Bringing dog to UK

[CarolT]

Does anyone know if the rabies blood test to bring dogs to Australia is the same as the ones needed to bring them into the UK?

We're having to move back at short notice so we don't have time to do the PET passport stuff. The lady on the PET travel helpline said that if the test to enter Australia is the same as the UK one, we might be alright.

Any advice would be really appreciated




Carol

[Aggie]

wouldn't stake my life on it but im sure it will be the same (you don't need rabies vaccine for oz) give defra a ring to make sure good luck.
Aggie

[surburberella]

Hi Carol

From what I can gather your dog must first be vaccinated against rabies (which is NOT done as one of the requirements for entry to Oz) and then they have to have a blood test after the rabies jab to check it's provided enough immunity and then have to wait 6 months AFTER this blood test (called the "6 month rule") before they can fly if you want to avoid 6 months quarantine in UK. So basically, rabies jab, rabies blood test, wait 6 months, fly.

We are most likely flying our 2 dogs back in a year and have just started looking into this so pls check Defra website though as I wouldn't want to have advised you incorrectly!

S x

[ESSEX TO AUS]

Originally Posted by surburberella

Hi Carol

From what I can gather your dog must first be vaccinated against rabies (which is NOT done as one of the requirements for entry to Oz) and then they have to have a blood test after the rabies jab to check it's provided enough immunity and then have to wait 6 months AFTER this blood test (called the "6 month rule") before they can fly if you want to avoid 6 months quarantine in UK. So basically, rabies jab, rabies blood test, wait 6 months, fly.

We are most likely flying our 2 dogs back in a year and have just started looking into this so pls check Defra website though as I wouldn't want to have advised you incorrectly!

S x

Your right

We had our Lilly 's jab done then had a blood test done a month later. We then had to wiat around in Australia for 6 months before she could fly home. She left Aus on the 3rd we picked her up at heathrow on the 4th a free dog.

She loves England and had adapted well. Don't know what she'll think of winter thoe.


John

[surburberella]

Originally Posted by ESSEX TO AUS

Your right

We had our Lilly 's jab done then had a blood test done a month later. We then had to wiat around in Australia for 6 months before she could fly home. She left Aus on the 3rd we picked her up at heathrow on the 4th a free dog.

She loves England and had adapted well. Don't know what she'll think of winter thoe.


John

Good to know Im on the right track-thanks John! No doubt Lilly will just cosy up by the radiator (aah central heating how I miss you) or fire in winter and I think when outside they're too busy running around smelling things to notice the cold

BTW-who did you use to send her?-I've heard dogtainers mentioned a few times

[CarolT]

Hi guys

Thanks for posting replies so quickly. I actually spoke to a nice person on the PET passport hotline in the UK (0870 2411710).

It seems that anyone (or rather any dog) who has undergone the rabies vaccine and RNATT serology test in order to meet AQIS entry requirements can in fact reenter the UK directly without the 6 months rule provided the rabies vaccine is renewed on time.

I hope this information is useful to anyone who is thinking about going back in a few years time as we didn't know this and feel totally screwed over this one!

I remember arguing with our vet about getting the rabies vaccine last year and he persuaded me not to do it since it's not required in Oz.

Now we are frantically trying to find out if the original rabies vaccine given to our dog in 2006 was 1yr or 3yr one.

Any takers on this one? He had a "Rabigen Mono-Virbac" vaccine.

If it was a 1 yr one then we will have no choice but to put him through the 6 months wait without us since we have to leave in a few weeks. Boo.

Ahh someone give me some good news!

Carol

[surburberella]

Hi Carol,

Is the original vet who gave the 2006 jab not able to look it up on their computer-surely they must keep accurate records? They should be able to give you a letter on headed paper stating that the jab was a 3 year one (if it was) and confirming the date given.

I hope you have some luck with this-it's such a wrench being apart from our doggies!

S x

[CarolT]

hmmm... well... We have a rather complicated history. We adopted our dog in Hong Kong and brought him with us to Shanghai. So to get to Oz we had to do the jab at a govt vet in China and send our poor dog to relatives in a "neutral country" for 6 months before he was allowed to do 1 month quarantine in Melbourne. The original book was surrendered to the US authorities and exchanged for oher bits of paper which were passed onto AQIS who only gave me a certificate of release.

I tried emailing the Shanghai pet relocation agent but his reply was a little vague. Not surprising as, apparently, vaccines that are administered are sometimes 3 yr ones but owners may be told to renew them annually due to that country's or state's law. So I've also emailed Virbac to see if they could email me their vaccine manufacturer's guidelines.

As you might be able to tell I really want my dog with me when I leave and ok yes, I may be ever so slightly mad.

(I felt quite hurt visiting him at the AQIS quarantine station cos he didn't seem to realise who I was when I visited him. He'd perfected the art of chasing the next door up and down the fence non-stop though)

[surburberella]

Originally Posted by CarolT

hmmm... well... We have a rather complicated history. We adopted our dog in Hong Kong and brought him with us to Shanghai. So to get to Oz we had to do the jab at a govt vet in China and send our poor dog to relatives in a "neutral country" for 6 months before he was allowed to do 1 month quarantine in Melbourne. The original book was surrendered to the US authorities and exchanged for oher bits of paper which were passed onto AQIS who only gave me a certificate of release.

I tried emailing the Shanghai pet relocation agent but his reply was a little vague. Not surprising as, apparently, vaccines that are administered are sometimes 3 yr ones but owners may be told to renew them annually due to that country's or state's law. So I've also emailed Virbac to see if they could email me their vaccine manufacturer's guidelines.

As you might be able to tell I really want my dog with me when I leave and ok yes, I may be ever so slightly mad.

(I felt quite hurt visiting him at the AQIS quarantine station cos he didn't seem to realise who I was when I visited him. He'd perfected the art of chasing the next door up and down the fence non-stop though)

Gosh that is complicated! I presume at worst if he does have to spend 6 months in UK quarantine you can visit him there like you can in Aus? Don't worry about him not realising who you were when you visit him-my two who we've had for 7 years growled savagely at me the 1st time I visited them like I was a complete stranger! I think it's just that they have to deal with so many people at these times that they get confused.

[ESSEX TO AUS]

Originally Posted by surburberella

Good to know Im on the right track-thanks John! No doubt Lilly will just cosy up by the radiator (aah central heating how I miss you) or fire in winter and I think when outside they're too busy running around smelling things to notice the cold

BTW-who did you use to send her?-I've heard dogtainers mentioned a few times

We did use Dogtainers they were ok but did try to charge us more for their cock up.
Lilly arrived fresh and healthy so it seemed they did the job well.

She's waiting by the gate now waiting for her walk.

hope all goes well

John