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<p>Defra takes the threat to public and animal health posed by animals entering the
United Kingdom (UK) very seriously. This includes the rescue and rehoming of stray
cats and dogs from EU and Third countries under the Balai Directive, which is classed
as a commercial import not as a pet import. Importation of stray dogs and cats, whose
history is unknown can pose a biosecurity risk to the UK and therefore enforcement
measures are in place to ensure compliance.</p><p> </p><p>All consignments of stray
dogs or cats from Third countries must enter through a Border Inspection Post (BIP),
and receive documentary, physical and identity checks upon arrival for compliance
with import requirements.</p><p> </p><p>All EU consignments of dogs or cats receive
documentary checks on entry and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) conduct
further checks post-import. A risk-based approach is used to determine which consignments
receive a further post-importation identity and documentary check at their destination
in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Where animals fail to meet the necessary health requirements
for entry to the UK, they must either be quarantined until compliant, returned to
their country of origin, or euthanised – all at the expense of the owner or importer.
This helps to preserve the UK’s high standards of biosecurity, and acts as a deterrent
to those who might otherwise be motivated to abuse Balai import requirements. The
UK CVO is in correspondence with her EU counterparts in Member States where issues
of non-compliance have been detected.</p>
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