On Monday, for the first time in 100 years, pet owners will be allowed to take their animals abroad and bring them home without having to leave them in quarantine for six months.

At first, the idea that Pickle, our Norfolk Terrier, could join the family holiday to France filled us with enthusiasm. There would no longer be the worry or expense of putting him in kennels or finding family or friends to look after him.

And as France is very dog friendly, we thought we would take Pickle along. Tour operators such as Thomson list hotels that will accept pets.

But the reality has proved to be so complicated - filling out forms, visiting the vet and trying to decipher the requirement by the Ministry of Agriculture - that it hardly seems worth it. Each country you visit has its own requirements and some are stricter than others.

The bureaucratic nightmare is enough to put off most owners, certainly those travelling on short breaks. The process can take up to six months, and there is always the nagging worry that you might have forgotten some vital document so that when it comes to the crunch, you have to leave your pet on the quay.

Hoops to jump through

1 Microchip

The vet shaves a small patch of the animal's skin and injects the chip, which is the size of a grain of rice. Microchips have been around for several years but some of the older ones cannot be read by the European scanners that will be used at ports of entry. This is your responsibility and may mean you have to buy a scanner (£150) so your pet's identity can be checked. Microchips cost £20-£30.

2 Rabies shot

Some vets recommend two shots two weeks apart - £38 for the first £28 for the second.

3 Blood sample

Thirty days after the rabies shot, a sample of blood must be taken to an approved Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) laboratory to make sure your pet has the required antibody. There is only one laboratory in the UK that performs this complicated test, so most samples are shipped to laboratories in Europe. Currently labs are receiving 45-50 samples a day. When the Ministry of Agriculture started offering the test it cost £58 and was reduced to £46.50. Some vets add a handling charge. My vet charged £70.50. Takes 4-6 weeks.

4 Declaration of residence

You will also need this to declare that you have not taken your pet to any country not listed in the pets pilot scheme. It can be obtained from MAFF or the transport company you will be using. Amazingly, no cost.

5 Export health certificate

The country you are taking your pet to will require you to have one of these. Requirements vary from country to country. Germany, for example, requires a bilingual certificate. The form obtained from MAFF has to be filled in by you and issued by a government-authorised Local Vetinary Inspector - in my case this was my local vet. MAFF has a list of all LVIs. Takes 2-6 weeks. £30-£40.

6 Overseas inspection

Before returning to Britain, your pet has to be inspected by a government-authorised vet to check it has not picked up any ticks or tapeworm. The inspection must take place not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours before you are due to travel. Even if you are going abroad for a day, pets still have to see a vet before returning. £20 upwards.

7 Insurance

Check your pet insurance will cover animals abroad. Most do not.

• The pilot Pet Travel Scheme will run until early next year. If it is a success, it may be extended to include other types of pets, air carriers and more countries. The countries taking part in the pilot scheme are France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Austria, Germany, Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Luxembourg, Monaco, Holland, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican City.

• The MAFF pet travel helpline is on 0870 2411710, www.maff.gov.uk For information on Thomson hotels that will accept pets, phone 0870 6061470

The practicals

Expect to pay around £30 to cover costs of scanning the microchip and checking the documents.