The legislation governing the importation of dogs and cats provides for free movement of these animals from the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man as they share our health status with regard to rabies, while animals from all other countries must undergo a period of six months quarantine in a premises approved by my Department. These requirements are designed to eliminate the risk of rabies being brought into the State by animals incubating the disease. Quarantine is usually in the approved public quarantine premises.
The importation of dogs and cats is governed by a licensing system and a strict surveillance regime is in place at all ports and other points of entry.
The future requirements relating to imports of dogs and cats are under consideration following the publication of the report in September 1998 of the Advisory Group on Quarantine established by the UK Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Kennedy report). This report recommends that the quarantine system in place should be replaced with a system involving vaccination, blood-testing and microchip identification requirements for dogs and cats travelling between Great Britain and the member states of the European Union, the European Economic Area or rabies-free islands. The report also states that a further period of up to three years would be required to enable the necessary arrangements to give effect to the recommendations to be put in place.
I am following these developments closely and have initiated an examination of Ireland's quarantine system, as changes which might be contemplated in the UK system of quarantine controls would hold potential for Ireland given the common approach to rabies which both countries have followed over many years.
