Brexit: pet owners urged to consult a veterinarian before their trip

Pet owners have been asked to prepare for the impact of Brexit on EU walk-in visits with their animals.

The Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said that pet owners who plan to travel after Brexit should now talk to their vets.

What does this mean for pet owners traveling between NI and the Republic?

There is currently no control of pets traveling between NI and the Republic because rabies is not present on the island, but pets should have a passport.

What are the current rules?

If you want to bring your pet into the European Union by the time it needs to be equipped with a microchip, you need a pet passport that says an updated rabies vaccine and a waiting period of three weeks before you can travel.

Northern and southern authorities have adopted a "pragmatic risk-based approach" for cross-border domestic animal travel, according to Simon Doherty of the British Veterinary Association.

The island of Ireland has not experienced an outbreak of rabies and the risk is considered very low.

However, in a Brexit without agreement, British pets would be treated the same way as those coming from an "unlisted country" in the EU.

This means that they must be provided with an electronic chip, get vaccinated against rabies, submit to a blood test to verify the effectiveness of the vaccination. This analysis should be done three months before the animal's trip.

It is only then that a veterinary health certificate can be signed by a veterinarian to allow movement of animals – and that this certificate has only a lifespan 10 days.

In the long term, the United Kingdom may be eligible for registration in the European system, which would make the process a little less expensive.

Practical advice

In the event of a Brexit without agreement, all pets will be subject to an anti-rabies vaccination followed by a blood test at least 30 days afterwards in order to demonstrate the presence of a sufficient level of anti-rabies antibodies.

The blood test should be performed at least 30 days after the first anti-rabies vaccination and at least three months before the date of travel.

Chief of Veterinary Services UK, Christine Middlemiss, said that they issued "simple and practical advice" in "the unlikely event of a situation of non-agreement".

"I urge all pet owners who wish to travel immediately after March 29, 2019 to consult their veterinarian as soon as they can," she said.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) reiterated Westminster's guidelines.

"It's a matter of planning ahead to make sure their pet has the proper, documented and in place health protection for all possible scenarios," said one door. Floor-.

"DAERA has recently contacted veterinarians in Northern Ireland to highlight this problem."