Passports and Microchipping

All of our vets are able to carry out the microchipping process and also complete the forms necessary in order to obtain a passport – just give us a call.

Passports

It is a legal requirement that every horse, pony, donkey and mule in the UK has an equine passport. Passports can be obtained from a Defra authorised passport issuing society or association. These include Equine Breed Societies that have been recognised under commission decision 92/353/EC and International Organisations that manage horses for competitions or racing.

Each horse is issued with a unique 15-digit unique equine life number (UELN).

The passport records the following information:

• Record of ownership.
• Identification (including microchip number when present).
• Full medical history (including vaccinations).
• Whether the horse can be used for human consumption.
• Travel history.
• Societies with which the horse is registered.

There is considerable variation in the cost of passports, as some Societies require membership before they will issue the document.

It is the responsibility of the horse’s owner to acquire a passport for their horse(s). The passport remains valid for the whole lifetime of the animal and is returned after its death.

Without a valid equine passport, it is illegal to sell or move your horse to a new keeper, to export your horse and to transport or use it in competition or for breeding. There is a hefty fine for non-compliance. Transport operators can lose their license if caught transporting horses without a valid passport.

The benefits of the equine passport scheme include:

• Looking after the welfare of your horse
• Exercising responsible ownership
• Safeguarding the long-term health of your horse
• Maximising the availability of veterinary treatments for your horse
• Increasing the variety of drugs available for pain relief and other conditions

All new passports must include a diagram, as well as the microchip details, etc.

We strongly recommend that the appropriate section of the passport is signed by the owner and co-signed by a competent authority to confirm that the horse is not for human consumption. If this section is not signed, the horse cannot receive some common medications (such as phenylbutazone or ‘bute’) or have a general anaesthetic. It is useful to have this section completed so that there are no concerns with this regulation in the event of an emergency. If you have any questions about this section please ask us, we are happy to co-sign this section as the competent authority to permanently sign your horse out of the food chain.

Microchipping

It is a legal requirement that your horse, pony, donkey or mule is microchipped. They must be microchipped before a passport is issued.

Microchipping is a simple, safe and quick procedure. The microchip is inserted into the crest on the left side of the neck via a needle. The microchip contains a unique number for your horse that will appear on their passport and the petlog database.