Defra have announced changes to the pet passport scheme effective from Jan 2012  here

:) :) :)

How exciting :) :)

Brilliant isn't it, and not only can we now (after January 1st) import 15 week old puppies, it also makes it easier and cheaper for people travelling abroad with their dogs as you don't need the tick treatment 24 - 48 hours beforehand and they're considering dropping the tapeworm bit too - so you wouldn't have to visit a foreign vet at all :-)

I can now start looking at planned litters of silkens on the continent with a view to bringing a boy in next year, I was put off before by the idea of trying to integrate a 9 month old into my pack.

I know...Im so delighted.

Ive placed several dogs overseas now with a view to having progeny from them at a later date. How much easier for us and the dogs will this be :-)

Great news.

Have to sit down and re-think ALL my future breeding plans now, because now I could import another cat and I could so much easier go abroad to mate a bitch ....... :)

> Have to sit down and re-think ALL my future breeding plans now, because now I could import another cat and I could so much easier go abroad to mate a bitch

:-) :-) :-)

Happy Bunnies :-)

This is going to be such good news for minority breeds and gene pools in general.

Fantastic news, if a bit late for me!!!

> Happy Bunnies

Not in here when I get another sighthound...lol

Ooooh...this makes the possibities for my next pup much more interesting!

Woo Hoo. Perfect!!!

Yay!  If I ever decide to return from Oz (not that that's going to happen) it makes things soooooooooo much easier! :)

I have to say I am guilty of looking at dogs I could import. *blush*

I am not happy!!!!

If you are already going through the PP can you now bring the dog in on January 1st as the dog will have already had everything done to it but maybe can come in a couple of weeks earlier?

Also if you were thinking of maybe contacting people when can a dog theoretically come in?  If you have the vaccination 21 before the 1st January could you theoretically bring it in on the 1st or would you have to wait until the 22nd?

> If you have the vaccination 21 before the 1st January could you theoretically bring it in on the 1st or would you have to wait until the 22nd?

Looks to me like it would be the 22nd, but you could always ask DEFRA.

Yes Jeff, friend has just imported a 10 month male pup costing all told £4000 to get him here, and the majority of that was import paperwork, Heathrow charges and Cargo, and 8 months boarding.

I am not happy!!!!

Sorry why aren't you happy? Just to query a few days?  I wish it had been in sooner as my dog wouldn't have had to wait in USA for 6 months then because vet didn't do the titre although it was requested he had to spend another 6 months in France!  I wasn't very happy about that!

>> If you have the vaccination 21 before the 1st January could you theoretically bring it in on the 1st or would you have to wait until the 22nd?
> Looks to me like it would be the 22nd, but you could always ask DEFRA.

I already have. As long as the dog has done its 21 days after vaccination it can come in from 1/1/12.

Not long ago I asked for advice on doing an import as I was aware this was hopefully on the horizon so I'm very pleased and can now start making some definite arrangements! :-)

Sorry why aren't you happy? Just to query a few days?  I wish it had been in sooner as my dog wouldn't have had to wait in USA for 6 months then because vet didn't do the titre although it was requested he had to spend another 6 months in France!  I wasn't very happy about that! .Agility is fun .

Umm maybe because if I'd waited a few months later wouldn't have such a high cost for a dog as it won't have to be kept for an extra 7 months!  :) 

THough we were told this was happening a couple of years ago and they didn't so unfortunately many of us decided to import now thinking that they would backtrack yet again.

Blimey!   I hadn't even seen that it was out on the public website today! 

Barbara is going to think I'm mad, as I sent all the information from work today!

Durrr!  Note to self!   Check CD first!

***Bump***

Useful info for those who havent seen yet.

Forgive me if I am being silly but .....I have posted on here recently that I am getting a passport soon for by bully as we are moving to the USA to live .......if I get the passport now does that mean I will have to abide by the old rules for coming back ( hope not to come back otherwise I have failed at my new job !) but what about quarantine if I have the old passport ? I am due to get his rabies jab next week? And follow up blood tests etc...we are not due to leave until towards the end of the year but wanted to get the passport so that it's one less thing for me to think about ......I am right in thinking that it lasts for 12month aren't I ?

