Rabies to re-enter uk....
Discussion
Just seen new rules due in 2012 to reduce the statutory quarantine from 6 months and a blood test to just 3 weeks and no blood test.
Some talking heads have stated that there WILL be rabies back in the UK within 5 years.
Apparently something to do with an EU ruling.. what a surprise if it is?
Can just see Brussels not happy that 'ze UK is rabies free, zis is not acceptable'
Some talking heads have stated that there WILL be rabies back in the UK within 5 years.
Apparently something to do with an EU ruling.. what a surprise if it is?
Can just see Brussels not happy that 'ze UK is rabies free, zis is not acceptable'
There was a bit more to it than that.. within EU the animal has to be vaccinated 3 weeks before coming here, most other countries it is vaccinate 3 months + before entry. I'm sure that uf the rules are followed it will be Ok. But I would suspect that the rules will be routinely broken as usual..
JulianHJ said:
It's not a case of 'let everything in and hope for the best' though, is it? As the Chief Vetinary Officer was saying on the BBC a few minutes ago, the current system is nearly 100 years old, and vaccines have been developed in the mean time.
So it's a case of the current system is 100 years old and working, lets fix it and cut the time to three weeks and see if that works.JulianHJ said:
It depends whether you consider the cost and welfare issues of sticking animals in to quarantine for six months to be 'working'.
Quarantine is very effective.The reality is that the current system deters people from buying pets abroad, if the rules become lax then it will allow all sorts of strays to be brought home from dodgy areas with a high associated risk.
It would be better to keep the rules as they stand and focus on other important stuff like fixing the economy and reducing the crime rates.
dirkgently said:
So it's a case of the current system is 100 years old and working, lets fix it and cut the time to three weeks and see if that works.
If you're a qualified vet with experience and knowledge in this area, then i'd agree with you. But what happens if vets are coming out and saying that the 6 months is needlessly stressful on the animals, achieves nothing that the new changes wouldn't achieve, costs too much money and is completely inefficient?The old system works but it doesn't mean that after 100 years and all the advances that humans have made in the area of animal welfare, medical knowledge and vaccines that a 100 year old system that works is still the best.
GavinPearson said:
It would be better to keep the rules as they stand and focus on other important stuff like fixing the economy and reducing the crime rates.
Very true.On the bright side if rabies gets loose in UK we'll be able to let rip at all the urban foxes which will soon have it spreading like wildfire.
It's taken long enough to get badgers off the "cute and cuddly" list and back into their proper category of "diseased carriers of tuberculosis".
I thought the whole rabies thing was overblown anyway and the last person to die from it in Europe was in the 1920's? I spent a lot of time as a child travelling around Europe and my parents made it very clear that I was not to approach any animals no matter how cute and fluffy they may have looked. I suspect most Europeans bring their kids up this way so it does make me wonder whether as a result the Europeans have fewer children being savaged by dogs then we do here?
In the 80s I did a stint of work on a farm in Danmark and nearby was a wood with a stream running through it and a small wooden bridge crossing it.
There were signs saying that North of the stream was rabies free and that no one should take their pet across.
Meanwhile all sorts of woodland creatures could be seen padding across. True
Seriously tho' just when we really need border control to be tightened up they come up with this. If it 'ain't broke don't fix it!
There were signs saying that North of the stream was rabies free and that no one should take their pet across.
Meanwhile all sorts of woodland creatures could be seen padding across. True
Seriously tho' just when we really need border control to be tightened up they come up with this. If it 'ain't broke don't fix it!
jurbie said:
I thought the whole rabies thing was overblown anyway and the last person to die from it in Europe was in the 1920's? I spent a lot of time as a child travelling around Europe and my parents made it very clear that I was not to approach any animals no matter how cute and fluffy they may have looked. I suspect most Europeans bring their kids up this way so it does make me wonder whether as a result the Europeans have fewer children being savaged by dogs then we do here?
The have been 25 or so deaths here from rabies in the past 60 or so years. All but one infected abroad, and untreated until return to the UK. One thought to have been infected here, probably a bat.TB is a much bigger threat.
Before everyone starts frothing at the mouth and nutters with guns begin rampaging the streets, lets have a look at the new rules.
http://animalhealth.defra.gov.uk/about/official-ve...
Defra said:
Under the new rules pet dogs and cats from other EU Member States and listed Third countries will not need a blood test and can enter the UK 21 days after their rabies vaccination (rather than having to wait 6 months after their blood test).
• Under the new rules pets from unlisted Third countries will be allowed to enter the UK through approved routes (or approved airport for assistance dogs) without quarantine as long as they meet the EU entry requirements (microchip, rabies vaccination, blood sample at least 30 days after vaccination), and then wait a further 3 months after the blood sample was taken for the test before being able to enter the UK.
•Under the new rules there is no requirement for pets to be treated for ticks before their arrival in the UK. The UK is in discussion with the EU about continued controls on tapeworm for dogs.
more:• Under the new rules pets from unlisted Third countries will be allowed to enter the UK through approved routes (or approved airport for assistance dogs) without quarantine as long as they meet the EU entry requirements (microchip, rabies vaccination, blood sample at least 30 days after vaccination), and then wait a further 3 months after the blood sample was taken for the test before being able to enter the UK.
•Under the new rules there is no requirement for pets to be treated for ticks before their arrival in the UK. The UK is in discussion with the EU about continued controls on tapeworm for dogs.
http://animalhealth.defra.gov.uk/about/official-ve...
AFAIK, Rabies in the EU countries has been kept under tight control and in the last few years I think the incidence in France and Germany is close to zero. Co-ordinated vacination programmes for fox populations where there is an outbreak seem to keep a lid on it.
I've lived in Germany for over 15yrs now, and have rarely heard of any problems in the last 5 years at least. I've only ever seen one warning sign for rabies control, and that was 3-4yrs back.
Ultimately, it should be self-policing, in that dog-owners will usually be happy to vaccinate their dogs anyway, and, as Derek pointed out, there are plenty of ways I could bring my dog into the UK undetected.
I've lived in Germany for over 15yrs now, and have rarely heard of any problems in the last 5 years at least. I've only ever seen one warning sign for rabies control, and that was 3-4yrs back.
Ultimately, it should be self-policing, in that dog-owners will usually be happy to vaccinate their dogs anyway, and, as Derek pointed out, there are plenty of ways I could bring my dog into the UK undetected.
GavinPearson said:
Derek Smith said:
Report it and the police will leap into action some days later.
Why is that?Do you think that this same attitude towards petty crime combined with an overzealous attitude towards motoring misdemeanours turns 'middle England' off towards the Police?
As for overzealous attitude, I don't think there are many police officers who do enforce the regs nowadays. There are few enough on response to do the more urgent jobs. I assume traffic officers will still do so but there are very few of them nowadays. Some forces have stuck them onto response shifts. I think the middle class and middle England nowadays are more likely to demand action on speeding/dangerous motorists than decry it. That's after cycling on the footway of course.
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