Import & Export of Companion Animals Flashcards
Reasons for pet travel?
- Companionship
- Increased globalisation/emigration
- International rehoming of stray cats and dogs
List some concerns of BVS relating to import/Export of pets?
- the ongoing misuse of the pet travel regulations to illegally import puppies;
- the increased risk of exotic and zoonotic diseases being brought into the UK via travelling pets;
- the rehoming of stray dogs from abroad with unknown health histories.
- Abuse of legislation for the commercial movements of pets by illegal importers’
What should we be educating our clients about relating pet travel/ import?
- Disease risks zoonotic and non-zoonotic
- Medical considerations
- Potential stress/climatic changes
- Does pet insurance cover travel?
What other responsibilities do we have as MRCVS
- Educate owners about exotic, emerging and parasitic disease and how to prevent/protect their pets when travelling.
- Be vigilant with exotic and notifiable diseases in companion animals – ask about travel history!
- Guide owner to official sources of up-to-date information on the LEGAL requirements for pet travel
What is an OV?
- MRCVS who perform work on behalf of the UK Government
- Must complete post-graduate qualification: Improve International
- APHA issue personal OV stamp with personal SP number
- Only to be used on official DEFRA documents (AHC, EHC, etc)
What is PETS (Pet travel scheme ) introduced in 2020?
Allows animals to travel easily b/w EU memeber countries without undergoing quarantine
UK harmonised with EU pet travel scheme on Jan 1 2012 what did this mean?
- Removed compulsory requirement for tick treatment prior to entering UK
- Pets from the EU and listed non-EU countries such as the USA and Australia no longer need a blood test for rabies and have 21d wait
- Pets from unlisted non-EU countries are able to enter the UK if they meet certain strict criteria to ensure they are protected against rabies (a blood test and a three month wait before they enter the UK).
Changes from 29 Dec 2014?
- A new pet passport.
- The introduction of checks across the EU.
- A new minimum age for rabies vaccination (12 weeks)
- New rules for those travelling with more than five pets
What are the current export requirements to EU as of 2021? (applies to dog, cat, ferrets)
Export requirements from EU to NON-Eu countries?
- Export Health certificate (EHC) + export application form (EXA) if you’re in
England, Scotland or Wales. - Must be an OV
Every EHC is different & unique to that country
- Non-EU countries each have different import requirements and are determined by the authorities of that country
- Owner is responsible for researching the import requirements of the destination country and applying for import licence
- Note that some countries (e.g. South Africa and Australia) can be challenging destinations -extensive testing and treatment requirements which must be completed within specific timeframes
What are the current import requirements from EU & Part 1 listed countries to UK
What import RQs for EU & part 2 listed countries?
Import RQs for Non EU (unlisted) countries? (Additional rqs)
- Rabies Antibody Titre blood test (>/=0.5IU/ml) (30d after rabies vaccination and tested at approved EU lab)
- Minimum THREE MONTHS WAIT after successful blood sample before travel to UK
- Great Britain Pet Health Certificate (GHC) completed and signed by OV in unlisted
country
What about Northern Ireland?
- Under the NI Protocol, NI remains part of EU Pet Travel Scheme
- NI can issue EU passports
- Travel between GB and NI technically new rules apply
What new Ni rules from June 2025?
The Windsor Framework : new rules for travel with dogs, cats and ferrets
from GB to NI from 4th June 2025
* Clients can apply from April 2025
* Lifelong pet travel document and is free of charge (APHA)
* Pet has to be microchipped.
What advice should we give ?
- Refer them to gov website
- Owner’s responsibility to look up what rq are for travel to countries
- Risk of exotic dx
- Parasite prevention - Repeat tx for ehcinococcus 30 days after return
What about travel of other pets from the EU?
- There are no restrictions on bringing pet rodents, rabbits, invertebrates, amphibians or reptiles to Great Britain from EU countries – has to be living there for 4 months.
- To bring a pet bird to Great Britain from an EU country you’ll need a health certificate
What about other pets from OUTSIDE the EU?
- Pet rabbits or rodents must be put into quarantine for 4 months after arriving in GB + get a rabies import licence for the animal.
- Pet invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians can usually be brought in without any health certificates.
- Owners need a signed declaration saying the animals are:
- not for sale
- fit and healthy
- able to complete the journey
- Pet birds can only be brought from an approved country → need a health certificate and a pet bird import license from the Centre for International Trade in Carlisle.
When do we put a pet into quarantine?
- it’s a cat, dog or ferret travelling from outside the UK and it doesn’t meet
the pet travel rules - it’s a rabbit or rodent travelling from outside the EU
- it’s a rabbit or rodent travelling from an EU country and it’s been living
there for less than 4 months
How does Owner organise quarantine?
Owner must book a quarantine carrier and premises that is authorised by
Defra.
* Carrier will meet pet at port/airport and transport it to quarantine
premises.
* Owner must not transport pet to the quarantine premises yourself.
What are some of the BVA recommendation to strengthen pet travel legislation?
