Exporting Non-Commercial Dogs and Cats to the United Kingdom and Malta

Please read the following information carefully as it contains important details on pet transport to the UK.

1. Statutory authority

Pursuant to section 60 of the Animal Products Act 1999, I notify the following overseas market access requirements, entitled Non-commercial Dogs and Cats to the United Kingdom and Malta.

This notice takes effect from date of signing.

Dated at Wellington on this 29th day of April 2005.

Signed Debbie Pearson
Director Preclearance
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
(pursuant to delegated authority)

2. United Kingdom Requirements

Dogs and cats exported from New Zealand to the United Kingdom and Malta must comply with the import requirements of the United Kingdom and Malta listed in this notice as follows:

2.1 An import permit is required for Malta only.

2.2 An official veterinarian of New Zealand must certify the following:

2.2.1 A microchip is implanted in the animal; (number, location, and date of implant).

2.2.2 The animal has been vaccinated against rabies; (manufacturer and name of vaccine, batch number, vaccination date, validity). The animal must be 3 months old at the time of rabies vaccination.

2.2.3 An official record of the result of the serological test for the animal has been sighted. This was test was carried out in an EU-approved laboratory and the result states the date the sample was taken and that the rabies neutralising antibody titre was equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml. Animals are only eligible to the UK and Malta once a period of 6 months has elapsed after the positive antibody titre.

2.2.4 The certificate must be accompanied by supporting documentation, or a certified copy of it, including vaccination details and the result of the serological test. This documentation must bear identification details of the animal concerned.

2.3 A local veterinarian of New Zealand must certify the following:

2.3.1 The animal has been treated, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, between 24 and 48 hours prior to export with a fipronil-based product effective against ticks, and a praziquantel-based product effective against Echinococcus multilocularis; (manufacturer and name of product, date and time of treatment, name, details and signature of Veterinarian must be completed)

2.4 The animal must be first microchipped and then vaccinated against rabies.

3. Revocations

DOMPETEC.UK dated 27.09.04 – dogs and cats to the United Kingdom is revoked and replaced by this OMAR notification.

DOMPETEC.MTA dated 27.09.04 – dogs and cats to Malta is revoked and replaced by this OMAR notification.

4. Definitions

For the purposes of this document:

Any term or expression that is defined in the Animal Products Act 1999 and used, but not defined in this document, has the same meaning as in this Act.

Explanatory note

This OMAR is based on the EU regulations 998/2003. DOMANIEC.MTA is also based on information received from the Maltese government on the 04 August 2004.

Additional Information on OMAR Notification: DOMANIEC.UK and DOMANIEC.MTA 30.03.05

No import permit is required for the United Kingdom.

Pet animals entering Malta require an Import Licence issued by the Food and Veterinary Regulation Division, contact person: Ms. Lucienne Cassar: Telephone numbers: 00356-21225638 ext.371, 00356-21225930 ext.371, 00356-21237638 ext.371, 00356-21242694 ext.371, Fax: 00356-21238105, e-mail address: lucienne.cassar@gov.mt.

Owners of pet animals entering Malta are obliged to contact the Food and Veterinary Regulation, details as above, to notify the arrival of their pet animals, at least three days before the animal’s arrival in Malta.

If the microchip does not comply with ISO standard 11784 or Annex A to ISO standard 11785, the owner, or exporter responsible on behalf of the owner, must provide the necessary means for reading the microchip at inspection in the importing country.

Clause 2.3.1 - The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK has suggested the treatment is timed by assuming that check-in is 4 hours prior to scheduled time of export. Therefore treatment would be given between 24 and 48 hours prior to check-in (four hours prior to export).

After an animal has been vaccinated, it must be given booster vaccinations to remain qualified for the Pet Travel Scheme. This must be done by the “Valid until” date on the animal’s EU pet passport, third country veterinary certificate or PETS certificate and recorded in section IV of the third country official veterinary certificate and on the animal’s vaccination record. The revaccination interval for cats may be different to that for dogs (refer to the vaccine manufacturer’s data sheet). Booster vaccinations are valid for entry to the UK and other EU countries from the date given provided they are given on time (according to the instructions in the vaccine manufacturer’s data sheet where the previous vaccination was given).

The export certificate is only valid for 4 months after the official vet has signed the export certificate or until the expiry date of the vaccine, whichever is earlier.

The EU approved laboratory is the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL). The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) recommends the blood sample is forwarded to the New Zealand Animal Health Reference Laboratory (part of the National Centre for Disease Investigation or NCDI) who are experienced in preparing the blood sample, packaging it correctly and sending it to the approved testing laboratory with the appropriate permits.

Animals not eligible for importation under this OMAR may still be imported into Malta. Further information about quarantine in Malta can be obtained from the Food and Veterinary Regulation Division in Malta , contact person: Ms. Lucienne Cassar: Telephone numbers: 00356-21225638 ext.371, 00356-21225930 ext.371, 00356-21237638 ext.371, 00356-21242694 ext.371, Fax: 00356-21238105, e-mail address: lucienne.cassar@gov.mt.

Any dog/cat entering the UK which does not meet all the UK requirements must be licensed into quarantine. The dog/cat may be released from the date it can be shown to comply with the rules. To license your pet into quarantine, you must get an import licence from DEFRA (for England), Scottish Government (for Scotland) or DARD (for Northern Ireland) before it travels to the UK. The licence must accompany the dog/cat when it travels.

The export certificate allows a maximum of 5 cats or dogs to be exported to the UK at one time.

Section 61.A of the Animal Products Amendments Act 2005 states that 'The Crown is not liable, and nor is the Director-General or any employee of the Ministry liable, for any loss arising through the refusal or failure of the relevant authority of an overseas market to admit export animal material or animal product to that market'.

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