Took my dogs to the vet yesterday for their annual jags and had to get the rabies renewed - said I'd originally had them done with the intention of getting their bloods approved so as if we had to go back to the UK in a hurry it would be possible. Then he surprised and delighted me with the announcement that from 1st January it's no longer necessary to jump through all those hoops and get the bloods done at the ministry, no more quarantine etc., etc.! Yay!
This could save me a bloody fortune in kennels, otoh what sort of a holiday is it when you take the muppetrons with you? 
www.defra.gov.uk/news/2011/06/30/new-rules-pet-passports/
(Always did find it a bit 
that my horse could travel through Calais this afternoon with no checks and yet my HOUSE PETS needed to wait 7 months... )