Pet passport and Ireland

Just for information
Defra has advised the Kennel Club as follows:

‘Under the EU pet movement system, all pet dogs, cats and ferrets moving between EU Member States must meet the same animal health rules. Therefore from 1st January 2012 the requirement is that all pets travelling from the Republic of Ireland to the UK should be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and accompanied by a pet passport.

However as both the Republic of Ireland and the UK have had no indigenous rabies for many decades, compliance checks on pets travelling between the two countries will not be applied. Those travelling with pet animals should therefore not experience any change on the ground from the 1st January.’

Don't know how that will work out then, especially as most rescue dogs in this country come from Ireland. I know people who transport from Ireland and i don't think they get checked at all to be honest, not that i agree with it

Well this is only applicable from 1st Jan 2012 and they said because there is no issue of Rabies in the UK or Ireland they will not be enforcing this.

It is just an EU directive that all member states must have the same rules.

I just thought it best people know incase anything would change this status ie a case of rabies in either UK or Ireland.

Because the rules are there they could start enforcing it with out any notice

Sorry i didn't mean to come over as critical, i'll be interested to see if anything comes of it. One thing i will say is that in my experience, lots of dogs brought here from Ireland seem to have various health issues and i really think there should be some sort of isolation period in this country before they are allowed to go to rescues, as our rescues are the ones that end up having to pay for the treatment, as if bringing them here in the first place isn't enough ! just my opinion

Its not just rescue dogs that travel between Ireland and the UK. I live in Ireland and family live in England. We regularly travel over for shows and to see family and friends.

I have no problem with passports as I will be getting them for my dogs so that they can travel to Europe. I would not be happy about having to do the flea and tick treatment every time we travelled with the dogs if this was brought in.

You also can travel from Belfast which is UK to UK. Wonder what they would do then if this was enforced?

Hmmmm, There are several show goers who regularly travel from the UK to compete on the Munster Circuit so they can make up their dogs to Irish Show Champions/Champions too. Particularly as Ireland is goverened by FCI rules and thus there are classes for breeds which are still not scheduled in the UK (eg you can have an Irish Sh Champion SRHP but not a UK one).

Some people also travel direct to Belfast rather than Dublin and drive down depending on what ferry they catch.

I could foresee a scenario where, for example, a person had paid for advance ferry bookings, hotel bookings and show entries all of a sudden being caught out if, say, a rabies scare was extant and these rules invoked overnight.

I think it is a bit like the visa scenario in the US, if I was going to go over to Ireland I would have my dog passported JIC, which of course, at the moment, does not mean you have to organise the flea and tick treatment etc (until these laws are enforced).

As we are already half way through January 2012, I find it difficult to understand ........................

The new rules were brought in for the pet passport in Jan. This makes it easier for UK people to go to the rest od europe they no longer have to have the tick and flea treatment every time they go and no longer need the blood test for the rabies.

They have shortened the time from the inject two numbers are in my head 21 and 42 days can't remeber which one.

So the pet passport is easier to get and no tick flea treatment required they just trust that pet owners will do the right thing and make sure their pet is covered.

So with that in mind if I was travelling on a rountine basis or for something important I would get the passport.

It is simply the equalisation of legislation.

I did know about the changes to the passport but but never even gave Ireland a thought. I am guessing this has been raised because the 1st champ show in Jan is soon.

I believe the ferries are raising it when people make a booking.

I'm in the process of getting pet passports for my two dogs and cat prior to driving from Hungary to the UK at the end of this month.

I don't know what the regulations are concerning Ireland and the UK but over here a dog or cat has to be microchipped BEFORE they are vaccinated for Rabies ... mine were microchipped on the Monday and had their Rabies jabs on the Tuesday. A period of 21 days has to elapse before you can enter the UK.

Also according to my vet they have to to be treated for tick and tapeworm before they are permitted to enter the UK. That is in a period of no less than 48 hours and no more than 5 days before entry.

It is not an issue for me as my younger dog is pet passported and I will no longer take my elder dog abroad. I just find it interesting that it may come as a shock to some people and of course could have cost implications in the scenario I envisaged.

Thus, if you have travel insurance, yet have NOT passported your dogs, I would doubt that insurance would pay up in the event of ........... failure to be able to travel etc.

Dogs do have to have the tick treatment but you used to have it within 48 hours.
Now I understood that there was some leaway there for people not out of the UK for a long time because I know people who show in Europ one a regulare basis used to compalin as their dogs were being over dosed with the medication.