virginiadare

hi everyone,

I was wondering if someone could offer any help. we are moving back to the UK next year and wanted to start the process of getting our cat ready for a pet passport. I have read through the DEFRA website but I find it rather confusing so i am looking for some kind soul to offer up an opinion if I have done the start of the process correctly. This is what I have done this far
(1) Took my cat to our local vet
(2) Had an Euro Avid microchip fitted
(3) got a rabies shot after the chip was fitted.

Now i am panicing a little as I read in a previous post that the vet had to be state accredited (i'm not sure if she is).

I'm also unsure what the next step is. Do I need to get him a bloodtest of do i wait 6 months to get him it.

HELP!

TaraC

You may want to do a search on this website, as there are many of us that went through the PETS scheme and posted information on how to do it. The following is a link to the latest post, but do a search as there are many others:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ht=PETS+scheme

In answer to your questions above, the vet who does the microchipping, rabies vacc and blood draw for the test does not need to be state-accredited, and it's highly unlikely they will be anyway. Even if they say they are accredited, it doesn't mean what they think it means (I had a serious problem with this). What DEFRA means by accredited is the USDA-accredited vet who works specifically for USDA. Your final paperwork must be reviewed, signed and stamped by the USDA, so you need to contact your local state office to find out how they do this. I was lucky in that my USDA office was in the city I lived in, so I was able to take my paperwork down a week or so before I left. Other people on this forum have sent their paperwork away to their state vet a couple of weeks or months earlier and had it done via regular post. It's ok to do it this way, as the form is ok for up to four months after it's been stamped.

For the rabies testing, you need to wait a couple of weeks (I think it's 21 days) to be sure the rabies vaccination is active, then have blood drawn and sent to a DEFRA-certified lab in the US for the titre testing. Your vet should know about this! The six-month waiting period starts from the date that you get a positive result on the blood test, which will be stamped on the blood titre certificate.

I can't emphasise enough that you review all the DEFRA guidelines for filling out the paperwork throughout this process, including how the vet fills out your rabies certificate, microchipping information, and the test. They will need information not typically included, and I had to go back to my vet a couple of times to get everything dEFRA wanted. Again, look through this website as there is really good information for how to do this.

Hope this helps.

sans

Hi i have just recently returned from Canada with my 3 cats It looks more confusing than it is........i got myself in aright muddle over it too

Your local vet is fine to do all the work, as long as he does it in the order requested and fills the 3rd country certificate in correctly. Once he has done that you have to get the certificate stamped, and thats when you have to find out who your nearest government official vet is. Once you get the certificate stamped its only valid for 3 mths.

If you do a search their are lots of threads on this or try the wiki In Canada i found the official vet at the CIFA, if thats any help.......

sans

We went for it at the same time lols but yours is in more detail

TaraC

That's just because I'm a talker - can't shut up. Anything you can say in 5 words, I'll take 10.

BTW: Looking at your avatar, I noticed your kitty is Siamese. My two are as well - wonderful cats.

sans

No lols my 3 are Birmans Avater pic, she is a lilac point and mother of my other 2. They are now my flying cats haha

Thydney

You need to get the rabies titre done to certify the cat is a) rabies free and b) has an immunity to rabies this needs doing now as thats when your 6 month wait starts.

TaraC

Sorry about that. I didn't look closely enough (no glasses on) so missed all the hair! She's lovely. My two will be very happy if they never fly again - not that I'm planning on having them leave here ever again.

Big D

That is correct - the reason being that if you cat had rabies at the time of the shot then it can take 6 months to materialize. The blood has to be sent to the university of Kanas from memory and this can be a bit expensive. However you only need to wait 6 months once as long as your future boosters are done on time. You also need a tick and tape injection but you can do this a day or so before you fly.

We were thinking of trying to go home from NY to UK on the Queen Mary rather than flying as it may be stressful!

Good luck

sans

No worries at least you got the right animal.........someone else decided she was a hamster So are you back in the Uk now?

sans

Yep tick and tape worm treatment has to be done between 48 and 24 hrs before they leave. This can be done after the official certificate has been stamped.

TaraC

rofl. She definitely looked like a cat, even without glasses on!!!
Yes, back in the UK since last September. Almost a year now and still loving it. Sitting here in my living room with both kitties sitting next to me. Now if I can just get OH and the dog here, I'll be utterly content! How about you? Enjoying being back?

sans

She dont wear glasses either she's too posh haha
Definitly!!! I've only been back around 7 wks, OH came back in March. I had to stay put, till the cats could leave and sell the house.

johnh009

I am in Canada. It has dawned on me that it is going to cost me more to ship my cat than it is my wife. Still, I suppose, it is a question of priorities.

grevillia

You betcha. After all, in these days of internet dating, wives are 2 a penny. However, a good cat is hard to find!



G