Dog passports

[springtulip]

Aibu to think it's a bit daft to all of a sudden have to have a passport showing proof of a rabies jab for your dog to travel between the UK and Ireland. There ISNT any rabies in either country. Is there any point at all.

minsmum yes they've definitely tightened up, but even they can't explain why.

Spring you sound tightly wound up and hard work.

Not at all lady why am i wound up because i question something that doesn't make sense, and then i respond to a poster who was deliberately avoiding my aibu and being pedantic. THAT is someone who is hard work. Im perfectly chilled thanks, how are you?

But you came on a thread practically done with just to say that?

What bit about Ireland being part of the EU Pet Travel Scheme is so difficult to grasp though? As someone else mentioned, the checks between the UK and Ireland probably will have tightened up further to prevent it being a gateway to bring in pets without all the right documentation and vaccinations in place. It’s not so much the case of extremely low risk of rabies in Ireland itself but a further safeguarding measure that no undocumented dogs for example are brought in via Ireland to the UK. Hence there is a definite need!

But it isn't ALL OF A SUDDEN because it's been the case for years, it's been the case for at least 5 years, it's just that you haven't been asked. Stena line have had it in place for years.

You've been told why it's tightened up, because of brexit. The boarder controls are getting tighter. Why are you ignoring what at least two people have told you that.

It's part of a much wider issue, the boarder between Ireland and the uk.

It isn't the governments' (both British and EU) fault that ferry companies haven't been abiding by the law.

There's not been one satisfactory answer to my aibu. If people can't see the absurdity of dogs needing to be inoculated for rabies between two countries that don't have rabies then i've wasted my time. What on earth is so hard to understand. It amazes me how accepting of pointless rules people are. No there is no "definite need", even vets and ferry staff agree. There is NO rabies in either country. I hate blind acceptance of rules that don't make sense.

Naught how hard is it to understand that when i say "all of a sudden* i mean it is only now that ports are starting to ask. I really don't believe you that you've been showing a passport for 5 years, you must be the only person in the Uk or Ireland that was.

Anyway i'm leaving this thread, i asked if iwbu and it appears i wasn't.

It appears you were.

The regulations about pet passports have been in place for years

The rabies record is just part of getting a pet passport

Needing a pet passport is part of taking ths animal out of the country doesnt matter where your going.

Yes you are being unreasonable

Yes your pet needs a pet passport

Well as cee cee said stena line have been asking for years

I dont believe you haveny veen asked

But you have had a satisfactory answer. People are increasingly importing ‘rescue’ (street dogs which have been exposed to god knows what) from Europe to England. Damn right going to Ireland needs a rabies shot.

Okay, so rabies isn't extinct. Just because there aren't any reposted cases of it in UK & Ireland at the moment does not guarantee that every animal definitely doesn't haven't it. If, on the off chance, your pet was bitten by a creature with rabies and then went into Ireland and bit another animal... well you can see how it will go.

Basically it's precautionary. And they have gotten more strict due to all the reasons outlined in this thread.

I really done understand why you are getting so irate...

Because prevention is better than cure?

Because a dog from the UK could have come from anywhere before that?

Because it’s less confusing for everyone to have rules that are consistent than one rule for each different country animals might travel between?

It’s one vaccination. Not much of an imposition surely?

@springtulip measles was practically wiped out in the UK due to a very good vaccination programme, then lots of people decided they no longer needed to vaccinate as measles was no longer a problem. We are starting to experience a resurgence in cases of measles with very serious consequences for some of the victims.

Herd immunity needs the herd to be vaccinated to continue the immunity; if we stop vaccinating for rabies then it only takes one Turkish/Romanian/Bulgarian/Greek rescue dog coming in with the disease to start an epidemic. Still think it's a pointless regulation to vaccinate against something that no longer exists?

Pet passports were first advocated by the Monster Raving Loony Party and are a very sensible idea.

They might be required but they never ask for one.

They might be required but they never ask for one.*

This has always been the case altjough its not quite never; its rarely asked but OP wont have that she'd rather argue and go its all of a sudden

The rabies vaccine is a preventative, it takes time to work, and by the time there's an outbreak its too late.

All UK dogs should have a passport and be vaccinated IMO, at least the working dogs. Imagine the scenario if Police and RSPCA had to seize and destroy Guide Dogs in an outbreak area...

I'm a vet
Been issuing passports for travel to Ireland since scheme started iirc.
People are often surprised they are a requirement.
Ireland is in the EU so thems the rules. Presumably no special case made for Ireland on some governmental cost/benefit, no one thought about it or could be bothered basis?
I can see how they would be overlooked presumably dt UK/Irish history.
No idea why more of a business is being made now - nothing on the grapevine.

Well it's certainly all of a sudden that it's being asked for, it may have been on the books but I certainly have never been asked for it despite rptravelling thehre frequently

Isadora as i said it may be that youve never been asked but thats to do with the tightening up of boarders i and other people i know have been asked, not every time but on occassions why is it hard to accept for you and the op touve got lucky.

Thank you catdoctor by special case i meant because of the uk urish history. I was always told by my vet i woukd need one but apparently op doesnt believe me.

I don't know why you are all arguing.

We have a responsibility as dog owners to keep our pets vaccinated, wormed, defleaed and healthy, and to help prevent the spread of disease.

There ISNT any rabies in either country. Yes, and lets keep it that way.

You do not need a passport when entering NI from mainland Britain but you should have one when entering the Republic as it is not part of Britain. They have been lax in past years but they started to do spot checks due to puppy farming and other animals coming in from the continent from the other side which carry other diseases. The Republic is also used as a stepping stone for tourists coming into Britain and bring pets etc. This has been going on for years. If your pet were to become ill then you would need to provide documentation to the vet as well

We've always had to show our dogs passport on the return to the uk via eurotunnel and ferry. Never been asked to show it leaving the uk, I know the uk is stricter than other European countries, which is why rabies cases are low / non existent (dont know figures) in the uk.

Perhaps these countries are rabies free BECAUSE of their vaccination rules ( and it def isn’t all of a sudden)