British passports for dogs

AS many people want to transport pets to the UK either to live, to enter the prestige shows or as pedigree exports, the new scheme to ease up dog imports into Britain is likely to be of interest to many. Following is an abridged version of the detail supplied:

The Pilot Scheme Rules
Which animals can take part in the pilot scheme?

Pet cats and dogs that enter the UK from April 2001; enter the UK on certain routes; have not been outside certain countries; have been identified with a microchip; and meet certain health conditions.

What do I need to do to get my pet to qualify?

To qualify for the scheme, your pet must be fitted with a microchip; be vaccinated against rabies; be blood tested (the blood test result must show that the vaccine has given your pet satisfactory protection against rabies); be issued with an official PETS certificate; and be treated against a tapeworm and ticks. It is essential that these steps are carried out in the order stated. When you bring your pet in, you will need three pieces of paper:
* An official PETS certificate showing that it has been vaccinated and blood tested.
* A veterinary certificate showing that it has been treated against tapeworm and ticks.
* A declaration that is has not been outside the PETS scheme participating countries.

The start date

The scheme started on 28 February 2000, and will be extended in April this year (2001) to include New Zealand (among other countries) and other types of pets.

Will I be able to enter the UK with my pet as soon as the scheme starts?

Your pet cannot enter the UK until six months after the date your vet took a blood sample that yielded a successful test result. This is because an animal that is infected before being vaccinated would not be protected against rabies, but its blood test might give the same result as one for an uninfected animal that had been vaccinated. Six months (equivalent to the length of quarantine) is the time needed for most infected animals to display any clinical signs of rabies that would prevent it being brought into the UK.

Which routes can I use to bring my pet into the UK?

By air: Air routes from Australia and New Zealand direct to London, Heathrow.

Where can pets come from?

Pets that come from one of these countries or that have been resident in any of them for at least six months may also enter the UK under the pilot scheme if accompanied by the appropriate official certification: Andorra, France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Vatican, Belgium, Gibraltar, Luxembourg, San Marino, Denmark, Greece, Monaco, Spain, Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Sweden. After April, New Zealand and Australia included (Guide dogs included already).

France excludes the French Overseas Departments and Territories, Norway excludes Svalbard, Portugal includes the Azores and Madeira, and Spain includes the Canary Islands, but excludes Ceuta and Melilla.

Pets resident in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland may also enter the UK under the pilot scheme from these countries, when accompanied by the appropriate official certification.

What about pets entering the Republic of Ireland?

The PETS pilot scheme relates to the UK only. The Republic of Ireland does not intend to have a PETS pilot scheme. Therefore, pets entering the Republic of Ireland directly from all countries other than the UK, Channel Islands and the isle of Man will have to go into quarantine. An announcement by the Irish authorities about the precise arrangements to facilitate pets entering the Republic which have first entered the UK under the conditions of the pilot scheme, will be made in due course.

What can I do now to get ready for the scheme?

You can ask your vet to microchip and vaccinate your pet (Remember, it must be microchipped before it is vaccinated); arrange for it to be blood tested; and issue an official PETS certificate. You will have to get a government-authorised vet to issue the certificate. Vets will charge you for carrying out this work. Any vet can microchip and vaccinate your pet and arrange for it to be blood tested.

Why do I need to get my pet microchipped?

A microchip is a tiny electronic device injected into your pet that acts as a permanent record of identity. For your pet to qualify for the PETS pilot scheme, it must be fitted with a microchip. We strongly recommend that the microchip meets International Standards Organisation (ISO) Standard 11784, or Annex A to ISO Standard 11785. Ask your vet to make sure that the microchip meets one of these specifications. If the microchip does not meet either of these standards, anyone who needs to read it may not be able to do so. In that case, you would have to provide your own microchip reader (at your expense) to enable the microchip number to be read successfully.

When should it be fitted?

Your pet can be fitted with a microchip at any time but it must be done before it is vaccinated against rabies and blood tested. Ask your vet to test that the microchip works by checking its number once it has been fitted.

What sort of rabies vaccine is used?

The vaccine must be an inactivated rabies vaccine authorised for use in the UK, or by the government of the qualifying country in which you are resident. If in doubt, consult your vet.

When should I vaccinate my pet?

Your pet must be at least three months old before it is vaccinated. After that age, vaccination can be done at any time after your pet has been fitted with a microchip. Before vaccinating your pet, the vet will check its microchip number and enter it on your pet's vaccination record when it is vaccinated. If your pet has been vaccinated against rabies before it was identified by a microchip, it will have to be fitted with a microchip and vaccinated again. This is to make sure that your pet is correctly identified when it is vaccinated.

What information goes on my pet's vaccination record?

When your pet is vaccinated, you should make sure that your vet has recorded the following details on a vaccination record: date of birth/age (if known); vaccine product name; microchip number; batch number; date of vaccination; and date the booster vaccination is due.

When is my pet given its booster?

After your pet has been vaccinated and blood tested, it will need regular booster vaccinations at intervals specified by the vaccine manufacturer. Your vet will advise you further. Make sure that your pet is given its booster on time, otherwise it will not meet the conditions of the scheme and would have to be vaccinated and blood tested again and the residency requirement would have to be met. If your pet has its booster on time, it will not need another blood test.

How do I arrange a blood test for my pet?

After your pet has been vaccinated, it will need a blood test to make sure that the vaccine has given your pet sufficient protection against rabies. A vet will take a sample of your pet's blood and send it to a laboratory for testing. The vet who vaccinated your pet can arrange this for you. You will need to take your pet's vaccination record with you when the blood sample is taken. Your vet will advise you on the best time to get your pet blood tested. Make sure that your vet gives you a signed record of the date the blood sample was taken.

