Bring Cats into Ireland?

coco200066

We currently have 5 cats and we hope to travel from Texas back to Ireland in the near future. I was wondering if anyone knows what the deal is about bringing cats into Ireland from America? Is there any quarantine requirements and if so how long?

Themadhouse

The quarantine is 6 months at least it is from canada.

bigpinkelephant

If you get them passports they don't need to be quarantined.

MsFifers

See info here from Citizen's Information about this:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/moving-country/moving-to-ireland/coming-to-live-in-ireland/bringing_pets_to_ireland

Pets from overseas
(a) From "qualifying countries"


If you want to import a dog or cat into Ireland from a qualifying third country the pet must undergo the following in this order:

Be microchipped

Be vaccinated for rabies

Be bloodtested after rabies vaccination and microchipping at least six months before entry (the pet must have a result greater than 0.5 IU/ml)

Be treated for tick and tapeworm between 24 and 48 hours before departure

Have a Veterinary Certificate (passport) issued or endorsed by the competent authority in the country of origin

Be accompanied by the owner (or person acting on their behalf) on an approved carrier into Ireland.

coco200066

So if I do all of these things....I could bring my cats from Dallas, Tx over to Ireland without the whole 6 months quarantine deal?

God that would be so awesome, the thought of leaving them in some strange place for 6 months doesn't bare thinking of.

coco200066

Themadhouse wrote: »

The quarantine is 6 months at least it is from canada.

If I am reading the post correctly and the list of non European countries accepted for NO QUARANTINE

America and Canada is on this list....
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets/files/listqualifyingcountriesSept07.pdf

Alun

That's correct. You'll need to get the whole process going early enough though, especially the rabies vaccinations and blood tests. If, for whatever reason they fail the first blood test due to insufficient antibodies you'll have to start the whole thing over again.

It's not clear to me from reading the stuff on the website, but when coming from another EU country, the blood tests are only allowed to be done by a handful of accredited laboratories. When I was in the Netherlands, the blood samples had to be sent to Brussels, for example. It's probably worth double checking where you're allowed to get the test done in the US first.

Also, make sure the microchip adheres to the standards in use in Europe, so that it can be read by readers here, otherwise you'll have to buy, and bring with you, your own reader! I'm not saying that they're necessarily different in the US, but it wouldn't at all surprise me if they were and you don't want any nasty surprises. The applicable standards here are ISO standard 11784 or Annex A to ISO standard 11785.

MsFifers

The link I posted above gives the contact details for the Dept of Agriculture Special Projects Unit - you should get in touch with them to clarify any questions and find out about the documents you will need.

Its a much better system than the whoel 6 months quanantine thing!

Themadhouse

Pets from all other non-eligible countries
If you want to import a dog or cat into Ireland from a country other than one eligible for the EU Pet Passport System, you must have an import licence from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The pet will be required to spend six months in the public quarantine in Ireland.

There is only one approved public quarantine premises: Lissenhall Quarantine Kennels and Catteries, Lissenhall, Swords, Co Dublin, Tel: +353 1 8900375, Fax: +353 1 8409338. Animals must spend their six-month quarantine here.

The animal must be transported by air to Ireland and land at Dublin, Cork or Shannon airports and be brought on by air to Dublin if necessary. Transport from the airport to the quarantine must be undertaken by the sole authorised carrying agent: Kelly Couriers, 30 Selskar Avenue, Skerries, Co. Dublin. Telephone: +353-1-8490807 Fax: +353-1-8029801.


http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/moving-country/moving-to-ireland/coming-to-live-in-ireland/bringing_pets_to_ireland/?searchterm=bringing%20animals%20to%20ireland

Her eis some info from the oasis government site, seems to be the most straight forward info altho it contradicts some of what has been said on theis thread!

Alun

Themadhouse wrote: »

Stuff about quarantine

You don't need to go through quarantine if you're coming from a "qualified" country, of which the USA is one, we've already established that.

Rule number one: never rely on anything on citizensinformation.ie. It's often either out of date or written by someone who seems hell bent on describing things in such a roundabout way as to leave you totally confused.

The definitive site in this respect is http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets

Themadhouse

To be honest i'm getting my info from someone who has brought their animals back from canada this year. The info i was given is the info that she was given and she had to put her animals into the kennels in swords for 6 months but things might have changed since march and canada and us are on the same list... so i dont know.

Alun

Themadhouse wrote: »

To be honest i'm getting my info from someone who has brought their animals back from canada this year. The info i was given is the info that she was given and she had to put her animals into the kennels in swords for 6 months but things might have changed since march and canada and us are on the same list... so i dont know.

Strange. That list is from September 2007. Perhaps she was given some duff information in Canada resulting in her not getting the complete story.

I know when we imported our cat from the Netherlands into Ireland (via the UK) in 2001, it took some considerable effort to get the right information, and then to convince our vet in the Netherlands to do what the UK Pet Passport scheme required rather than what he was (mistakenly) being told by the people in the Netherlands he was asking. Let's just say it was a "learning experience" for both of us