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<p>The Government is working with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) to ensure there is sufficient veterinary
capacity in the United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>Currently all pet dogs, cat and ferrets
leaving the UK for other EU countries are required to have rabies vaccinations, therefore
leaving the EU is unlikely to significantly impact on veterinary capacity to carry
out vaccinations.</p><p> </p><p>In the unlikely event that the United Kingdom leaves
the EU without a deal and the UK is an unlisted third country under the EU Pet Travel
Scheme (PTS) there would be some additional requirements that veterinarians would
need to carry out to so that their clients’ pets could travel to the EU. These would
be taking a blood sample for rabies antibody testing at an approved blood testing
laboratory. However, provided a pet has an up-to-date rabies vaccination there would
be no need to repeat the blood test during the animal’s lifetime. Should the UK become
an unlisted third country after leaving the EU there may be an impact on demand for
rabies serology tests in UK laboratories. We are preparing for an increase in demand
on laboratories for these tests to enable pet owners to continue to visit the EU with
their animals under all exit scenarios.</p><p> </p><p>For each trip a pet animal makes
from the UK to the EU its owner would need a health certificate. Both the blood sample
and health certificate would need to be completed by an Official Veterinarian (OV)
authorised to issue pet travel documents. There are currently over 9,600 OVs authorised
to issue pet travel documents in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland
the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs are responsible for
pet travel documentation.</p>
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