Did anyone listen to the program on Radio 4 yesterday about 'Parasites'? Unfortunately, I did not catch the whole program at the time, but it was about all the nasty kinds of parasites that one can get. There was mention that the end of the Pet Passport (!) and thus, the compulsory worming that is part of said scheme, would open the floodgates to this type of organism into the UK. It would appear that EU regulations call for the end of the Pet Passport in 4 months time. The MAFF are trying to get an extention of the scheme until 2011.

A very worrying turn of events:

Case Notes - BBC Radio 4 Programmes

I didn't hear the programme, but remember last year, think it was Sept, it was in one of the newspapers that pet passports are supposed to be ending in July - because of a particular tapeworm parasite that can kill humans, apparently once it gets into a country, it would be impossible to eradicate it ever again...also because it can take up to 15 years for symptoms to show in a person, so by that time they said the tapeworm parasite could be rife, having been spreading without anyone knowing it was there during that time.  I don't quite understand why dogs who are travelling can't be treated before travelling...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peterwedderburn/100011383/change-in-eu-regulations-could-bring-a-deadly-disease-into-britain/

Managed to find the newspaper thing online...it sounds pretty awful, so surely they are going to have to do something to prevent it..
Hilda

So are the rules changing.  I am planning to travel abroad in November and am in the middle of getting my bitch passported?

Have just posted about 'Costing the earth' on Radio 4 which also discussed parasites, particularly small heartworm which is on the increase in the UK apparently. This programme was about the carbon footprint of pets, particularly meat eating ones ie dogs & cats

>I am planning to travel abroad in November and am in the middle of getting my bitch passported?

The best advice is to carry on. The rumour is that the EU want to stop the 6-month wait between blood test and re-entry into the UK, and the parasite treatment the day before, which is what could lead to illness among dogs and humans in this country. Naturally the UK is resistant to this, and at a vets' meeting yesterday word was that this had been deferred for at least another year. However there has been no official word, so it's safest to assume nothing will change and carry on as before.

To be honest I have never understood the 6 months wait (throughly agree with the parasite control), from the positive blood titre.  After all they a re not retested to see if the levels are still high in 6 months, or ever if you keep the Rabies vaccs current.

That is the bit I would like to see scrapped.

You could then have Rabies vaccs, blood titre and when result received import/re-enter.  After all it is the status at that time that allows the animal to enter/re-enter the UK.

Imagine what that could mean for those bringing in new bloodlines, you could bring your pup in at 4 months or so (depending on how long the blood test results take).

I'm known for my bad luck... not necessary bad luck but I seem to be pretty unlucky in a weird way.
As my luck goes The scheme is likely to end in July.
As this is when my new import, after a loooong wait, is ready to enter UK... The rules will probably change the day after I get my girl in the country.
That would just about follow the flow of how things tend to go in my world