Hi,
I am considering buying [and therefore] importing a puppy from a european country into the United Kingdom. How does the pet pet passport work in this situation? Especially with regards to the blood test and waiting time requirement? All info will be greatly received.
Thanks.

Which European country? The rules vary.

This list might help

If it's an EU country or some others included in the relaxed rules there is no longer a blood test.

The dog needs to have a Microchip followed by Rabies vaccination, after which it can enter UK after a waiting period of 21 days, the same for going from one country to another in the EU usign Pet Passports.

Most Rabies vaccines are licensed for use for puppies from 3 months, so the youngest a puppy can now enter the UK is 3 months plus 3 weeks.

It will need to be treated for tapeworm between 24 -120 hours before entering the UK, Ireland and a couple of other countries.

I know of 3 pups in my breed being brought over from Europe at 11 weeks!!  Supposedly the rabies vaccine can be given around 8 weeks, not sure if this is new too.

I would want to check if the vaccine is licensed for this young and if it is one of the vaccines acceptable.

> I know of 3 pups in my breed being brought over from Europe at 11 weeks!!  Supposedly the rabies vaccine can be given around 8 weeks, not sure if this is new too.

That's interesting! I wonder if that could be a loophole?
I would think that at 8 weeks the maternal antibodies might affect uptake of the vaccine, rendering it useless. However, as they don't really need to be protected against rabies once they get here, and the three weeks has been done to the letter, it would still be lawful. Of course, giving a puppy that young [what equates to] an unnecessary vaccine is another issue.

Unless as you say Brainless, there are vaccines licensed for use at 8 weeks.

I'm sure that Defra states it should be given at 3 months... 12 weeks is pushing it.. pups should come in at under 4 months but def not 11 weeks!  However, if it's licensed....

>Supposedly the rabies vaccine can be given around 8 weeks, not sure if this is new too.

It can be given at 8 weeks, but the manufacturers state that there needs to be a second dose at 12 weeks or 3 months

"Primary vaccination age*
 
3 months or older

* Primary vaccination may be administered at an earlier age (minimum in dogs and cats of 4 weeks of age), but then a repeat vaccination must be given at the age of 3 months.

and the 21 days wait starts from the date of the second vaccination. Importation at 11 weeks is illegal!

<I know of 3 pups in my breed being brought over from Europe at 11 weeks!!

   

Oh dear! 

I dont know the ins and outs of it and I'm not saying I agree with it but it is being done and legaly.  I think there is going to be a HUGE influx of puppies from Europe being brought in.  I do think the old rules were a bit strict but I think they may have went too much the other way now. 

There is no way it can be done legally at 11 weeks. It's either first rabies at 8 weeks and a second at 3 months and then 21 days wait, or one and only at 3 months and then wait 21 days. Same difference. It's quite possible some people manage to get away with one vacc at 8 weeks and 21 days wait after as the new rules are so new and may not be known enough and as we all know many checks have been very lax in the past, but that doesn't mean it is legal.

> It can be given at 8 weeks, but the [url=undefined]manufacturers state that there needs to be a second dose at 12 weeks or 3 months[/url]

There's your loophole.
As long as the puppy is going to stay within the UK [no further vacc needed], then that's how it's being done. We have no legal requirement for animals to be rabies vacc'd if resident here.

> It's quite possible some people manage to get away with one vacc at 8 weeks and 21 days wait after as the new rules are so new and may not be known enough and as we all know many checks have been very lax in the past, but that doesn't mean it is legal.

Legal enough - I assume the rules state 21 days after vaccination, with no minimum age listed. Unless DEFRA add some age limitations, then they are doing nothing wrong.

There's your loophole.
As long as the puppy is going to stay within the UK [no further vacc needed], then that's how it's being done. We have no legal requirement for animals to be rabies vacc'd if resident here.

