3.1

The Republic of Ireland operates quarantine rules similar to those of the UK, with unrestricted entry only for animals coming from elsewhere in the British Isles. Provision is made, however, for certain dogs to spend one month in quarantine premises, followed by five months in quarantine standard accommodation at home.

Most Continental Member States 

3.2

Practice in other Member States varies in detail from one to another. But, in general, they rely on a combination of.

(a) voluntary or compulsory vaccination of pets, with identity controls; and

(b) campaigns to eradicate rabies in wildlife, primarily by oral vaccination of foxes.

3.3

The position as we understand it in Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands is set out below:

Belgium. Resident cats and dogs do not require rabies vaccination or identification. Imports must be accompanied by a valid certificate of rabies vaccination;

France. Resident cats and dogs in certain areas have to be tattooed, registered and vaccinated. Imports from countries free from rabies require certification confirming the rabies status of that country and that the animal has been resident there for at least six months prior to import. Other imports require identification and a valid rabies vaccination certificate;

Germany. Rabies vaccination for resident cats and dogs is voluntary unless animals are travelling abroad, when valid rabies vaccination certification is required. Imports also require a valid rabies vaccination certificate;

Netherlands. Resident cats and dogs are not required to be identified and vaccinated against rabies. There are various voluntary identification schemes, registered centrally. Unless from the UK or Ireland, imported pet cats and dogs must be vaccinated unless under one month old, in which case they may be vaccinated after arrival.

3.4

Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland carry out programmes to eradicate rabies through oral vaccination of foxes. Finland, and Italy carry out similar programmes along frontiers with non-EU Member States.

3.5

Sweden moved in 1995 from quarantine to a system of admitting pet animals from EU or EEA3 countries if protected by previous vaccination, together with tight controls at the Swedish frontier. Under the new Swedish system, dogs and cats from non-EU and non-EEA countries and pet animals of all other species regardless of country of origin, have to spend four months in quarantine in an official quarantine station followed by two months home confinement. Relaxation of the former controls in Sweden has led to a significant increase in pet imports from less than 1,000 per year before the abolition of quarantine to some 20-30,000 now.

The Member States of the European Economic Area are Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway together with the Member States of the European Union.