Reader Gail, getting ready for her next trip to Italy with Puccini, her Cavalier, learned in February  that the form of health certificate for pets traveling to an E.U. country has changed, as of December 29, 2014. She let me know promptly, and I’ve been trying to get my act together to write a post about it ever since.

Here’s a link to the new form [PDF], and here’s a link to an annotated, explanatory version of it [PDF]. For comparison’s sake, here’s my post with pictures of the old form, completed and endorsed by the USDA (from Chloe’s last trip to France and the U.K.). Gail, who’s just finished filling out the new form — and got it USDA-endorsed, so she’s done it correctly — reports that “As far as I can tell, the major differences in the new form are that there are lots of places to line out and initial. Plus, there’s a section to be completed by the official at the point of entry. That suggests that one should pass through some sort of control with one’s dog at the airport. Hmmm, I sure have never done that previously and certainly won’t be searching for a place to do so now.”

To save you from having to root back through old posts, here’s how you find the current import form for the country you plan to visit. Start with this main page from the USDA’s site, about animal and animal product exportation (recall that the USDA governs animal exports from the U.S., while the CDC governs animal imports to the U.S.). Click on “IRegs for Animal Exports,” and on the resulting page scroll to the bottom and select the country you plan to visit.

If you choose “France,” you’ll scroll down to the section on “Pets” on the resulting page and follow the directions. Please note that if you choose the “United Kingdom” instead, for example, you’ll end up with the same basic import form (since both France and the U.K. are E.U. member countries), but you’ll also be given a link to additional, U.K.-specific information (particularly including their rule about tapeworm treatment). Be sure to look at the information provided for each country you plan to visit, even if you plan to stay within the European Union.

Thank you, Gail, for the heads-up! Please let us know if someone at your destination airport shows an interest in seeing Puccini’s new form — and have a great time together in Italy!