"Defra, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government are inviting views from stakeholders and members of the public on new regulations that will enforce directly applicable European Union (EU) changes to the pet travel scheme. The main requirements of the pet travel scheme will not change, but a number of new controls will be introduced to increase levels of compliance and improve the security and traceability of the pet passport."

Consultation on proposed changes to the pet passport scheme

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I have put my two-bits on the Survey.   I'm calling for a tightening of import restructions, given how many very young puppies appear to be coming in in batches, from Eastern European countries now, not a further relaxation.

Thanks for that. I filled in the survey and gave my view that nobody should be allowed to import more than one or maybe two young animals at a time, in order to stop all the puppies coming in simply to be re-sold. I also said I definitely do not want puppies and kittens to be able to be imported at a younger age without rabies vaccination, as this would just make the problem worse.

Ditto Marianne, and additionally I did not want relaxation of travel between Rabies free countries like between us and Ireland in the past. 

OK so it's a pain to have to wait to Pet Passport a dog for going to Ireland and have it be 16 weeks before you can send one over or bring one here.

If it has made life more difficult fro Irish puppy farmers to send pups over ere (they reckon half a million a year) then so be it and I would be quite happy to hold a pup for the extra time.

From my personal experience the puppy farmers/dealers cross the border into N Ireland  & then in a van with UK plates simply cross using the ferry for N Ireland to England or Scotland. It's the rescues that have the problems as they bring their dogs across legally & have to do all the Pet Passport(less the tick & tapeworm treatment which Ireland & the UK are exempt from)It means that the dogs cost more to bring across :-(

>It's the rescues that have the problems

I disagree strongly with importing rescue dogs, while we have dogs needing homes here.

If an individual wants to bring a particular dog they have rescued, and prepared for the cost, which they have met etc then fine.

Well I would never have a dog from a UK rescue as they are filled with Bull breeds & Bull Breed Xs  they don't suit or appeal to me & my lifestyle.

I only have collies & collie crosses & Collies Xs especially if they are black have no chance of a decent life in Ireland

There is no rabies in Ireland there is no rabies in the UK so why do the dogs need a rabies vaccination ?

If Scotland votes for separation the same law will apply & pet travel between the 2 countries will require rabies vaccinations because the current government in Westminster are set against removing the requirement by derogation(the Irish government are pro derogation)

So the traffic in very young puppies from Ireland(& N Ireland where there are lots of puppy farms)isn't affected by the requirement for the Pet Passport as the puppies travel(illegally)via Belfast  not Dublin

As for not bringing in rescued dogs from abroad well I am against animal abuse no matter where in the world it occurs not just the UK

Charity begins at home and there are always breed rescues, sadly Border collies are pretty numerous in UK rescues too.

<Charity begins at home and there are always breed rescues, sadly Border collies are pretty numerous in UK rescues too. >

Not in the numbers that the Bull Breeds are  & Collies are not likely to be destroyed inhumanely in the UK

Agree with Brainless. You can always find the breed you want via breed rescue. It's madness to import rescues.

>There is no rabies in Ireland there is no rabies in the UK so why do the dogs need a rabies vaccination ?

Because it's EU law that overrules national agreements; all dogs need a passport to travel between member states.

There is an option for derogation this is why dogs travelling between Ireland & UK don't have to have the tapeworm treatment as the tapeworm is not present on either country, the Westminster Government have opted for this & next year Ireland will be applying for derogation for Rabies vaccination, the Westminster Government are NOT. There has been a statement from DEFRA that the enforcement is to stop the trade in puppies &.nothing else, sadly it hasn't :-(