Fellow pet owners,

Read this on the DEFRA website. As of 1st January 2012, new rules apply to bringing your pets into the UK, Ireland and Sweden:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications...o-uk110706.pdf

Seems like pets coming from Switzerland (a non EU approved country under DEFRA's list) need not do the blood test any longer, which I know, the timing have caused alot of confusion for some.

A rabies vaccination 21 days prior to arrival and confirmation of the tapeworm and ticks treatment, a microchip and pet passport is now enough.

Thats how I've interpreted it - definitely much less hassle (but feel free to correct me otherwise, if you have official sources/confirmation from DEFRA). Anyone with additional information, also please feel free to add on.

Will definitely benefit alot of members on here who tend to travel to and fro the UK with their pets.

The tick treatment is being dropped altogether and the UK is still in discussions with the EU about the requirement for the tapeworm treatment, i.e. whether still to have it and if so, about changing the treatment window away from the constraining 24/48 hours

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pet...ners/#from1jan

I'm a bit peeved about requiring a rabies vaccination 21 days before. If you can show your dog is routinely kept current on rabies vaccination why over vaccinate? just dumb science imho.

That said... if for any reason I should decide to fall in love, marry a Brit, and move to the UK, at least now I won't have to wait 6 months for a titer.
well... not me... my dogs.... ugh... you know what I mean.

Have you got the wrong end of the stick? The 21 day wait is only after the first rabies jab after microchipping, not before every entry. Same as the rest of Europe. Then, providing the booster is given on time, there's no waiting period. If your dog is not chipped until after a rabies jab (which shouldn't happen any more these days anyway), then you need a rabies jab after chipping and then 21 day wait

So then when my dogs were jabbed and chipped to come to Switzerland and got their pet passports they don't have to wait to go to the UK? After 1/2012 they can just ride with me through the Chunnel and we're ok?

As long as they were chipped and then jabbed, not jabbed and then chipped, and your boosters are all on time, then that's the way I read it, yes. And it means if you miss a booster deadline, it's then only a 21 day wait instead of 7 months (with blood test)

I have to be honest the way it reads is confusing. We also had the debate with our dogs, as it states waiting 21 days before re entering...but does that definately cover existing jabs that are in date?

They had their rabies vacs in March 2011, never did the blood test as never planned to go back to the UK.

Now we are planning to go back, and the rules are changing...I emailed DEFRA to clarify and they sent me a cut and paste of what is on the website..... Gee thanks Defra!

the link at the top didn't work for me (I got an error message on the DEFRA website) but I fished around and found this one (appears to be the same): http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications...o-uk110706.pdf

Update:

Confirmed this yesterday with my dog's vet during his yearly vaccination:

The laws for bringing your dog into the UK is now similar to all other European countries with only the following addition (that is if he has already been jabbed against rabies and well within the 3 year period):

- 5 days before you leave for the UK, bring the dog into the vet for his tick/worm jab and certification from the vet on his/her Pet passport that it has been done.

Simples No more complicated blood work etc.

Regarding the tick/worm treatment, tick treatment is no longer mandatory, but worm treatment has to be done no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before arrival time to the UK.

From the DEFRA site:
Step 4 – Tapeworm treatment – (dogs only): before entering the UK, all pet dogs (including assistance dogs) must be treated for tapeworm. The treatment must be administered by a vet not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours (1-5 days) before its scheduled arrival time in the UK. There is no mandatory requirement for tick treatment. No treatment is required for dogs entering the UK from Finland, Ireland or Malta).
(http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pet.../pet-owners/#a)

Thanks, I am pretty sure I heard tick AND worm.

Tick treatment used to be mandatory before they brought in the new rules and had to be done at the same time as the worm treatment, between 24 and 48 hours before entry into the UK, thankfully it looks like they've got rid of that requirement.