ways to avoid quarantine
 

we have a small dog and Live in India we do not qualify for PETS scheme and the thought of 6 months in quarantine just seems so awful. Anyone any ideas on ways round quarantine - We think we may have to move to one of the recognised countries for 7 months. anyone done this or looked into it?

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

This is one way around it but the aggrevation of moving countries twice may be harder on the dog and yourselves than the 6 months in quarantine. I am sure they are well taken care of in the UK kennels.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

have seen a couple of places and unimpressed - wondered if any one had found anywhere say in europe that was easier to get in and then spend the time in that country

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

We have quarantine laws for a reason, so just abide by the system like me and everybody else

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Agree.

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Hard to tell, if you go to France there is a chance your dog will get eaten by the locals so you will have to look at each country individually. PETS advises to check with the embassies (scroll to bottom of page in link):

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quar...gerousdogs.htm

Here are some quarantine kennels in York that look okay:

http://www.yorkshirequarantine.co.uk/

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Oh golly you are mistaken and pretty rude - I just wanted some legal but kind ways for my poor little pooch. I was perhaps hoping someone would say what they had perhaps found some nice place in europe for a dog to stay etc.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I read a while back about an organization that helps you by allowing your dog to stay in a family environment in France for 6 months while going through the PETs system. Then at the end they are shipped to the UK.

This may not be ideal, but it's one way to avoid quarantine.

Unfortunately, I didn't keep a record of the name of the organization (I read it in the newspaper), but you might be able to locate it through Google.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I think that's what she is trying to do. By moving to a country that is recognised under the UK's PETS scheme...then the OP can get the pets bloodwork done/rabies shots etc. Hopefully 6 mths after that she/he can take her pet into the UK legally under the PETS scheme.

Flying into another country is something I would consider myself...but only because I don't want my dogs to be transported in the hold of the plane. I can fly from the US to various EU countries taking my dogs in the cabin. From there I could go to the UK by land. Of course my dogs would have all the necessary PETS paperwork completed before I left the US.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

[QUOTE=Jerseygirl;7827988]I think that's what she is trying to do. By moving to a country that is recognised under the UK's PETS scheme...then the OP can get the pets bloodwork done/rabies shots etc. Hopefully 6 mths after that she/he can take her pet into the UK legally under the PETS scheme.

Yes that is just what I meant. You just put it much better!

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

It is a tough one, and quarantine is very expensive too, our dog had her blood taken end of July and can travel Jan 28th, we are in a rabies free country so she is doing her "quarantine" here before we get the okay to fly her home.
We may end up returning to the UK in time for Christmas which means she will go into quarantine then until end of Jan, but at least that is not the whole 6 months........

Good luck with your plans, whatever you end up doing. :fingerscrossed:

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I just wanted to say, I hope you get a lot of good karma :)
You clearly are going the extra mile for your pooch and you deserve big time karma back. We're currently undergoing quarantine with 10 of the baskervilles, and it breaks my heart to know that when we leave here (Canada), we will have a 13 year old german shepherd who is blind, deaf and has dysplastic issues, (which are absolutely allowed at her age) but is currently otherwise happy, and a joy to us put to sleep.
I for one truly appreciate your sentiments and will try and send karma to you. My heartfelt admiration :thumbsup:

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Oh no...can't you find anyone to look after her? :(

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Unfortunately no :(. The problem is that from a pup she has always been 'my dog'. She will not even do most things for my husband.
She recently had a tooth abscess, and the vet suggested putting her to sleep then, not just because of the abscess, but the myriad of health problems she also has, coupled with the fact that he knows we are returning home with all the other dogs, having had the blood titre levels all done and dusted now. I'm not even sure if she would be allowed to fly.
I wouldn't want to risk leaving her with somebody that would not look after her properly, but it is a horrible position to be in, knowing that all the other critters are going home, and she will not be :(

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

. My heartfelt admiration :thumbsup

Thanks - my heart goes out to you too not an easy choice to make, but one made with love I am sure.

I do find it sort of sad really - our little chap has his rablies jab every year and lots of other Indian jabs and the usual dog jabs but still he would have his 6 months in quarantine. He would not cope I am sure as he looked after and old man for years and does not like being on his own.

I am sure we will find - A LEGAL - way to do the whole thing

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

It's a very difficult situation to be in! I also read that the 6 month quarantine is very hard on dogs. I couldn't put my dogs through 6 months and you're absolutely right in trying to find alternatives!

