Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the current rabies requirements for Ukrainian animals arriving into (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Northern Ireland, and (4) Wales; and if there are any differences between those requirements, what are the reasons for those differences.

We are processing Ukrainian pet import applications as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining our biosecurity standards. The UK has been rabies-free for many years, and we wish to remain so.

The current requirements for a cat, dog or ferret to enter the United Kingdom from Ukraine are as follows:

• they have been identified by a microchip or a clearly readable tattoo applied before 03 July 2011 prior to vaccination;
• after 12 weeks of age, have been vaccinated against rabies;
• at least 30 days after the preceding primary vaccination within a current valid vaccination series (or the last of the primary course of vaccinations) a blood sample must be drawn and sent to a European Union (EU) approved laboratory for testing;
• a satisfactory blood test result must show the rabies antibody titre was equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml;
• the animal must complete a waiting period of 3 calendar months after the date that the sample was drawn;
• in the case of dogs be treated for Echinococcus multilocularis (tapeworm) with an approved product not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours prior to arrival in UK.

However, the Government recognises that people fleeing Ukraine with their pets may not have been able to complete this process, or may not have paperwork verifying their pet’s health status. We have therefore put in place new emergency support for those fleeing Ukraine with their pets. Using an emergency licence, people fleeing Ukraine can bring their non-compliant pets to the UK with any quarantine costs met by the Government.

The maximum stay in quarantine for a pet which has received no rabies vaccination is four months. England, Wales and Scotland have introduced a new rabies ELISA blood test that confirms rabies vaccination through detection of rabies antibodies. This will help in instances where refugees have travelled without vaccination paperwork.

Results can be turned around in a minimum of 3 days with some animals then moving to isolation if they pass the test. This will help maintain our strict biosecurity measures and allow people to be reunited more quickly with their pets when possible. This test is not available in Northern Ireland which remains aligned with the EU.

These new arrangements are only in place for people fleeing Ukraine with their pets. It is not available to rescue animals, commercial movements or to pets travelling apart from their owners, all of whom must continue to meet the full health requirements before entering the UK.

England and Scotland have temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland or Romania, until 14 May 2022.

There are no other differences to the rabies import requirements of pets between the Devolved Administrations.