For those interested in pet travel to Europe

[Speve]

For those interested in pet travel to Europe

We were trying to clarify the titre test requirements and reason for waiting three months before travel
Here are my emails and response so far not really getting a satisfactory answer so am still trying to get one?

Hello,
Please could you clarify that as in our case our dogs had their rabies booster last year and are not due for another until 2021.
If we have the titre test done and proved that dogs immunity is good do we have to wait three months before travel?
If so why as they have been proved to be immune and their injections were given over three months ago.

Kindest regards
Alan

My reply from PetTravel@apha.gov.uk

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your enquiry.

Once your pet has been successfully blood tested at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and the three month wait completed, the blood test will remain valid for as long as the rabies booster vaccinations are kept up to date (provided all other rules are met).

Kind regards,

Amie Flanagan-Fenton
Pet Travel.

My response

Hello Amie,

Thank you for your reply, however you have not answered my question since our dogs have been travelling to Europe for the last seven years they have always had their rabies injections and boosters which are up to date so why do they have to wait three months after a positive titre test before travelling?
Surely the three month wait would be after the initial rabies injection was given which in our case was September 2018, the titre test is to prove that the animals are still protected and if that comes back as positive then why the three month wait?

Kindest regards
Alan

Any comments?

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I don't think you have to wait 3 months after the titre test is proved, just 3 months after the rabies jab, if they have been vaccinated for several years then all should be OK. I was advised that the 3 months wait was only if the titre test failed and you had to redo the rabies shot and repeat the, titre test.

 

[Speve]

I don't think you have to wait 3 months after the titre test is proved, just 3 months after the rabies jab, if they have been vaccinated for several years then all should be OK. I was advised that the 3 months wait was only if the titre test failed and you had to redo the rabies shot and repeat the, titre test.

Exactly as I assumed but if you read the response I received it is not clear no wonder people are confused??

 

[ADJF]

I called my vet this morning and asked about this. They had no clue at all and said they did not know what to advise! We are planning on going away at Christmas for 3 months . Hopefully more depending upon whatever our completely useless Parliament decide upon if they ever finish arguing with each other.

Like you our dog's Rabies vacination has at least another 12 months before it expires. I'd just like some clarity to know what happens if we leave without a deal and what the worst case will be.

 

[emjaiuk]

Bear in mind the titre test is for the EU. Personally I can't see the French checking dogs entering the EU from the UK, they're going to have enough problems with freight, and as far as I understand it, the reentry requirements for the UK wont change, ie a UK issued Pet Passport should still be valid for the UK, and proof of worming tablets will still be required and a stamped and signed entry in a Pet Passport will still be acceptable.

Malcolm

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[Razamataz]

Both our mini schnauzers were given rabies vaccines last August 2018
This August 2019 we had both dogs bloods taken
Max passed
Roxy failed!!so we have had Roxy given rabies shot again
We now have to wait 31 days and do her bloods again on the 3 rd of October!!
We now cannot travel until 4th January!! 3 full calendar months

 

[Potty]

The requirement for the titre test will only apply if we leave without a deal, for entry into the EU. It will apply to all dogs, those with UK issued EU Pet Passports and with passports issued in any EU country. It is the country being travelled from that is the criteria, not the nationality of the dog.

Seeing that many dogs have failed the test, I think it is pity that the requirement for it was removed several years ago.

Presumably the Tunnel and ferry operators will put arrangements in place at the ports for checking dogs. At least they will be doing something for the exorbitant charges they make for them.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Both our mini schnauzers were given rabies vaccines last August 2018
This August 2019 we had both dogs bloods taken
Max passed
Roxy failed!!so we have had Roxy given rabies shot again
We now have to wait 31 days and do her bloods again on the 3 rd of October!!
We now cannot travel until 4th January!! 3 full calendar months

Why have you to wait 3 months? Surely if your going into the EU, assuming the blood test is OK after the 3rd Oct you can go as soon as you have the, results. You can then make sure you don't come back into the UK for 3 months if there is any doubt.
There are no checks going out, just coming back into the UK and as long as you have a titre test pass all should be ok

 

[Speve]

After the last email I received a phone call from Amie Flanagan-Fenton
Pet Travel Gov.uk.
Who very kindly explained that if UK leaves on a no deal and we are classed as a third country status. The EU require the titre test result and the waiting time period is based on the successful titre test date not vaccination date.
So even though our dogs rabies vaccinations were last year and up to date that does not allow travel earlier.
You have to wait three months after successful titre test date.
She agreed with me that it’s crazy but there we have it.