Where is the blood test done?

At a laboratory recognised by MAFF. The date that the laboratory was officially recognised by MAFF is noted on the list. Blood tests performed by unrecognised laboratories will not be accepted. This is because we can only be certain that a laboratory meets the necessary quality standards once it has been officially recognised.

Do I need to contact the laboratory myself?

No. You do not need to contact laboratories directly to arrange your pet's blood test or to get the result. Your vet will do this for you.

What if my pet fails its blood test?

You should seek advice from your vet if your pet fails its blood test (in other words, the result shows that it has not been satisfactorily protected against rabies). Your pet may need to be revaccinated and blood tested again.

Treatment against parasites

There is one final step to take before your pet can enter or re-enter the UK without quarantine. It will have to be treated against certain ticks and tapeworm that can be carried by cats and dogs.

When does my pet have to have this treatment?

The treatment must be carried out between 24 and 48 hours before you embark for the UK and will have to be done every time your pet enters the UK. Any vet in one of the scheme countries listed can do this. When your pet has been treated, the vet will give you a certificate to show that this has been done.

Documentation

You will need three pieces of paper for your pet to enter the UK:

To get your pet into the UK you will need an official PETS certificate. This will be issued by a vet authorised by the UK Government or by the Government of one of the quaifying countries. The transport company staffers who will check your pet will need to see this certificate to make sure it is kept safe. The certificate will show that your pet is identified by its microchip number has a current vaccination against rabies; and had a blood test showing satisfactory protection against rabies. If your pet does not meet these conditions, it will not be issued with a Pets certificate.

How long is the certificate valid for?

It will be valid for a specific period of time, expiring on the date your pet's booster vaccination is required. A certificate will not be valid until six months has elapsed after the date of the blood sample which gave a successful test result.

How do I get a certificate in a qualifying country?

A government-authorised vet in that country will issue a certificate. We have asked all the other countries taking part in the PETS pilot scheme to arrange for this certificate to be available from appropriate vets. When you get your pet treated against a tapeworm and ticks, your vet will give you an official certificate of treatment to show that this has been done. Make sure you get this certificate and that the period it covers includes the time you are due to embark for the UK. You will have to fill in a form to declare that you have not in the last six months taken your pet outside the qualifying PETS countries listed. You should be able to get the form from the transport company that you are using.

Certification for pets leaving the UK

Depending on which qualifying country you intend to visit or go through, you may need to obtain an Export Health Certificate so that your pet can enter that country.

Dangerous dogs

In Great Britain, it is against the law to possess certain types of dogs: the pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the Dogo Argentino and the Fila Brazilero. The introduction of the Pet Travel Scheme will not affect this ban. If you bring one of these dogs into Great Britain, you could be prosecuted and the dog seized and destroyed. If in doubt, don't travel with it. A number of dogs in Great Britain designated as prohibited are registered as exempt from this ban. We advise that people who intend to go abroad and return to Great Britain with these dogs make sure that they carry their certificate of exemption from the Dangerous Dogs Act as well as their Pet Travel Scheme documentation.

Is my pet checked before it enters the UK?

Yes. Staff members from the transport company will check your pet's microchip and official certificates (the PETS certificate and the certificate for tick and tapeworm treatment). If all is well, your pet will be allowed to board. In the case of airlines, these checks will be carried out either before you board or as soon as you land at Heathrow. If any of these checks fail, your pet will either have to go into quarantine on arrival in the UK, or return to the country it has come from. If you live in one of the qualifying countries, we strongly recommend that you check that all is in order before you go abroad with your pet before you travel to the UK.

Where can I get more information?

The lnternet site has more information on the Pet Travel Scheme. Visit the site on: www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine or ring the PETS Helpline on 0870 2411710 (open 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday), or e-mail: pets@ahvg.maff.gsi.gov.uk or you can send a fax on 020 7904 6834.

What could go wrong, and what you can do

Your pet could not be identified properly:

* It has not been microchipped - All pets entering the UK under the PETS scheme must be fitted with a microchip. You will have to have your pet microchipped, then vaccinated against rabies and blood tested.

* It has a microchip but it could not be read - If the checking staff members cannot read your pet's microchip, you may have to provide your own microchip reader.

* The microchip cannot be found - All pets entering the UK under the PETS scheme must be fitted with a microchip that con be found and read. You will have to have your pet microchipped, then vaccinated against rabies and blood tested.

Incomplete documentation:

* You don't have an official PETS certificate - If you have not been issued with one, you will have to get one from a government-authorised vet. You will need to take your pet's vaccination record card and blood test result with you.

* You have lost your certificate - You will have to get a copy of the certificate. The transport company may be able to help you arrange this.

* Your certificate is not valid - The certificate must be issued in a qualifying country, signed and stamped by a government-authorised vet and can only be used between the dates shown on the certificate.

* Your pet's microchip number does not match the number on the certificate - the two numbers must match. Check that you have the right certificate.

Your pet was not correctly treated against parasites:

* Your pet has not been treated - you will have to get a vet to carry out the treatment and issue you with a certificate of treatment. The treatment must be carried out between 24-48 hours before embarkation for the UK.

* Your pet has been treated but not at the correct time - You will have to get your pet treated again in the correct period and issued with another certificate of treatment.

Your pet has travelled outside the qualifying countries in the last six months:

Your pet will not be allowed to enter the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme. This means you would have to make arrangements for it to be placed in quarantine on its arrival in the UK.