I can symapthise with perregoda, I have a bitch puppy sat in France at the moment that I cant have back here until January although she has all the required vaccines and blood tests, I get to see her next week at the World Show, it would be so much easier if I could just pop her in the car with her dad and not worry about her out in France ( albeight it with a lovely family).

Ooooh...

I have had a fun evening window shopping for breeds I could consider (Berger de Picard anyone!)... mmm (lets gloss over that a/ I am having another deerhound next and b/ I can't have owt until I am well again. Grr, lalala!)

Only heard the great news today and i was going to ask the same question to Defra tomorrow as my White Swiss Shepherd pups were due blood tests this week for travelling in January 2012 from Spain to the UK to their new owners under current petpassport regulations.  Was wondering if now i do not have the blood tests done whether they would need re vaccination of rabies on 1st Jan with a 21 day wait or whether their 7th June 2011 vaccination would suffice so they can travel by 1st January.   

I can symapthise with perregoda, I have a bitch puppy sat in France at the moment that I cant have back here until January although she has all the required vaccines and blood tests, I get to see her next week at the World Show, it would be so much easier if I could just pop her in the car with her dad and not worry about her out in France ( albeight it with a lovely family).

I can't sympathise for moaning that it's getting better - I've had as said earlier a dog sat in USA for over 6 months and then sat in France for 6 months who I've just got into UK and I'm not moaning!

The vacinnations are ok for 12 months why would they need new ones???  Just have the vaccinations, don't bother with the now unnecessary titre test and check if they need tapeworm... otherwise, good to go from 1st Jan!

Forgive me if I am being silly but .....I have posted on here recently that I am getting a passport soon for by bully as we are moving to the USA to live .......if I get the passport now does that mean I will have to abide by the old rules for coming back ( hope not to come back otherwise I have failed at my new job !) but what about quarantine if I have the old passport ? I am due to get his rabies jab next week? And follow up blood tests etc...we are not due to leave until towards the end of the year but wanted to get the passport so that it's one less thing for me to think about ......I am right in thinking that it lasts for 12month aren't I ?


Do I understand this right, you think that if you get a passport now that you have to still have the titre test and wait six months before returning?  Just because you have a passport with old style info on it?  No!  New rules mean you don't need the titre test and flea treatment from 1st Jan, you need a valid rabies jab and an initial time - you may need tapeworming to return home. You'll need to check for any changes to the rules whilst you're in USA but the rules change on 1st Jan, it doesn't matter that you've a dog passport from July 11

So much for the new rules saving money............ In the past few days hubby and I have discussed it all and have come up with showing in Sweden next summer, importing a breeding cat from France or maybe Holland, and maybe taking a bitch abroad to mate. Time to rob a bank LOL!!!

> Time to rob a bank LOL!!!

I know that feeling. And people think I breed for the money!

The new rules won't make a huge difference cost wise to taking a bitch abroad to mate, just saving the cost of the titre test and tick treatment. But it will be much quicker. No need to plan 7 months in advance.

So much for the new rules saving money............ In the past few days hubby and I have discussed it all and have come up with showing in Sweden next summer, importing a breeding cat from France or maybe Holland, and maybe taking a bitch abroad to mate. Time to rob a bank LOL!!!

Know the feeling - I've just been thinking of the shelties I should book, to buy and to mate! However, eclipsing that I've just ordered my first dog from Europe, a border collie, mating is next week, so pup should be ready to travel by January 2012... so that's me a weekend in 4/5 months time and then another in January to hopefully pick up a pup.. and that's me just starting!  OMG!

Does anyone know how/if this change affects the rules on importing semen? I will ring Defra later but just wondered if anyone had already found out.

Certainly that aspect would really interest me regarding importing fresh chilled semen, as at present with all the red tape and the requirement that the donor fulfils UK Pet Passport criteria makes it a bit of a non starter if the stud dog owner isn't even ever likely to travel here.  On the other hand making sure a chipped dog has his Rabies booster up to date is pretty easy.

Did you find out lilyowen, I'm just about to import semen for the first time and have been on DEFRA site but can't find the import permit. Does anyone know?