After taking those long walks or being stuck in the house all winter, your dog and cat are ready for a vacation. Here's what you need to do to get your pets ready for travel.

With confusing rules requiring US passports for adults and kids traveling abroad, we wondered if your pet needed a passport too. Pets are members of the family and they also take vacations and sometimes even relocate to other countries.

While researching this subject we were surprised about how rigorous the process is for bring pets entering the United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) as compared to the US.

Does my pet need a passport?
At this writing, your pet does not need a US passport. Nor are we aware of any other country that is requiring a pet passport. Only the United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) come closest to it though and it makes some sense as we'll discuss below.

What does my pet need to travel?
Generally, dogs and cats have to have evidence that they are rabies free and that they have been vaccinated. That means a rabies vaccination certificate signed by a veterinarian within 30 days from the date of travel.

In the UK and EU, pets have to be microchipped for identification purposes too. The microchip is a tiny capsule, about the size of a grain of rice. It is injected under the flap of skin on the back of the dog's neck.

According to some, microchipping is "immunizing against homelessness." They say that the fairly new microchipping procedure is no more painful than a vaccination, and carried out the same way. Ouch! I bet they have not been microchipped. The above rules also apply to assistance dogs.

What happens if I don't have the rabies vaccination and microchip for my pet?
If you are entering the UK, your pet will be quarantined for six months in a facility. That's UK law. EU countries may have similar rules to the UK. The US quarantines animals for up to 3 months. The exceptions worldwide with respect to a rabies certificate are for puppies or young animals that are under 3 months old or too young to be vaccinated.

Pet Travel between and to UK, Europe and the US
The UK, European Countries and many non-EU countries are members of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). The system that allows pet dogs, cats and ferrets from member countries to enter the UK, EU and certain non-EU countries, including the mainland United States, without quarantine as long as they meet the rules. There are regulations governing pet rabbits and rodents too.

The overriding goals of the PETS scheme rules are to keep the UK, EU and participating non-EU countries free from rabies and certain other diseases that people can catch from pets. It is against the law in the UK to possess certain types of animals and meeting the requirements of PETS will not change that.

The UK, US and other countries have their own rules on allowing other pets to enter their countries. in the US, Hawaii has their own guidelines so it is better to check. If you are traveling with your pet to other parts of the word, check out the rules for bringing in pets to that country.

How long the does the PETS process take?
The PETS process takes about six months to complete. So if you are a US resident and planning to take your pet to the UK and EU, you should begin the process of getting your pet microchipped and processed now in time for a summer vacation. Here are a few pointers for US Citizens completing PETS courtesy of the US Embassy in London

Can my pet travel with me on the plane?
This really depends on two things: the country you are going to and the airline. Some countries have specific rules that restrict pets from flying in the airplane cabin. Pets flying to these countries must fly as cargo. Other countries don't have a problem with your pets flying in the cabin with you. Here are some useful resources on pet travel rules:

• Check on 100 Country rules for Pet Entry
• Check on airline rules for Pet Travel

Do you need a service to help transport your pet?
You might want to consider it if you are traveling to another country. Generally it is pretty easy to travel with pets within the UK, EU and US.

In other countries, the rules may be not up to date and not easy to understand. The very thing you want to avoid is to have your pet quarantined for 6 months under the PETS scheme or for 3 months if they are entering the US. Who knows what these facilities are really like.

Can you share any experiences of transporting a pet and how to do it?
Yes, see Brent goes to Hawaii and also Bringing Your Dog into the United States. Also take a look at the original website where the notion of Passports for Pets took hold.