We are in Egypt and want to move to New Zealand. We can't take our dogs directly from Egypt as it isn't on their list or rabies controlled countries so we decided if we get the ok to move to NZ we will go to the United States for 6 months. New Zealand biosecurity requires the dogs to be in a rabies controlled country for 6 months prior to entering NZ, and then they hopefully only stay in quarantine for a month.

I remember when my sister considered moving to the UK she was considering France I think for her dogs. I remember her saying they'd have to stay there 3 months, but maybe I'm mistaken and it's 6 months. Most countries have websites on their importation rules. I emailed NZ biosecurity and got the info I needed, perhaps you could do that and hopefully find a solution to your problem.

I wish you the best of luck with your dog! :fingerscrossed:

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

How will you be able to stay in the US for 6 months?

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I spent a day at London Heathrows animal unit quarantine to research for an article I was writing.

The guy that worked there told me that there were quite a few people that were prepared to smuggle animals into the country as to avoid putting their pet through quarantine. Shocking what people would do for their animal.

At least the OP is only asking for other legal ways around quarantine which is fair enough.:thumbup:

Its the ones that are prepared to smuggle their pets into a country that get my goat - hell even I dont love my pets that much.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

The point that seems to be being missed here is that quarantine rules are on place for a reason. To protect the country, population and other animals from diseases that are not there. Trying to circumvent a protection system, legally or otherwise is foolhardy and irresponsible.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

If you take a look at the EU website it lets you know the situation with EU countries and their animal transportation system.

This is the website http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/live...m_third_en.htm

From my understanding as you are coming from india, you will have to do the following to get your dog into the EU (not UK though without the 6 months quarantine):
1) Have the dog microchipped
2) Rabies Vaccination, then wait for 30 days, then
3) Blood sample taken by an official veterinarian at least 30 days after vaccination and 3 months before traveling
4) Blood test result from an EU-approved laboratory - must show the rabies antibody titre was equal to or more than 0.5IU/ml. 5) These results need to be accompanied by a health certificate issued by an official veterinarian certifying compliance with the above requirements and counter signed by your accredited vet.

Then go and take your dog and have a long holiday in another EU country until you are allowed into the UK, you will need to check with Defra if your 6 months starts when the blood test result shows negative or once you land in the EU.

We took our dog on long holidays to Spain in 2005 and 2008, nice place to stay for 6 months and easy enough to get a rental with a dog too.

Anyway, good luck with it all.:fingerscrossed:

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

You poor thing I can't imagine having to put my little pooch into 6 months quarantine...

but..... ours did the 1 month when we went to australia and as much I hated it and missed him, he found it a breeze and was fine and well looked after and was still our little woofie when we collected him.

Maybe you could call a few of the UK quarantine places and have a chat then maybe you will feel a bit better about it?

good luck whatever you decide

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Thats the way i should have put it, not being rude am taking 3 dogs to the other side of the world myself

Neil

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Thanks to those who have given some interesting leads/thoughts. I have a number of avenues to pursue. A little woof of thanks from the wee boy too - who is trying to get on the lap top as I am typing! :blink:

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

:) please give him a tummy tickle and ear rub from me :wub: Good luck!

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Aww bless her. Poor you...it's not an easy decision to make...I'm glad I don't have to make it.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I don't get why you are so upset at this personally.

If she goes about entering the UK with her pet in another way to avoid quarrantine who cares as long as all the requirements are met? :confused:

It would be a different scenario if she didn't vaccinate, get the necessary blood work etc.

Methinks someone may be trolling... :thumbdown:

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I'd like to point out the OP wasn't trying to find ways of avoiding the quarantine regulations to take her pets into the UK. She was trying to find a way which would allow her pets to qualify under the PETS system so she could legally take them to the UK.

I think most...if not all of us...realise why the UK has such strict regulations and agree with the government's stance in trying to keep the UK a rabies free country.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

please give him a tummy tickle and ear rub from me :wub: Good luck!

Done and very much enjoyed!

All I want is to be apart from my wee dog for as short a time as possible, He has never been on his own as always had extended family around him 24 / 7, and return to the UK legally. With all of us vaguely sane.:rofl:

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

The point that you are missing is that rabies is the sole issue here, and, to be fair, I do not think people are trying to circumvent the system. UK law regarding rabies and quarantine is quite clear. That is, if an animal can be proven to be rabies free for a period of six months in a designated "safe" country before entering the UK, then it can enter the UK without going into quarantine.

The procedure, vaccinations, tests, and paperwork involved in this process would make a civil servant blush. Nevertheless, it is a thorough process that requires a series of tests and examinations (and money) by qualified people (vets, lab. personnel, and government officals) to make sure that a rabied animal does not enter the UK.

