While owners enjoy clearer rules on taking their pets on holiday, many pets find themselves abandoned in shelters across Europe with no legal protection.

Not just for Christmas: Pets rights in Europe

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/19168232/v003-0091-en.srt

Say hi to Cally,  isn't she as cute as a button?

But dogs like Cally  are very different.

Have you heard the phrase,  a dog is for life, not just for Christmas?

Well, in the case of Cally,  she is just one of the many abandoned pets

you will find in shelters  all across Europe.

This shelter for unwanted pets  is in Brussels.

The guests are mainly  stray cats and dogs.

At the moment there just aren't  the rules in place

but generally, it's for shelters,  charities and all of you at home

to do all they can to help  friends like these find homes too.

But the good news is that for domestic pets  like cats, dogs and funnily enough ferrets,

they are protected by EU-wide rules  to some extent.

The rules governing them  ensure that these pets 

can travel across the EU safely  and without restriction.

On average, one in four EU households  has a pet.

In 2013, there were 64 million cats  and 66 million dogs in the EU.

You see, before travelling with pets  wasn't so easy.

Up until a few years ago, if you wanted  to take your cat or dog on holiday,

they could be put in a kind of quarantine

and have to give a blood sample  six months before travelling

But what about if you booked  a last-minute holiday?

Now all you need to do is go to your vet  and get your pet one of these.

For a pet to travel,  three main conditions must be met.

Each dog, cat or ferret must be identified  with a microchip or with a tattoo;

have a rabies vaccine in the 30 days before  if it's the first time they are vaccinated;

Some of the countries also ask  for de-worming treatment 

in the five days before leaving the country.

It's always best to check with your vet  whether a destination country

Vaccine, check. Passport, check.  Doggy, check.

And now all that's needed  is to decide where to go.

But remember, you can't take  an entire football team of pets with you.

If you have more than five animals,  you have to be able to prove 

that they are participating in a competition,  exhibition or sporting event.

OK, ready? Shall we go on our holiday?  Ready? Let's go.