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Animal Diseases

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022

Tuesday, 29 March 2022

Questions (888)

Brian Stanley

Question:

888. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current situation regarding the vaccinations of dogs coming into the country; and if his Department has put measures in place to ensure that all such animals are vaccinated. [16358/22]

View answer

Written answers

Dogs may enter Ireland either as a pet movement or a commercial movement. The requirements for a pet dog to enter Ireland are outlined in Regulation (EU) 576/2013. The requirements for a dog to enter Ireland as a commercial movement are outlined in Regulation (EU) 429/2016.

All dogs entering Ireland must be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and treated for tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis). Dogs from certain high-risk countries must also have a successful rabies serological test. Dogs which do not meet these requirements are either taken into official quarantine until they are compliant or returned to the country of origin. This is done at the owner's expense.

Recognising the exceptional circumstance created by the invasion of Ukraine, temporary arrangements have been put in place to allow people travelling from Ukraine to Ireland to be accompanied by their pets, even if the pets are not in compliance with EU Travel Regulations. In accordance with Article 32 of Regulation (EU) 576/2013 and, by way of derogation from the conditions provided for non-commercial movements of pet animals, Member States may, in exceptional situations, authorise the non-commercial movement into their territory of pet animals which do not comply with the conditions in Regulation (EU) 756/2013.

Temporary exceptional humanitarian arrangements have therefore been put in place for refugees from Ukraine. They are allowed to enter Ireland with their pets under specific conditions. In the first instance, they must pre-notify by email the point of entry they will be arriving to in advance and animals must be presented to Department staff at the point of entry for examination.

Where pets are not fully compliant with EU regulations, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine veterinary services are taking steps to bring these animals into compliance with the legislative travel requirements, to protect our domestic population and protect public health. These measures include microchipping animals, providing tapeworm treatment and rabies vaccination for pets, as required. All non-compliant pets must then be quarantined for a minimum of four months after vaccination. My Department is keeping this exceptional response measure under review.

These exceptional measures only apply to accompanied pets from Ukraine. All other movements of animals (unaccompanied, commercial, unknown origin, stray animals, animals from shelters) that do not meet regular requirements for entry, cannot be accepted into Ireland without full compliance with legislatively prescribed health certification.

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