Returning to the UK with dogs

[juniperberry]

Are there any alternatives to quarantine? We are moving from South Africa to the UK soon and I would hate to lock the poor dear up for 6 months. He's microchipped and vaccinated against rabies so I can't even see why quarantine is still necessary.

Have posted this in pets too.

[IAteRosemaryConleyForBreakfast]

Contact the local Animal Health department wherever you are moving to. They will be able to advise. Since he is vaccinated against rabies they may allow you to bring him in 6 months following a blood test to show he's responded, but otherwise it will be quarantine.

[bethoo]

do they do the pet passport scheme in Africa?

[wannaBe]

no. South Africa is not covered by the pet passport scheme so he will have to go into quarantine if you bring him back with you.

But speaking as someone whose parents brought two dogs back from South Africa...

Don't do it.

Honestly it's horrible. The one dog had such a severe heart condition by the time he left kennels that he only lived for a further 8 months, plus he lost a huge amount of weight due to the stress, and the other one came out in all these undiagnosed lumps.

Plus it's horrible horrible horrible having to visit them and then leave them there wagging their tails waiting for you to take them with you.

The other dog lived for a further 8 years so obviously for her it was worth it, but I can honestly say that if I had to make the decision again, and even if I could have turned back the clock I would never do it again. ever.

[ilovemydog]

There are some very nice quarantine kennels, I have to add, if that's any use?

[wannaBe]

my dogs were quarantined

here

the kennels were lovely, far, far bigger than the national maximum, the staff were lovely, even the view was lovely .

doesn't change my views on quarantining again though sadly.

[juniperberry]

Thanks for the advice. It so breaks my heart to even think about putting him into quarantine but he's such an important part of our family I would hate to be without him. I did hear a rumour that UK were relaxing the laws but can't find any info to substanciate that.

[mankymummy]

my friend runs a company specialising in this... i'm sure she will be happy to advise FOC what the current situation is. her website is www.goldenwaypets.com

[juniperberry]

Thanks wannaBe! I'm sure the view will make up for the rain and cold..... He's currently used to jo'burg sunshine 365 days per year. If he could talk I think he's rather stay here!

[juniperberry]

cheers mankymum! looks positive. I think I'd rather pay for him to live in France rather than England as I'm so anti the whole quarantine thing. Surely a rabies vaccine and blood test is the same no matter what country its taken in.

[mankymummy]

not sure, ring Colette she will know everything.

she has quarantine kennels there too and I know she is dog mad and all her dogs are really, really well treated.

[wannaBe]

iirc it's to do with the prevalence of rabies. Plus even with vaccination a dog can still carry the virus if its come into contact with a rabid animal (which is more likely in Africa than europe for eg).

Very recently there was a case in this country where a kennel hand was bitten by a puppy which had shown to have rabies while in quarantine from south Africa, which proves that the steps have good reason.

You also need to think about the cost - it cost my parents £2000 to put their two dogs into quarantine, and that was 15 years ago. In rands that is a huuuuuge amount of money.

[wannaBe]

iirc it's to do with the prevalence of rabies. Plus even with vaccination a dog can still carry the virus if its come into contact with a rabid animal (which is more likely in Africa than europe for eg).

Very recently there was a case in this country where a kennel hand was bitten by a puppy which had shown to have rabies while in quarantine from south Africa, which proves that the steps have good reason.

You also need to think about the cost - it cost my parents £2000 to put their two dogs into quarantine, and that was 15 years ago. In rands that is a huuuuuge amount of money.

[juniperberry]

Wannabe, ment to say how sorry I was to hear about your dogs. It must have be devastating for your parents. Hopefully DH's company will pay costs