Travelling to UK for Christmas, taking dog.

happyfixer

Hi all,

I am taking our pet dog a 5 year old crossbreed with us to the UK for two weeks over Christmas, he will have a passport, he is microchipped, has a license, all his innoculations etc, however I have just been told he will need to have a Rabies shot also and that we must wait 21 days before travelling. No problem with the Rabies shot but we would be short on the 21 days by a few days !
I knew that this new EU requirement was not coming in to effect from 29th December 2014 but I am hearing conflicting reports.

When we return to Ireland in January he would be ok as 21 days will have passed, however we are worried that we might be challenged entering the UK.

Can anybody tell me what is the current situation please ?

mymo

I thought they only needed the rabies shot if coming from Europe?
Or travelling on to Europe?
Sorry can't help.

dollydishmop

Not sure where you got 29 Dec 2014 from?

This has been the case since 1st Jan 2012 as far as I'm aware. Although UK/Ire ferry companies turned a blind eye for a while, they now do spot checks I believe.

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets/entryrequirementsforpetsfromtheeu/

https://www.gov.uk/bringing-food-animals-plants-into-uk

How does your dog have a passport but no rabies vaccination?

Inexile

OP think you are confusing the existing regulations which came into effect about 2 years or more ago and the upcoming changes will come into effect at the end of this year. (see http://www.veterinaryirelandjournal.com/news/vicas-news/156-changes-to-pet-passports). You will note that there is a scope for the UK and Ireland to drop the requirement for rabies vaccination for pets but not for commercial transports where there is a change of ownership (eg. rescues).

As some one else noted not every car is stopped or checked so you might be ok. But you need to be aware that you are taking a risk and if caught your dog could be impounded and you may be subject to fines etc. . Its up to you evaluate the risk.

Also sad to note that pups wont be able to get to rescues in the UK now until they are 15 weeks old - that will cause
problems for many rescues.

happyfixer

Hi Dollydishmop,

just got the passport and shots at the same time,

muddypaws

happyfixer wrote: »

Hi Dollydishmop,

just got the passport and shots at the same time,

Thats really odd that your vet didn't give the rabies vacc when issuing the passport.

I go back and forth a lot, all of mine have their passports, rabies vacc etc, and we've never been checked. They do spot checks, and since the 11 greyhounds died on the Rosslare ferry, I believe they are being more stringent with commercial transporters, but not sure about pet owners. Are you leaving the dog in the car on the crossing? I never even get asked if I have dogs in the van, so as you don't have to declare the animals, chances are you will get through ok, especially if on a night crossing I do wonder, if you got stopped, if they'd even notice that the rabies vacc was done within the 21 days?

So its up to you op whether you want to take the chance.

happyfixer

Hi muddypaws,

thank you for that, I am probably being a little paranoid about it, I am just worried that he would be taken from us and put in to quarantine, I suppose I could leave him in the jeep, ( however the same doggie will jump into the drivers seat as soon as I leave) but I have booked a kennel already.

Thanks again muddypaws, its my own fault really I should have checked sooner, I have only just got the passport and the rabies vaccination yesterday , I had no idea about the 21 days.

nothing is ever straightforward is it !

muddypaws

Just out of interest, which ferry are you going on, as the only one I would even consider putting a dog into the kennels on is the Irish Ferries Ulysses on the Dublin-Holyhead route, even for that, I would take an anti-bacterial spray to just spray the crate down, and then line with newspapers. The room gets locked during the crossing, but me being me, I'd also padlock the crate. Some of the other ferries, the 'kennels' are crates on the car deck.

happyfixer

Hi muddypaws,

taking Irish Ferries out of Dublin.

Many thanks again muddypaws for the advice and information, I to just take the chance really, couldnt leave him at home in kennels for two weeks over the Christmas, he is part of the family !

belongtojazz

I travel back and forth to the UK on a semi regular basis, my dogs are always left in their crate in my van and are much happier there.
I am aware of at least one van with dogs being stopped coming back into ireland last year and passports being checked so personally i don't take the risk that someone would try to take my dogs off me..... the idea utterly terrifies me... enough so that even though my guys don't get regular vaccine they get the rabies one so I don't risk someone taking them.

muddypaws

Hi OP, just wondered how you got on? We came back yesterday, from Liverpool into Dublin, there was a large customs presence, not sure if they were looking for something specific, but when I said I had dogs in the back, I had to pull over and show the passports, first time ever.

happyfixer

Hi Muddypaws,

happy new year to you and yours. In the end we had to change to the Rosslare - Pembroke route, which was unavoidable.
Arrived at the terminal in plenty of time, went straight on to the boat, checked out the kennels, couldnt put him in those, so he spent the journey in the comfort of his own jeep sound asleep ! no bother at all.

To make a long story short we were not challenged or stopped once or asked for any identification or passports. The customs and police on both sides smiled and waved us on through at all times. I was panicking for nothing about the rabies shot and the passport. However it is notable that you were asked for a passport on the way back in to Ireland. Its all bloody silly really, just demonstrates how unnecessary a lot of these EU rules and regulations are especially in relation to Ireland and England.

Anyway had a great time with the family and Spencer really enjoyed his trip to Dorset for Christmas, lots of walking and chasing sticks !

Thanks again Muddypaws, and safe travelling.

muddypaws

Ah, thats great that he stayed in the jeep and wasn't bothered at all, so it won't be a bother if you go over again. I think it is spot checks, so you its worth having, just in case you are one of the unlucky ones that gets stopped.

Our crossing back was very rough, I didn't feel well at all, and was worried about the dogs, especially when I saw the car deck was soaking wet from the waves. Opened the van and they all just looked at me, as if they'd just woken up and wondered if we were home yet, not a bother on any of them, not even Bear who always gets travel sick!