What should I do before my rescue dog arrives from abroad?

Register with a vet and ask about their policy for imported dogs, get escape-resistant kit and an ID tag, arrange insurance to start on arrival day, collect the pet passport and records from the rescue, and set up a safe space. Plan the handover so your dog goes straight from the van into a fully enclosed space.

Can my rescue dog leave the house in the first 48 hours?

No. Rescue dogs are imported under commercial rules, and APHA says a commercially imported dog must be delivered to the address on its paperwork and stay there for at least 48 hours. Collecting from a public place such as a service station or car park is against the law.

When should pet insurance start for an imported rescue dog?

On arrival day. Some policies don’t begin until the dog is in your possession, and the policies we checked exclude illness that first shows in the first 14 days, so every day of delay adds risk.

Do I need to update my rescue dog’s microchip?

Yes. By law your dog must be microchipped and registered on an approved database, and you must make sure the details are updated to you. Ask your rescue whether they transfer the registration or you need to contact the database. Your dog also needs a collar and tag with your name and address in public.

When should an imported dog be tested for Brucella and Leishmania?

Ask your vet. Langford Vets notes that Brucella canis antibodies can take up to 3 months after exposure to become detectable, and only around half of dogs have detectable Leishmania antibodies 5 months after exposure, with some taking up to 2 years. That’s why follow-up tests months after arrival are often suggested.

Free tool

Rescue dog arrival planner

Enter the day your dog arrives and get a dated plan for everything around it: what to sort beforehand, when insurance cover really kicks in, and the follow-up vet checks months later that are easy to forget.

Arrival dateYour best estimate is fine. Change it any time.Dog’s name (optional)

Your plan

Add an arrival date to put this on a calendar

Below is the full checklist with timings relative to arrival day. Add a date to get real dates, a countdown and a calendar you can import.

Before arrival

Get the essentials sorted while you wait.

3 weeks before
Tell the practice your dog is coming from abroad and ask about their policy for imported dogs. Some have one: a practice we checked charges a protective-clothing fee on each visit if a Brucella canis test is declined.
Source: Mulberry House Vets — Brucella canis
2 weeks before
A frightened new arrival is a bolt risk. Work out how much redundancy your dog needs, from one well-fitted harness up to harness plus martingale collar plus a double-ended lead.
Bolt-Risk Harness Finder →
2 weeks before
By law, a dog must wear a collar and tag with your name and address in a public place, even though it’s microchipped.
Source: GOV.UK — get your dog microchipped
1 week before
Buy the policy now but set the start date to arrival day: some policies don’t begin until the dog is in your possession. Check the exclusions for leishmaniasis before you buy.
Pet insurance for an imported rescue dog →
1 week before
Pet passport, vaccination records and any test results. Your insurer and your vet will both want them, and they record when boosters are due.
1 week before
Fee, first vet visit, tests, kit and running costs, all in one place.
Adoption Cost Calculator →
3 days before
A quiet crate or corner your dog can retreat to, and a walk round the fence line for gaps, low sections and gates that don’t latch.
1 day before
Your dog must be delivered to the address on the import paperwork: collecting from a service station or car park is illegal. Agree with the rescue and driver who puts the harness and slip lead on, then go straight into a fully enclosed space.
Transport day →Source: APHA — bringing new pets into Great Britain responsibly

Arrival day

Calm, secure, and straight home.

Arrival day
Insurance starts today. By law your dog must stay at the delivery address for at least 48 hours, so no walks or trips out. Keep it quiet: no visitors, and on-lead in any space that isn’t fully secure.
Transport day →Source: APHA — bringing new pets into Great Britain responsibly
Arrival day
You must make sure your dog’s microchip details are updated to you. Ask the rescue whether they transfer it or you need to contact the database.
Source: GOV.UK — get your dog microchipped

The first three weeks

Cover kicks in; let your dog decompress.

Day 2
Some insurers exclude accidents in the first 2 days (or 48 hours) of a new policy.
Waiting periods explained →
Day 5
Your UK baseline: it records your dog’s condition at the start of cover. Take the passport and the rescue’s records, and ask about screening tests and boosters.
Day 7
Look in the pet passport. Some policies won’t pay for an illness your dog wasn’t kept vaccinated against, such as distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvovirus.
Conditions that can void a claim →
Day 14
The policies we checked all exclude illness that first shows in the first 14 days. Note anything you noticed before today and mention it to your vet.
Waiting periods explained →
Day 21
The end of the first three weeks, a milestone in the decompression guide. A good moment to take stock of how your dog is settling.
The first three weeks →

Follow-up health checks

Some infections take months to show up on a test.

3 months
Antibodies to Brucella canis can take up to 3 months after exposure to become detectable, so a test around now can pick up an infection an earlier test missed.
Source: Langford Vets — recommended testing for imported dogs
5 months
Only around half of infected dogs have detectable Leishmania antibodies 5 months after exposure, and some take up to 2 years, so your vet may suggest testing again later.
Source: Langford Vets — recommended testing for imported dogs
7 months
It takes 6–7 months for adult heartworms to appear. Langford recommends heartworm testing for imported dogs over 6 months old.
Source: Langford Vets — recommended testing for imported dogs

One year home

Renewals, and a milestone worth celebrating.

11 months
Some policies require a vet dental check at least every 12 months. Worth doing anyway.
Conditions that can void a claim →
1 year
Your insurance renews around now: compare the renewal, and check nothing new has been excluded.

Why the dates matter

Most of this is common sense, but three things are genuinely time-sensitive for an imported dog. Insurance has waiting periods, so it needs to start on arrival day. The first weeks are when a frightened dog is most likely to bolt, which is what the Harness Finder is for. And some infections common in dogs from abroad take months to show up on a blood test, so the follow-up checks are worth a calendar reminder.

Your ticks are saved in this browser. The calendar file works with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook, and each event links back to the relevant guide.

FAQ

Arrival planning: common questions

What should I do before my rescue dog arrives from abroad?: Register with a vet and ask about their policy for imported dogs, get escape-resistant kit and an ID tag, arrange insurance to start on arrival day, collect the pet passport and records from the rescue, and set up a safe space. Plan the handover so your dog goes straight from the van into a fully enclosed space.
Can my rescue dog leave the house in the first 48 hours?: No. Rescue dogs are imported under commercial rules, and APHA says a commercially imported dog must be delivered to the address on its paperwork and stay there for at least 48 hours. Collecting from a public place such as a service station or car park is against the law.
When should pet insurance start for an imported rescue dog?: On arrival day. Some policies don’t begin until the dog is in your possession, and the policies we checked exclude illness that first shows in the first 14 days, so every day of delay adds risk.
Do I need to update my rescue dog’s microchip?: Yes. By law your dog must be microchipped and registered on an approved database, and you must make sure the details are updated to you. Ask your rescue whether they transfer the registration or you need to contact the database. Your dog also needs a collar and tag with your name and address in public.
When should an imported dog be tested for Brucella and Leishmania?: Ask your vet. Langford Vets notes that Brucella canis antibodies can take up to 3 months after exposure to become detectable, and only around half of dogs have detectable Leishmania antibodies 5 months after exposure, with some taking up to 2 years. That’s why follow-up tests months after arrival are often suggested.

General guidance, not veterinary advice. Always follow your vet’s and your rescue’s advice for your dog.