Northern Ireland Protocol - Motorhome Transit / Food / Pets

Blue Knight

Blue Knight

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G'Day Funsters,

May I ask if any Funster has travelled to Northern Ireland recently in your van (and with dogs and fresh meats onboard) as I'm keen to learn of your experiences.

I've just checked the various internet web pages and it looks as if our dog will need a full Animal Health Card (AHC) with rabies jabs and the full paperwork before we can travel.

We were hoping to travel to NI in July, following a short excursion around Dumfries & Galloway but, our travel date also falls beyond the end of the NI Protocol grace period so in theory the full EU checks should already be in situ at the sea ports of Belfast and Larne by the time we arrive.

Any help, info or recent experience would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew
 
The latest information on pet travel can be found here - www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/travelling-pets
It looks like the new rules have been delayed until 1st Oct.
My brother in law has just traveled to N.I. via Liverpool with his dog. I will see him at the weekend and will ask what checks (if any) were carried out.
Sorry - I cant answer the question about fresh meats but there are plenty of good butchers/supermarkets here so I wouldn't worry about that.
 
Ireland has been rabies free since 1903! Print this out and point it out to whoever challenges you! If the dog has its uk jabs upto date then like the free access agreement between Ireland and the UK no problem! The EU is just playing sour grapes!
 
NB: Routine checks on the non-commercial movement of pets from GB to NI will be delayed until at least 1 October 2021.
This will allow time for DAERA and the public to prepare for the introduction of the new documentary and health requirements of the EU Pet Travel Regulation. DAERA is currently developing a process for the implementation of compliance checks from 1 October 2021. Stakeholders and the public will be kept informed of any developments.

Pet Travel Guidance | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

From 1 January 2021, there are new procedures to follow when travelling with your Pet from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland (NI). GB has become
www.daera-ni.gov.uk www.daera-ni.gov.uk

I would not take notice of anyone saying “Print this out and point it out to whoever challenges you! If the dog has its uk jabs upto date then like the free access agreement between Ireland and the UK no problem” The last person to suggest doing this has a lot of criticism.
 
AC/DC said:
Ireland has been rabies free since 1903! Print this out and point it out to whoever challenges you! If the dog has its uk jabs upto date then like the free access agreement between Ireland and the UK no problem! The EU is just playing sour grapes!
Click to expand...

What about their bats though 🤔😊

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I don't quite get how recent travel experience will help you know what will happen after the end of the grace period?
I think sadly it's going to be leaving it as long as possible to see which way the cookie seems to be crumbling and either comply with any rules that might be enforced or taking a punt.
 
Silver-Fox said:
What about their bats though 🤔😊
Click to expand...
The EU is treating us as a Third Country using the regulations that we probably helped to draft and certainly agreed to as members at the time. They have control of their borders as they always did. We left the EU to take back control of ours. So far we're doing a sterling job of it.
 
tonyidle said:
The EU is treating us as a Third Country using the regulations that we probably helped to draft and certainly agreed to as members at the time. They have control of their borders as they always did. We left the EU to take back control of ours. So far we're doing a sterling job of it.
Click to expand...

That’s fair enough but it was mentioned as Ireland not Northern Ireland 🤷‍♂️😊
 
Silver-Fox said:
That’s fair enough but it was mentioned as Ireland not Northern Ireland 🤷‍♂️😊
Click to expand...
But as there's an open border and alignment of regulations presumably it's going to be different to travel to the rest of the UK. I suppose it's be no different with the different covid rules around the UK or eloping to Gretna to get married.
 
Silver-Fox said:
Can I just point out the OP asked about Northern Ireland and is that not still part of the U.K.

🤔
Click to expand...
Yes NI is still part of the UK, but the border between the UK and the EU now runs in the Irish Channel so new rules apply.

Im not sure what these are, but I suspect it will be just as if you were taking a pet to France.
 
As for a United Ireland, we will have to wait and see, but Jim’s rules say no politics so best not discuss it here

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ontheroadagain said:
The latest information on pet travel can be found here - www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/travelling-pets
It looks like the new rules have been delayed until 1st Oct.
My brother in law has just traveled to N.I. via Liverpool with his dog. I will see him at the weekend and will ask what checks (if any) were carried out.
Click to expand...

That's really kind of you - the info from your brother will be very useful.

The 1st Oct as a new deadline would be ideal for us as we may need to return soon after our first visit.

All the best,

Andrew
 
ontheroadagain said:
As a result of the protocol, NI has in effect remained in the EU's single market.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's the issue. I spoke with a guy yesterday who mentioned that some supermarket line items have been in short supply.

There'll be a black market trade in sausages going to NI at this rate - I wonder how many kilos I can stuff in my water tank ::bigsmile:
 
Blue Knight said:
Yep, that's the issue. I spoke with a guy yesterday who mentioned that some supermarket line items have been in short supply.

There'll be a black market trade in sausages going to NI at this rate - I wonder how many kilos I can stuff in my water tank ::bigsmile:
Click to expand...
Seems strange to me I bet English stuff in French supermarkets is still in good supply.
 
Boris7 said:
Yes NI is still part of the UK, but the border between the UK and the EU now runs in the Irish Channel so new rules apply.

Im not sure what these are, but I suspect it will be just as if you were taking a pet to France.
Click to expand...

Yes, very much so. It was only by chance that I came across the various reports on dog travel from the three UK Nations to the fourth.

Politics aside, I just can't believe that we're potentially having to jump through hoops to travel from one UK port to another.

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The Wino said:
Seems strange to me I bet English stuff in French supermarkets is still in good supply.
Click to expand...

......and Amazon are delivering their UK goods to NI via Dublin at the moment so the cost of postage (and potential tax) for some items is huge.
 
I live in NI, travelled to Scotland and back in May with hound, no dog passport etc. There were no checks in fact the security came in to the the back of the MH and said hello to the dog lying up in bed watching tv. Even if the grace period wasn’t extended I wouldn’t worry. The checks are in chaos, they only have 5 vets, need 25. My friend a long distance lorry driver has confirmed its really only live animal and meat they are doing random checks on. As for the political opinion voiced by someone, best avoid such talk unless you know what you are talking about. Enjoy NI/ ROI in your MH, far less crowded than Scotland and probably England. The Causeway coast and Wild Atlantic way probably have the edge on the NW200. But I am biased maybe!
 
PG’s trips said:
I live in NI, travelled to Scotland and back in May with hound, no dog passport etc. There were no checks in fact the security came in to the the back of the MH and said hello to the dog lying up in bed watching tv. Even if the grace period wasn’t extended I wouldn’t worry. The checks are in chaos, they only have 5 vets, need 25. My friend a long distance lorry driver has confirmed its really only live animal and meat they are doing random checks on. As for the political opinion voiced by someone, best avoid such talk unless you know what you are talking about. Enjoy NI/ ROI in your MH, far less crowded than Scotland and probably England. The Causeway coast and Wild Atlantic way probably have the edge on the NW200. But I am biased maybe!
Click to expand...

Cheers PG’s trips, that's a really useful post.

We are just going to go anyway. We'll book a one-way ferry and then return when we are ready.

Nicky and I have enjoyed Scotland and the upper Islands but we've not done NI so here we come!!

....and you make a very good point regarding the politics and opinions.

All the best,

Andrew
 
don't forget to try the Mournes, Strangford Lough and Fermanagh lakes areas as well.as the Causeway coast and if you need a free park up for the night I live in the countryside, lots of room, 12 miles from Belfast towards the Mournes, just message me.
 

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