She also said if we travel over before leaving EU we would get back into UK no problem as nothing has changed to the UK requirements, so just worming and pet passport required.???

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

So does anyone know if the French will start to check dog passports at the border crossing? I have never seen anyone stopped going into the EU for pet passports

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[DBK]

For those interested in pet travel to Europe

We were trying to clarify the titre test requirements and reason for waiting three months before travel
Here are my emails and response so far not really getting a satisfactory answer so am still trying to get one?

Hello,
Please could you clarify that as in our case our dogs had their rabies booster last year and are not due for another until 2021.
If we have the titre test done and proved that dogs immunity is good do we have to wait three months before travel?
If so why as they have been proved to be immune and their injections were given over three months ago.

Kindest regards
Alan

My reply from PetTravel@apha.gov.uk

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your enquiry.

Once your pet has been successfully blood tested at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and the three month wait completed, the blood test will remain valid for as long as the rabies booster vaccinations are kept up to date (provided all other rules are met).

Kind regards,

Amie Flanagan-Fenton
Pet Travel.

My response

Hello Amie,

Thank you for your reply, however you have not answered my question since our dogs have been travelling to Europe for the last seven years they have always had their rabies injections and boosters which are up to date so why do they have to wait three months after a positive titre test before travelling?
Surely the three month wait would be after the initial rabies injection was given which in our case was September 2018, the titre test is to prove that the animals are still protected and if that comes back as positive then why the three month wait?

Kindest regards
Alan

Any comments?

It's complicated is the short answer. What seems to happen is after vaccination the rabies antibodies peak after a few weeks, which is when the titre test is done, but then they fall off reaching a minimum around four months after vaccination. At this point the dog starts making more antibodies and the level climbs back up again.

I've no idea why this happens, but I guess the first lot might be used up fighting the vaccine and only when they have been replaced is the best immunity achieved.

Fig 1 in this paper shows this.

Broken Link Removed

 

[Potty]

There are no checks going out, just coming back into the UK and as long as you have a titre test pass all should be ok

You can leave UK anytime before 31st October with a valid passport. You wouldn’t need the test result. In fact, you wouldn’t even need to have had the test done and, as long as you return while the last rabies jab is still valid, you don’t need it to get back into the UK.

Just seen that Speve has just been told the above by DEFRA.

Whoops! Duplicate post.

 

[Potty]

You can leave UK anytime before 31st October with a valid passport. You wouldn’t need the test result. In fact, you wouldn’t even need to have had the test done and, as long as you return while the last rabies jab is still valid, you don’t need it to get back into the UK.

Just seen that Speve has just been told the above by DEFRA.

 

[Landy Andy]

Both our mini schnauzers were given rabies vaccines last August 2018
This August 2019 we had both dogs bloods taken
Max passed
Roxy failed!!so we have had Roxy given rabies shot again
We now have to wait 31 days and do her bloods again on the 3 rd of October!!
We now cannot travel until 4th January!! 3 full calendar months

If you already have passports for the dogs then they can still travel now, and at any point, as the passport still work/counts. The failed test,, the new jab, the wait and all that associated stuff only matters if we leave EU.

That is why all of this is silly. Our vet told us that most dogs that have had rabies jab over a year would fail the test. So it just goes to show that rabies isn’t a problem.

 

[Reallyretired]

Although at present the French do not check dogs coming into the EU, they have built a new pet passport building at the Calais end of the tunnel to check those entering the EU. They may well have done the same at the ferry terminal. I suspect if we leave without a deal they will be checking, and no doubt making an extra charge for it.

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[Speve]

Thanks for all comments I think it’s wait and see time I for one am not going to get titre test done until we know what’s happening as we could end up not needing to do anything extra.
IMHO we don’t need them at present so it’s just another way to take our money with B****t as an excuse.?

 

[gus-lopez]

There are no checks going out, just coming back into the UK and as long as you have a titre test pass all should be ok

There will be if a no deal comes about.

 

[Potty]

Thanks for all comments I think it’s wait and see time I for one am not going to get titre test done until we know what’s happening as we could end up not needing to do anything extra.
IMHO we don’t need them at present so it’s just another way to take our money with B****t as an excuse.?

A large number of dogs have failed the titre test. I am happier knowing that our dog is protected. Rabies certainly isn’t the threat it used to be but if you are going anywhere Near Eastern Europe, it could be.

If you do get the test done, ask your vet what he will charge. A lot of vets do seem to be overcharging. There are only 2 labs who can do the test. The one in Scotland charges £55 + VAT. Add on your vet’s charge for taking the blood and the admin and if the charge seems excessive, shop around.

