Illegal Imports...

An article from Dog World Newspaper - 30.1.14

Sharp rise in number of illegally imported dogs Created: 30/01/2014

THERE has been a steep rise is in the number of dogs – mainly puppies – being brought into the UK illegally since pet passport travel rules were relaxed.

In 2011 before the regulations changed – when the period after rabies vaccination was reduced from six months to 21 days –96 dogs were stopped coming through ports. Last year that number more than tripled to 376 – and those are the ones caught. It is known that checks are not always made thoroughly, and that some ports are allegedly unmanned at weekends and at night.

Many of the animals are often trafficked via the black market and travel under fake passports, but sometimes this is not discovered until they are taken to the vet or paperwork is checked. Innocent purchasers buy their puppy online in good faith more cheaply than they would be from a UK breeder – and if health problems occur it is often vets who break the news that the dog may be seriously ill, not properly inoculated against rabies, younger than it was believed to be and with faulty and forged paperwork.

The result is often that the puppy dies from its health problem or it has to go into quarantine; those who brought the dogs in have long gone.

There is a thriving trade particularly in small, fashionable breeds such as French Bulldogs and Pugs.

The greater movement in animals – particularly from Eastern Europe – is a great source of worry for veterinary staff and quarantine kennel owners who believe there is now a real threat of rabies and other exotic diseases being introduced to the UK. Paula Boyden, veterinary director of Dogs Trust, said she was concerned that figure for the number of dogs travelling illegally was ‘the tip of the iceberg’.

"Time and again we are facing challenges due to dogs coming in with illegal paperwork and potentially bringing diseases into the country,” she said.

‘Front line’ veterinary staff believe now believe they should be inoculated against rabies, and have approached the Government for guidance. The profession has been told that employers should assess the rabies risk to their staff and determine if vaccination ‘is an appropriate response’.

Fears were raised at recent meeting of the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare and the Dog Advisory Council, and vets have written in professional journals that they are being presented with puppies without the necessary travel papers or inoculations.

In November, public health chiefs were asked by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association to stage a new risk assessment as the current on is based on every animal using the travel scheme and fulfilling its demands, which is known not to be the case. So far this has not happened, and DEFRA continues to insist that the threat of rabies is extremely low.

A spokesman for the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) told DOG WORLD: "The UK operates a robust checking regime to make sure that pets entering the UK do not pose a risk to animal and human health.

"Ferry, rail and air operators are approved to carry pets on the basis that they check every pet they transport for compliance with the rules of the EU pet travel scheme. AHVLA has an oversight and auditing role. We also conduct additional spot checks at point of entry into the UK to make sure the rules are being followed.

"AHVLA takes breaches of the rules very seriously and penalties apply to those who do not comply. Trading Standards will investigate and take appropriate action, including prosecution as necessary.

"We carry out the same stringent checks on dogs coming in to the country as ever. The increase in attempts to bring dogs into the country illegally is being driven by the high demand for cheap puppies.


"We would urge anyone looking to buy a puppy to ensure it comes from a reputable supplier and ask to see the puppy interact with its mother.”

Horrible, isn't it? Some people will do anything for money.

I saw something like this on the BBC the other morning they were interviewing a gitl from Essex who had bought a cheap puppy from Eastern Europe somewhere which had died and the claims on the passport were false.

I felt so sorry for her her puppy died after only a few weeks - but - if it was not for airheads like her then there would not be a market for these puppies, you dont get anything for nothing these days, some people seem to think that you do

  

Another huge reason I would refuse to buy from sites such as Gumtree and Pets4Homes.

The huuuuge problem with the illegal imports is rabies - or at least the possibility of it. Plus, of course, any transmissible diseases from abroad.

The health of these pups comes way down the list of priorities.

Sadly, you're right. The UK is an over 99.9% rabies-free country and should remain that way, but that >0.1% is down to the people who illegally import dogs without the correct vaccines.