EU Votes To Extend UK PET Travel Rules To 2011

European Parliament voted yesterday to prolong, until December 2011, the current UK pet travel restrictions which were due to lapse at the end of June.

MEPs voted 618 to 17 in favour of the extension. The vote concerned border checks on the movement of cats, dogs and ferrets, which are applied in addition to EU-wide rules.

These national measures are aimed at preventing the spread of rabies, tapeworm and ticks to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the UK. Since 2003 these countries have required cats, dogs and ferrets, travelling between EU Member States, to be identified by an electronic microchip or a tattoo and to be accompanied by a passport giving proof of an anti-rabies vaccination.