 

[ADJF]

So I'm trying to understand this and mitigate against a no deal Brexit and needing to take our dog away into the EU in December. He had his rabies vacinations in 12/2018, which is valid a month later from 01/2019 and it expires in 12/2021.

Should I just arrange for him to have a titre test anyway and if I do does that start his 3 months prior to travel count down clock? I'm quite happy to pay for the test to avoid hassle at the end of this year?

 

[Potty]

So I'm trying to understand this and mitigate against a no deal Brexit and needing to take our dog away into the EU in December. He had his rabies vacinations in 12/2018, which is valid a month later from 01/2019 and it expires in 12/2021.

Should I just arrange for him to have a titre test anyway and if I do does that start his 3 months prior to travel count down clock? I'm quite happy to pay for the test to avoid hassle at the end of this year?

Not sure what you mean about the jab being valid from 01/2019 but that wouldn’t change the rules. I would check with your vet or DEFRA but you would need to get the titre test done ASAP. If it is a pass, you will have to wait 3 months before you can travel, so time is tight for December. If it is a fail, another jab would be needed, followed a month later by the blood test and the 3 months wait.

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[DBK]

So I'm trying to understand this and mitigate against a no deal Brexit and needing to take our dog away into the EU in December. He had his rabies vacinations in 12/2018, which is valid a month later from 01/2019 and it expires in 12/2021.

Should I just arrange for him to have a titre test anyway and if I do does that start his 3 months prior to travel count down clock? I'm quite happy to pay for the test to avoid hassle at the end of this year?

As above, if you want to cover all bases get the titre test done ASAP. Or you can take a gamble and not get it done but then risk not travelling.

 

[klaatu]

Although at present the French do not check dogs coming into the EU, they have built a new pet passport building at the Calais end of the tunnel to check those entering the EU. They may well have done the same at the ferry terminal. I suspect if we leave without a deal they will be checking, and no doubt making an extra charge for it.

I’ve been tying to work out how they are going to do the checks, and it seems to me that it has to be done at the Folkestone end, where passport checks are done for people. Just as they are done for people and animals leaving France currently - at the Calais end. Surely all checks have to be done at the departure end?

Where is this new building? Currently you leave the train and you are pretty much straight onto public roads.

 

[Speve]

So I'm trying to understand this and mitigate against a no deal Brexit and needing to take our dog away into the EU in December. He had his rabies vacinations in 12/2018, which is valid a month later from 01/2019 and it expires in 12/2021.

Should I just arrange for him to have a titre test anyway and if I do does that start his 3 months prior to travel count down clock? I'm quite happy to pay for the test to avoid hassle at the end of this year?

Yes the 3 months wait is from the date of a successful Titre test?

If you do get the test done, ask your vet what he will charge. A lot of vets do seem to be overcharging. There are only 2 labs who can do the test. The one in Scotland charges £55 + VAT. Add on your vet’s charge for taking the blood and the admin and if the charge seems excessive, shop around.

It’s not so much the cost £133 per dog but putting them through blood tests the not knowing what’s happening to enable planning for trips etc.
Not planning going to Eastern Europe been going to Spain for some time now and not worried about rabies there.?

 

[Speve]

As above, if you want to cover all bases get the titre test done ASAP. Or you can take a gamble and not get it done but then risk not travelling.

We are going to wait and see what happens we’re not in a hurry to go so will wait it out???

 

[Zigisla]

We just sat it out when we were due to leave in March to see if we would be put on the "Unlisted" list. When this was extended, we decided to have the blood test carried out, purely because the dog's jabs were due in April and if we waited too long, the possibility of failure was greater - so we heard. We waited the 1 month then had the test carried and thankfully both were successful. The longer between the jab and blood test, the higher possibility of a failure according to stats.

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[SteveJulesMontycame2]

We took the view that being ready was better than being caught out and unable to travel with the dog for three months and all the stress and added cost that would entail. We used a German vet, who used an EU approved laboratory: the blood test cost €75, much cheaper than the UK vets who wanted £130 for the same. Why gamble where or how the rules will or will not be enforced? For the same reason we also bought International Driving Permits. Now, so long as we keep the rabies jabs in date, we’re covered. Although at the current rate of progress, the IDP‘s will have expired before we‘ll need them!

 

[HarryML]

Interesting report on BBC re guide dogs (assume the same rules apply to all dogs) travel into the EU from N Ireland. Given the scenario described in the report travellers from NI to France who normally use Cork to Roscoff would need to travel via Scotland and England to get the Plymouth - Roscoff ferry or they could just pop back into Ireland via Fishguard - Rosslare then down to Cork. Wonderful progress.