The fact that people are enquiring about this process on this site shows that they have some sense of responsibilty and are considering the law.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/...uroinfoe.shtml

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Before I get flamed for voicing my opinion about this let's make it quite clear that my dog is is coming back to the UK at the tender age of 11 has had a pet passport since he was a puppy and is well and truely current with his rabies vacinations.

There are a couple of issues:

Quarantine to prevent rabies in the UK is a joke, only perpetuated by the business interests of quarantine kennels. We are only 20 or so miles from France and rabid bats that have flown from France have been found in the UK. So no way is the UK completely rabies free.

Why is the PETS scheme not more extensive. Surely it shouldn't matter where your pets has been vacinated as long as it is properly done and recorded. I would argue that you are more likely to get a crooked vacination record from a country where money talks, like the USA. I bet Heathrows is pretty clean since it must be a bit of a showcase. Cost is also a big issue.

People smuggle their pets in because in many case the conditions in quarantine kennels is disgusting. Often a death sentence for the pet. Any policing of quality standards is a joke. I bet Heathrow is spotless since it is a bit of a showcase. And we mustn't forget the cost aspect.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

The idea that quarantine prevents a rabies epidemic is a bit of a joke. As far as I have read, in all the years that quarantine was required, not one dog in quarantine developed rabies during their quarantine period (though many of them died) - however, something like a dozen humans who entered the UK during the same period brought in rabies ...

... and to echo what others have said, the OP isn't seeking to cirumvent the law, she is trying to find a way to avoid her pet having to go through quarantine. Not the same thing. The PETs scheme is one way to "avoid quarantine", so obviously "avoiding quarantine" isn't necessarily a sign of nefarious intent.

BTW, the pet foster scheme in France (that I referred to in a previous post) is described here: http://freespace.virgin.net/passport...rfamilies.html

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

There's always cryogenics :)

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Foster parents for pets -Thanks this is just the sort of thing that I was looking for. I certainly do not want to break law - but given that our dog is having his rabies jabs every year I do find it a bit odd that we have to go through all this just because we live in India.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I personally do believe quarantine works and has kept the UK rabies free. Last year a puppy rescued from Sri Lanka developed rabies in quarantine at Goddard Veterinary Group quarantine kennels. Apparantly it had its rabies jabs. There were several dogs that were street dogs and were rescued and brought into the UK. One of the pups tested positive for rabies.

I know quarantine is hard on the animal and emotional for the owner, but I think anything is better than rabies because once that occurs in the UK, they will not know what has hit them. Foot and Mouth was hard enough to deal with, rabies would be even harder.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7368808.stm

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I had heard about that recent case, which is why I deliberately worded my post the way I did (I was referring to the period before the PETs system, when quarantine was required for all). One of the key statistics that was used to argue against the quarantine system was that not a single one of the thousands of quarantined dogs developed rabies - and the whole point of quarantine was the assumption that some dogs brought into the UK would have rabies, and the 6-month quarantine would allow the disease to develop and those dogs to be identified (and euthanized). It used to be on the page I just posted, but it's no longer in there.

I lived in the US for many years. I never once felt in danger of rabies, even though wild animals have the disease.

There are other far more relevant health risks in the UK that we don't have Draconian rules and regulations about. Let's ban smoking altogether, for example ... and ration alcohol ... and build cars that can't exceed the speed limit.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Quite a few have. Google it.

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It is wlll known on the dog forums, that dogs coming into the uk on pet passports, bring other diseses into the uk. The uk government were warned that the pet passport scheme was too lenient, but they did their usual head in the sand.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

We are finding rabies in quarantine kennels now. However, if what you say above is true, that means that the numbers of rabies cases in dogs entering the UK, are rising.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

I googled and found this, regarding the 2008 case: http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpr/archives/2008/news1808.htm

Extract: "The UK has been free of indigenous classical rabies for over a century. Since 1922, 29 cases of rabies have been reported within quarantine in the UK, the most recent in 1990." This was the only authoritative site I found with this kind of statement (though I haven't spent all day looking).

- this conflicts with the statement previously carried on the Passports for Pets site (http://freespace.virgin.net/passports.forpets/) that I can no longer find (this was several years ago, during the run-up to introduction of the PETs scheme). During my Google search, I found several statements of no rabies cases during quarantine, but none of these was from an authoritative source.

Re: ways to avoid quarantine
 

Do you work in a quarantine kennel? Or is that the Royal "We"? :rofl: