The Illegal
Imports of Rescue Dogs and Puppies from the Irish Republic
Once more the need arises to write about the importation of rescue dogs and puppies from the Irish Republic into the UK as
the illegal trade in unwanted and homeless dogs and puppies continues. Rescues responsible for sending bulk consignments
of dogs and puppies to the UK are still not complying fully with EU legislation. The legislation states quite clearly that
anyone (including rescues) that transport dogs, puppies or cats as part of an ‘economic
activity’ must comply with the Welfare of Transport Order 2006, to ensure that
the animals are transported in the correct manner, in secure cages attached to
the vehicle, the vehicle is well ventilated and inspected and passed as
suitable. The driver must be in possession of Authorisation 2 under the Welfare
of Animals Transport Order 2006 when transporting animals over 65km.
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animaltransport/
Equally as important rescues that export dogs, puppies and cats
as part of an ‘economic activity’ must comply with EU Legislation Balai Directive 92/65/EEC/TRACE’s.
They must ensure that the dog/puppy/cat is microchiped, travels with its
passport, vaccinated against rabies, inspected by a vet and has its health
certificate to certify that is in good health to travel. This is in addition to normal routine vaccine
and worming. The treatment against the echinococcus
tapeworm is not required.
Anyone transporting dogs, puppies, must notify the local AHVLA, DEFRA office for the area receiving the consignment of rescue dogs 21 days prior to
arrival to allow Defra/Trading Standards to check the paperwork is in order and
the dogs/puppies/cats microchip matches their passports.
This is EU Legislation, yet rescues that are active in
sending/taking regular, consignments of dogs’ puppies and cats to the UK from
the Irish Republic are ignoring what is their legal responsibility. Some Irish rescues announce on their web sites and Facebook pages how wonderful
they are in rescuing and saving dogs and puppies and sending them to the UK in
large numbers yet they are doing so in contempt of the law but they fail to
announce that fact.
The recipient rescues in England and Wales display photographs
of the dogs and puppies asking a set price to take on the responsibility of one
of their dogs or puppies, to save it from destruction in Ireland. During which time hundreds if not
thousands of dogs and puppies wait for a home in the UK in reputable rescues
such as the Dogs Trust, Battersea to name just two who neuter/spay, microchip
and vaccinate. Their dogs are assessed
and temperament tested by an animal behaviourist before offering their dogs and
puppies for rehoming, for a far less donation than these ‘rescues’ who
are importing illegally dogs/ puppies/cats from the Irish Republic, who sometimes allow dogs and puppies to be
rehomed almost as soon as they arrive in the UK; some dogs are booked by a
prospective new owner before the dog arrives from the Irish Republic without the
new owner ever meeting the dog beforehand.
The new owner taking a chance that the dog will settle in and suit their
lifestyle – but not all rescues involved in the Irish UK link will support the
owner by taking the dog back if is not suitable, the dog then becomes another
statistic, not in the Irish Republic but now one in the UK.
Which rescues are sending dogs to the UK in large numbers? The biggest contender and well known in
Ireland has to be AHAR short for Animal Heaven Animal Rescue. They
are not a charity or company; this is immaterial in relation to transporting
and exporting dogs to the UK. It is the frequent, regular numbers of dogs and
puppies exported that makes them an economic activity.
Inistioge Puppy Rescue is registered in the Irish Republic as a
Charity they regularly send dogs and puppies to the UK too. Again their status is immaterial, their
dealings with UK rescues picking up dogs from them on a regular basis and
returning to the UK with van loads of dogs and puppies makes this an economic
activity too.
Both rescues (there are many others that are operating in the
same way) sending dogs, puppies and cats to the UK via UK rescues should be
complying with the Balai Directive/TRACE’s.
The local AHVLA office, DEFRA and Council in the area of the recipient rescues
in the UK should be notified of the dogs and puppies arrival 21 days beforehand.
Yet no local Councils or AHVLA offices are notified of these regular
transportations of rescue dogs. It is an offence not to do so. AS far as
I am aware there is not one UK rescue listed below that receives or collects
dogs in consignments from the Irish Republic as an ‘economic activity’ that is
following the EU Legislation.
