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<p>Defra takes the threat to public and animal health posed by animals entering the
United Kingdom (UK) very seriously and requires rabies vaccination for pet animals
(cats, dogs and ferrets) entering the country, as well as other high risk species
entering zoos or pets destined for the pet trade.</p><p> </p><p>Pet travel between
EU member states and from some other lower risk third countries requires a rabies
vaccination followed by a 21 day waiting period. A quantitative risk assessment was
carried out in 2011, which assessed the risk of a pet animal with rabies entering
the UK under the EU Pet Travel Scheme (PTS) as very low. Defra continues to monitor
the disease situation but has no plans to introduce a requirement for a rabies antibody
titration test.</p><p> </p><p>For third countries with higher rabies risk, stricter
rules do apply involving a rabies antibody titration test and waiting period. When
the UK leaves the EU it will be a third country for the purposes of the EU Pet Travel
Scheme (PTS). On 24 September 2018 a Technical Notice ‘<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/taking-your-pet-abroad-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/taking-your-pet-abroad-if-theres-no-brexit-deal"
target="_blank">Taking your pet abroad if there’s no Brexit deal</a>’ was published.
For pet animals entering the UK from the EU we propose that we maintain the current
pet travel entry health requirements after exit though additional controls could be
considered at a later date. This would mean that the UK government is not introducing
any new requirement immediately following EU exit. The notice advised that should
the UK become an unlisted third country under PTS pet owners intending to travel with
their pet from the UK to EU countries would need to prove animals are effectively
vaccinated against rabies before they could travel with their pet to EU countries.
This would require a blood titre test to demonstrate sufficient levels of rabies antibody.
Once a blood titre test shows sufficient levels of antibody, there would need to be
a three-month waiting period between the date the blood sample is taken and the date
of travel.</p><p>Defra is working with a range of stakeholders to review the risks
to animal health and welfare that illegal imports of dogs pose, and are considering
a range of possible long-term measures to tackle these risks.</p>
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