For many decades past, quarantine requirements have been in place for dogs and cats entering Ireland and the UK except in relation to dogs and cats travelling between both countries. The UK Government intends to dispense, with effect from 2001, with its requirement for quarantine for dogs and cats entering or re-entering the UK from member states of the European Union, the European economic area or rabies-free islands, in favour of a regime involving microchip identification, vaccination, blood testing and health certification. In the meantime, and from the end of February 2000, it has introduced a pilot of this scheme, the PETS pilot project, using certain approved carriers along a limited number of approved routes from EU member states and EFTA countries to the UK.