These rescues are just the tip of the iceberg, Many Tears Animal
Rescue, Dorset Dog Rescue, Allsorts Dog Rescue, Rushton Dog Rescue, Comfy Care
Rescue, Puppies Needing Homes, DAWG Rescue, Stockenchurch Rescue all receive
dogs and puppies from these two Irish Rescues or make regular journeys to
Ireland themselves to bring back dogs and puppies. AHAR and
Inistioge either collect dogs from pounds in the Irish Republic; receive dogs
from other rescues or individuals who are keen to see their unwanted dogs found
a home in the UK.
That is fine providing that those involved do so within the law
but they are not and no one appears to care how many dogs and puppies arrive in
the UK. At the same time attention is drawn by the UK
media and rescues as to the numbers of unwanted dogs in rescue and destroyed
for the want of a home. Yet we seem
unable to curtail or control the non-compliant importation of hundreds if not
thousands of Irish dogs that find their way through these rescues to the UK
each year.
Add to this the large numbers of dogs and over breeding that
takes place in battery dog farms in Wales with their puppies sold to dealers
and pet shops, the bulk importation of puppies from Eastern Europe providing
some pet shops and dealers. Rescue dogs arriving
from Romania, Ukraine, Turkey and Greece, many are street dogs with no
experience of confinement and the constraints of living in house and taken for
walks, yet they are expected to conform to our expectations. A constant stream of rescue dogs are moved
one country to another in the name of rescue, with far too many finding their
way to the UK when we have a crisis here ourselves? Do I hear of UK dogs in desperate need of a
home being exported to Western Europe?
No thankfully not but why are we so accommodating of other countries
unwanted dogs, some from countries where rabies is endemic?
Being aware that dogs and puppies are arriving in the UK
illegally, with reports of dogs escaping from the vehicles they are travelling
in from Europe the UK Government must ensure th ere is far better enforcement
measures at border controls particularly for dogs and puppies that are
transported by road than there is at the moment. They should stop the bulk imports of both puppies and rescue
dogs regardless of where they originate from before we are faced with an
outbreak of rabies or one of the tick borne diseases not normally found in the
UK dog population, some of which are a zoonosis which can spread from dog to
human.
The media highlights the human mass immigration into the UK and
its consequences yet disregards that we have a massive problem of dog and puppy
importation which is seriously impacting on our rescue situation here and will
continue to be a consequence unless Defra, MP’s in Westminster take this issue very
seriously including the added risk of rabies and tick borne diseases.
Back to the
Irish UK rescue situation. Below is the response received from the AHVLA
DEFRA my questions in Italic their replies in normal print
When
I have communicated with the AHVLA the advice given to me is 'that all dogs,
cats and puppies must comply with either the Passport for Travel Scheme or the
Balai Directive if classified as an 'economic activity' and this would include
rescues' if they are travelling between the Irish Republic and UK. This is what
I have been working on as being accurate information. My understanding is that
it is the responsibility of Trading Standards to enforce the legislation if it
is found that those rescues as part of an 'economic activity' who bring dogs,
puppies, cats from the Irish Republic are not compliant with the Balai
Directive and the Welfare of Animals Transport Order 2006 with the transporter
in possession with Authorisation 2.
Please clarify that
the above is correct? Yes
it is correct.
If this is the case
then anyone whether it is a dealer bringing puppies to sell to pet shops in the
UK from the Irish Republic or a Rescue under 'economic activity' bringing in
pound dogs, rescue dogs, puppies or cats should be in contact with the AHVLA
before they embark from the Irish Republic to ensure all paperwork and dogs
welfare status is compliant regarding rabies vaccination and passport.
Please clarify that
this is correct?
No. In terms of
contact with AHVLA, the person undertaking the activity must notify the
regional office of destination in the UK of the impending import – there is no
obligation to send any paperwork in advance. Failure to notify is an offence.
There is an EU requirement that there should also be an electronic notification
(TRACES) generated by the country of origin when the sending country has
completed the required health certificate.
If this is the case
then the AHVLA should have records of all movements of dogs puppies and cats
that have been brought into the UK if they have travelled under the Balai
Directive or the Pet Travel Scheme if the person has in their possession 5
dogs/puppies or more not owned by them but in transit to be sold elsewhere? No, AHVLA do not hold records of all cats and dogs
entering the UK. AHVLA do have records of any Balai moves (as above) which have
been correctly entered on Traces. These would be available to the UK Competent
Authority.
Please clarify if
this is correct and if not please explain why this is not the case?
Any Balai moves which have taken place and which
have not been signed off by the Competent Authority of origin on Traces would
not be captured on Traces and, in the absence of an importer notification,
would not be known to AHVLA.
