Passport warning: keep pets away

His Majesty’s Passport Office is telling people to keep passports away from pets after warning that chewed or otherwise damaged documents can force travellers to replace them. (gov.uk, uk.news.yahoo.com) The warning was posted on X on April 11, 2026, with the office telling people expecting a new passport to keep it “out of reach of curious paws” during delivery. (uk.news.yahoo.com) His Majesty’s Passport Office is part of the Home Office and is the sole issuer of United Kingdom passports, so its advice applies to the document British travellers use to board flights and prove identity at the border. (gov.uk) The problem is not limited to obvious chewing damage. Home Office guidance says a passport can be treated as damaged if details cannot be read, pages are ripped, cut or missing, the cover is torn or coming away, or pages are stained by water or ink. (gov.uk, uk.news.yahoo.com) That matters because HM Passport Office checks passports sent in for renewal, replacement or supporting evidence for signs of damage and possible tampering before issuing another one. (gov.uk) Replacing a damaged passport also got more expensive this month. Government fees rose on April 8, 2026, taking a standard adult online application from £94.50 to £102 and a standard adult postal application from £107 to £115.50. (gov.uk, gov.uk) Child passport fees also increased on April 8, 2026, to £66.50 online and £80 by paper form, while the one-day Premium Service for adults rose to £239.50. (gov.uk, gov.uk) The government says those fees are meant to move the passport system closer to paying for itself through user charges rather than general taxation. (gov.uk) For travellers, the practical point is simple: if a pet rips, stains or chews a passport, the fix is not tape or wishful thinking. It is a replacement application, a new fee and, potentially, a disrupted trip. (gov.uk, gov.uk)