be obtained; health/insurance,vets etc and the dog or cat must be microchipped and vaccinated in that order.  Please note that if travelling to the UK with your pet for the first time, you will need to wait 6 months (after the vaccinations/blood tests have been administered) before the animal can be enter the UK.  

After the first visit to the UK, and providing re-vaccination and booster injections are carried out in conformity with the manufacturer's instructions, the animal may be taken back to the UK as often as the owner wishes.

Registering your chip

You can register the microchip number with the company who made it or an independent company.

In addition to the Microchip your pet should have a pet tag on its collar with the pet's name, your phone number, the Microchip number and the name of the manufacturer of the chip.

Petlog, Crystal Tag, Pet-ID UK Ltd, Avid are just some of the companies you can register with.

* Lost dogs are taken to the local pound and may be put down if the owner cannot be found. 

* Public transport in Italy; full fare is normally paid for a dog that is too large to be carried.  In some cases large dogs may be prohibited from travelling on public transport at the discretion of the driver.