Travelling with my dog.

[network_engineer]

Hi all,

I might have some longer-than-two-week project trips and was planning on taking my family along, including my dog (actually it is a bitch!). Destination: Germany and then the UK. Does anybody have information about possible quarantines on arrival

1. In Germany, and,
2. In UK

for animals coming from Finland? Both these countries are low risk, aren't they (in terms of rabies etc.).

How about once we come back to Finland? I know that Finland is a rabies free country and thus might have stricter requirements.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

PS: For sure, my dog is vaccinated as per the requirements. However, in Finland, the vaccine against rabies is only once every two years, and I will get her an addtional shot soon.

[dave071061]

OK Off the top of my head,

You need the "Pet Passport" for travel anywhere within Europe. If you have that then you are free to travel within Europe with no quarantines.

However, The UK has slightly different rules for pet passports,

The dog must be Microchipped, Not Tattoed, and the Rabies and antibodies test must be done AFTER the microchip, So if like us you have a dog with a Tattoe even if she has had the rabies and antibodies then you need to get her chipped and do the whole rabies shots and tests again.

Coming back should be easier.

However note these rules only apply for short term visits, if you are importing an animal into any EU country from any other EU country then there are slightly different rules.

Hope this helps.

[sinikala]

How about once we come back to Finland? I know that Finland is a rabies free country and thus might have stricter requirements.

The UK along with ROI and Malta, being islands and rabies free have the strictest quarantine laws.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarant ... /index.htm

There is some requirement for a blood test for the pet passport to be valid for entry into the UK. See page 3, Step 3 of this factsheet...

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarant ... 16.htm.pdf

and it seems that there is 6 month wait to see that the rabies vaccination has worked. Consult a vet ASAP, if your pet doesn't already have a valid blood test then it will be November before you can take it to the UK.

[network_engineer]

Hi all,

Thanks for the link. Why am I so confused? This is why!

The 6 month rule for entering the UK
Your pet may not enter or re-enter the UK under PETS until 6 calendar months have passed from the date that a vet took the blood sample which gave a satisfactory test result. The date the blood sample was taken is shown in section V of the passport which the vet must complete (see part 2, steps 3 and 4).
Your pet requires only one blood test and 6 calendar month wait provided all subsequent rabies booster vaccinations are given by the required date.
This wait is necessary because an animal infected with rabies before vaccination would not be protected by the vaccine. Six months is the time needed for most infected animals to display any clinical signs of the disease.

The excerpt is take from here:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarant ... 16.htm.pdf

How would you read these statements? For some reason, to me the last line line about why the wait is necessary is conflicting with the first one. My dog has been vaccinated every year. Microchipped in 2005, and given her last vaccine in 2008. So, if I did get a blood test now, should it not already be valid for my dog to travel with me? The vaccine was given last year, over six months have passed and if six months have passed since and there are no clinical signs of infections, then where is the issue?

Can somebody explain this or am I just getting confused for nothing?

Kind regards!

[dave071061]

If my understanding is correct, and anyone with better knowledge please feel free to correct me, the last line of that statement is misleading,
The reason a blood test is taken 6 months after the jab and if I remember correctly there is quite a narrow window during which the test can be taken is because they then measure the level of antibodies produced by the dog and from that can work out that the vacination has worked (Don´t forget a vacination in most cases is actually a very mild form of the desease) If the level is too low then the vacination hasn´t worked, and if it is 2 high then it is possible the dog has actually been exposed to rabies.

And that is the reason you can´t just have a blood test based on the previous rapies shots or boosters, becasue they won´t be able to work out what level of antibodies they should be seeing in a dog that hasn´t been exposed and who´s vacination is working as it should.

Bottom line is that no matter what a pain it might be, following the requirements to the letter really is the only option, or you risk being refused entry, or your dog being stuck in an animal center for 6 mths. (Which is also VERY expensive),

[Argentiinalainen]

I love dogs.

[inkku]

The blood exam is taken one month after the vaccination of a microchipped dog, and then you still have to wait for six months, so seven months altogether.