Step by step pet passport guide?

[zeb]

I've just aquired Jacques, a fair exchange for a bottle of scotch! He's three months old, adorable and pure Heinz 57 but with no papers or vaccinations as he's from an "accidental" farm litter.

I travel back to the UK a couple of times a year by car so need a step by step guide to getting him vaccinated and passported. We are visiting the local vet later in the week so what does Jacques need?

[Deimos]

First thing is to take him to the vets and get him

micro-chipped.  Next vaccinated against

rabies.  Generally a month after the

vaccination get a blood test for rabies immunity done (vets take blood sample

and send it off for analysis). 

Sometimes vets recommend a booster after the first vaccination before

the blood test (i.e. vaccination, wait 1 month or so, rabies booster, wait a

month or so, then blood sample and blood test).  Vet is best person to advise. 

If blood test shows OK levels of immunity fine, if not vet will probably

re-vaccinate and another blood sample until blood test shows adequate levels of

rabies immunity (but 1^st test is normally fine).  You must wait 6 months from when the

successful blood sample was taken before being able to enter the UK.

You need to keep-up with the rabies vaccination boosters for

the blood test results to remain effective (i.e. be late on a booster and you

must re-test and wait another 6 months !).

Between 24 and 48 hours of 

check-in ” for each visit to the UK a vet must treat your pet for ticks

and tapeworms (according to the regulations – all French vets seem to know what

is required).

Everything must be recorded in the Pet Passport.  Might be best to get the passports on

getting pet micro-chipped and first rabies vaccination.  The Pet Passport states the validity of the

rabies vaccination (i.e. valid until date).

When returning to the UK checks are thorough and

paperwork/pet will be checked (pet scanned and paperwork checked) – there is no

leeway for errors.  However, it is not

difficult so do not be put-off

If pet is tattooed and rabies vaccinated there are special

procedures for having a microchip fitted without re-vaccinating against rabies

but this will only save you a month as you still need the blood test.  Full details on

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

Getting back into France is easy.  If you meet the requirements for entry to the UK then return to

France is done (nothing needed between 24/48 hours, the rabies vaccination is

all that is necessary).

Ian

[Liz]

Zeb, We've just gone through the first stage of this procedure with our cat.  You might find it useful to know that he got a passport, his microchip, his rabies injection and another 3 in 1 injection that is optional for a total cost of 105€.  His blood test in a month and further injections later on will, of course, be extra. My only previous experience of vets has been in the UK, which always seemed very pricey, but this did not strike me as expensive.

Liz

[alnmike]

As above, all made very straightforward now. My only observation is the return to UK between 24 and 48 hours of tick and worm treatment is not negotiable, certainly by BF! 5 mins early and you will be turned away. Good Luck!

[Robbie34]

It's not negotiable with any ferry operator: the rules are set in stone.  However, there is currently a review of the Pet's Passport scheme and the need for tick and tapeworm treatment for entry to the UK is included.  It's possible that this requirement may be dispensed with.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/051117b.htm

[Deimos]

[quote user="Robbie34"]

...It's possible that this requirement may be dispensed with.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/051117b.htm

[/quote]

The review is in effect a requirement of the UK

derogation which expires in 2008 (the derogation allowing the UK to have

different entry requirements under the Pet Travel Scheme from other EU

countries).  After this time the EU will

decide if the derogation may be extended – my understanding is that the UK

cannot override the EU’s decision on this. 

However, the UK can state its case for extending the derogation and can

thus have input to the decision. 

The review is thus primarily aimed at scientific evidence for the basis

for the continued requirements for blood testing.  There are several comments coming from DEFRA that give strong

impressions that they are seeking evidence to justify the continuation of the derogation

(e.g. “Mainland Europe has a history of rabies, which has only recently been

virtually eradicated … The disease has been absent from land mammals in

the UK for a significant period of time.”, “Potential EU-driven changes would

make it much easier for animals from “high risk” third countries to enter the

UK without quarantine.“,

etc.).

Thus,

whilst such reviews are always valuable I would not “hold you breath” with

regard to entry requirement to the UK becoming laxer.  I certainly hope that things get easier (for a number of

different reasons, mostly not personal as my dogs have been through the

procedures).

Ian

[zeb]

Thanks everyone for being so helpful. We go to the vets tomorrow so now know what is required.

In the meantime, does anyone know of a good disinfectant!

[Robbie34]

I'm not sure that a good enough case for continuing treatment against the fox tapeworm can be made, particularly for cats.  Fox tapeworm can  be found in dogs and cats, but research performed at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in 2003 has shown that the tapeworm’s eggs do not mature in cats, for which reason cats do not spread the infection. The parasite is usually transferred between foxes and mice.

When the Pet's Passport  scheme was first being discussed there was some opposition to the need for such treatment.  The evidence was that dogs can only be infected by consuming a mouse or vole similarly infested.  Indeed, only a small percentage of foxes are carriers of the fox tapeworm.  Northern Germany has a figure of only 1% and an investigation in Denmark found that only three out of 350 foxes were carriers.