No. DEFRA clearly states that IF the manufacturers state a second vaccination is required, then the pets passport does NOT become valid until 21 days after the SECOND injection. Hence it cannot travel to the UK with just one.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/pet-owners/vaccination/
From 1 January 2012, there is a wait of 21 days from the date of the first rabies vaccination before a pet can enter or re-enter the UK if you are travelling from an EU or a listed non-EU country. If the vaccine manufacturer's data sheet requires more than one vaccination to complete the primary course of vaccinations, the 21 day wait applies from the date of the final vaccination of that course. Ask your vet for advice.

And these are the data sheets for the two rabies vaccines:
http://www.msd-animal-health.co.uk/products_public/nobivac_rabies/090_product_datasheet.aspx
http://uk.merial.com/data_sheet/rabisin.asp

yes, Merc was done at 12 weeks and for UK rules one vaccination was sufficient, however they are thorough in Germany and he had a second injection.  I checked with the German vet and my own vet that he didn't actually need this second one for here, and they confirmed it.  So when immigration looked at the date on the second vaccination I was able to confidently say 'it's the first one that's the important one' but they did comment that they were told to 'look at the last date' but as I pointed out it was only two weeks before AND he was 12 weeks old at the time.. and fortunately they let me travel.  No problems in the UK, just in Belgium where they queried it (but P&O staff not 'real' immigration).  Perhaps immigration aren't looking at the age when vaccinated :-(

>but it is being done and legaly.

No, it's not being done legally if the pup's coming in before 15 weeks minimum.

If the pup has a rabies vax at 8 weeks it needs a second one at 12 weeks/3 months (brands vary), and the 21 day wait starts from the second vaccination. Those are the manufacturers' rules, and that's what the law says must be adhered to.

Having recently had dealings with sorting a pet passport out, I now consider myself an expert in the field (lol).

I can categorically say that there is NO WAY 11 week old pups can enter the uk legally. 3 months  is when the rabies jab is licensed (for one single dose) and 21 days after the pup may enter the country. No ifs or buts, thats the law.

well theyre not here yet so it will be interesting to see if they arrive.  They are going to 3 seperate owners but I think may be being brought over together.  I know there is about 4 already came over since January and they were all around 16 weeks.

Well, 16 weeks is OK in fact you could at a pinch bring them in at 15 weeks but to break the law and bring in unprotected pups is illegal and downright antisocial.

yes 16 weeks sounds ok - we're talking about 12 weeks (3 months) having the injection and coming over 21 days (3 weeks) later... so 16 weeks of age would be right :-)

Just found this website that states the first rabies vac can be given from 4 weeks!! It does state that a 2nd is needed at 12 weeks.
But 4 weeks???  I cant imagine what that must do to their immune systems :-(

http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diseases/dogvaccines.htm

I would imagine unless you're in the middle of an epidemic it'd be a pretty useless exercise :-( most of the vaccines aren't licensed until 12 weeks and little point in giving....

We've just got our pet passport for our puppy and the vet wouldn't give him the rabies jab until he was just over 12 months as she said that it needed to be as far apart from the second lot of puppy vacs as possible. We also got him microchipped at the same time and that's pretty much all you need to do (other than the ticks and tapeworming treatment before they can come into the UK).

do you mean 12 weeks? yes that's the normal time :-) also you no longer need tick treatment, just the tapeworm treatment :-)

Yes sorry, no idea why I said 12 months! I think we should ignore my post, I had a very excited puppy running around at the time of writing! :-)

Penny, does just giving the tapeworm treatment still entail making an appointment with a foreign vet - just so they can feed your dog a tablet and sign the Pet Passport?! 

I wish there was some way this could be gotten rid of.  I don't mind giving the tapeworm tablet, but the trek to the foreign vet for it seems silly.  (Wish we could just get to the ferry port early and they could sign having seen us give the dog the tablet!).

Yes, vet has to give tablet and sign it in the Pet Passport...I went with my dog when he had his in Poland.

yes sorry :-( it has to be a certain type of treatment and it has to have a vet's stamp...it has to be at lest 24 hours before you come into UK

but as the timescale is longer (24 - 120 hours) if yoru only away for a day or two, then yoru vet can give it before you go, though of course you still have to pay the £50 or so for them to do so.