I need some urgent advice - importing cats from Poland to UK

[listsandbudgets]

I've posted this on the pets board but posting here for traffic - I hope that's OK.

I've never taken my cat further than the vet so all of this is a mystery to me so all help appreciated. I've looked at the government websites and come away feeling lost and confused.

In short we have a Ukrainian refugee family staying with us who have been here 4 months. They had planned to bring their cat to the UK with them but she had kittens while they were waiting for the visa so had to stay in Poland with them.

One of them has now gone to collect the cat and one of her kittens but it's not clear what she needs to do next. They have pet passports. Can she bring them here on their "passports" or does she have to notify the authorities and have them put in quarantine. Please help, I'm really confused about all of this.

I'm thinking that because she's bringing them after a long spell in Poland rather than immediately from Ukraine and they've had a rabies vaccine, it may be OK and they won't need a licence to enter UK. Would the passports even be issued otherwise?

Unfortunately she suddenly decided to book flights and go before we'd managed to clarify all of this. Her teenage son is desperately missing his cats and I promise it's heart breaking. He absolutely loves animals and vice versa and he's lost nearly everything else he had except his mum and gran - she just wants to make him happy but has gone about it in a haphazard way [Sad]

I agree that it is a confusing nightmare to try and figure out how to do it. It is so complicated. The UK gov appears to provide this information. You have probably seen this already.

"If you are from Ukraine and are seeking refuge in the UK, you can bring your pet dog, cat or ferret without it going into quarantine or isolation if it has:

• been microchipped;

• been vaccinated against rabies and had a blood test 30 days later to confirm the vaccine worked, and waited 3 months after the blood test to travel to the UK

• a GB pet health certificate;

• had tapeworm treatment (dogs only) between 24 hours (one day) and 120 hours (5 days) before travel;

If your pet does not have a GB pet health certificate but does have an EU pet passport, call the Animal and Plant Health Agency on +44 3000 200 301 for advice.

You will need a licence to bring your pet to the UK if your pet:

• does not meet all these requirements

• meets these requirements, but you do not have proof that it does

You can get a single licence covering up to 5 of your own pets that are travelling with you."

I would telephone this organisation and ask questions. The very best of luck. I think the fact that the mother cat is transiting via Poland and the kitten was born in Poland might not alter the instructions provided. A phone call might sort this out.

God what an absolute faff. Just don't do it.

@ChagSameachDoreen Too late for that she seems to have collected her cats and moved them to Belguim.. sigh.

Off to phone animal people