Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to enforce (a) legislative provisions and (b) border controls relating to puppy smuggling.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government supports the Private Members’ Bill, Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, introduced by the hon. Member for North Devon on restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of pets. The Bill will contain powers that will enable future regulations for commercial and non-commercial movements of pets into the United Kingdom including prohibiting the import of dogs with cropped ears.
We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet travel checking regimes in Europe. The Animal and Plant Health Agency works collaboratively with Border Force and other operational partners at ports, airports and inland, sharing intelligence to enforce the pet travel rules, disrupt illegal imports, safeguard the welfare of animals and seize non-compliant animals.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the illegal smuggling of cats and kittens into the UK.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government takes the illegal importation of pets seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to animals.
We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet travel checking regimes in Europe. The Animal and Plant Health Agency works collaboratively with Border Force and other operational partners at ports, airports and inland, sharing intelligence to enforce the Pet Travel rules, disrupt illegal imports, safeguard the welfare of animals and seize non-compliant animals.
We are aware that Selaine Saxby MP has introduced a Private Members’ Bill on restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets. In accordance with Parliamentary convention, the Government will set out its formal position on this Bill when it receives its Second Reading.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs travelled to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme via (a) sea, (b) tunnel and (c) air in each year between 2013 and 2022.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The total number of dogs that travelled under the pet travel scheme is as follows:
Year | Air | Sea | Tunnel | Total |
2018 | 17,783 | 118,043 | 177,170 | 312,996 |
2019 | 19,302 | 114,706 | 174,396 | 308,404 |
2020 | 16,353 | 38,813 | 131,463 | 186,629 |
2021 | 17,389 | 39,578 | 108,904 | 165,871 |
2022 | 17,885 | 95,493 | 169,531 | 282,909 |
This is a summary of dogs entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme via an approved route. It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland (as these movements do not need to follow an approved route).
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals.
Please note that we do not hold any data prior to 2018.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cats travelled to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme via (a) sea, (b) tunnel and (c) air in each year between 2013 and 2022.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The total number of cats that travelled under the pet travel scheme is as follows:
Year | Air | Sea | Tunnel | Total |
2018 | 8,530 | 8,449 | 12,591 | 29,570 |
2019 | 9,776 | 9,764 | 12,767 | 32,307 |
2020 | 9,354 | 5,235 | 12,545 | 27,134 |
2021 | 11,445 | 5,928 | 11,768 | 29,141 |
2022 | 9,819 | 15,500 | 14,238 | 39,557 |
This is a summary of cats entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme via an approved route. It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland (as these movements do not need to follow an approved route).
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals.
We do not hold any data prior to 2018.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what price will be charged to obtain a pet travel document for pets travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The new simplified arrangements under the Windsor Framework for those travelling with their pet or assistance dog to Northern Ireland will be free of charge.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to issue pet passports that are valid for the entire pet's life.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Under EU rules, pet owners from Great Britain are required to use an Animal Health Certificate for travel to the European Union. We are continuing to seek agreement from the European Commission on awarding Great Britain 'Part 1’ listed status. Achieving this would allow pet owners and assistance dog users to use pet passports when travelling to the EU.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she last discussed with her EU counterparts the award to Great Britain of Part 1 listed status for UK citizens wishing to take their pets to EU countries.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We are continuing to engage with the European Commission on awarding Great Britain 'Part 1' listed status and recognition of the UK's tapeworm-free status.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs have been imported under the Pet Travel Scheme in each month in 2023.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Month | Total number of dogs |
January | 18840 |
February | 14838 |
March | 15790 |
April | 24722 |
May | 20738 |
Data is still being collated from pet carriers for June 2023 therefore this data is not currently available.
This is a summary of animal entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel scheme via an approved route. It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland (as these movements do not need to follow an approved route).
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals. This data can be subject to change as often data from carriers can be received late.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made in negotiations with the European Commission on awarding Great Britain Part 1 listed status to enable pet owners to travel outside the UK with fewer restrictions.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We are continuing to engage with the European Commission on awarding Great Britain 'Part 1' listed status and recognition of the UK's tapeworm-free status.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs have been imported under the Pet Travel Scheme since December 2019.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Year | Total number of Dogs |
Dec 2019 only | 21,013 |
2020 | 186,629 |
2021 | 165,871 |
2022 | 282,909 |
This is a summary of animals entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme via an approved route. It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland (as these movements do not need to follow an approved route).
The data regarding the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals. This data can be subject to change as often throughput data from carriers can be received late.