UK to relax pet quarantine rules

By Michael Baggs | January 5, 2012 8:02 AM

Did you know that as of the morning of January first that the UK relaxed it's strict quarantine rules for pets to fall in line with the rest of Europe?

The government claim that although our tough quarantine rules have kept us rabies free so far, that due to advances in vaccines and blood tests pet owners will now save about seven million pounds a year in fees.

Pets from other EU countries will no longer need a blood test to prove the rabies vaccination has been successful, while those travelling from outside the EU but from somewhere with robust veterinary systems like Australia and the USA will still have to wait twenty one days after vaccination before departure. Pets from other non-EU countries such as India, Brazil and South Africa will been to meet vaccination rules, a blood test weeks later and a three month long wait before they are allowed to enter the UK.

The changes have been welcomed by the Battersea dogs and cats home, but they also used this opportunity to call for a national dog registration scheme and compulsory microchipping, saying that the new travel schemes and such a database would be a brilliant way to monitor animals travelling within the EU.

Image source: flickr user ralph and jenny

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