Be alert to pets living in UK illegally
A Dogs Trust survey has found that fewer than 50 per cent of vets discuss the risks of zoonotic diseases with pet owners when conducting travel consultations.
The survey, which was conducted among 121 vets and 1,005 owners, also discovered that just three in four vets (77 per cent) said they would contact Defra when faced with a false pet passport.
Using these findings, the charity has been able to gauge attitudes to the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) that changed back in January 2012, to allow cats, dogs and ferrets enter the UK without a blood test from "listed" European countries, provided that they are microchipped and rabies vaccinated.
Further changes included allowing animals from non-listed countries to wait just 21 days, rather than the previous six months, to enter the UK and scrapping mandatory tick treatment for all pets.
With further findings that showed 57 per cent of vets had clients with a foreign dog in 2012 – five per cent of which they suspected had a disease from abroad – both academics and trading standards officials have urged practices to be more alert to pets illegally entering the country.
According to Rob Quest, from the City of London Trading Standards, there was four times the number of animals illegally entering the country in 2012, each of which had not met the PETS requirements.
"Harmonisation was devised to help people move with their pets, but instead it's being used by dealers who want to make money," said Quest.
"What we want to do as an enforcement agency is target dealers, but we have a lot of problems tracking them. Instead, we have to deal with the poor person who has bought this pet in good faith and then we have to take that animal away."
Adding his concerns for unknowing pet owners, canine epidemiologist David Argyle commented: "Is this just the tip of the iceberg? Owners are incredibly reliant on vets and the advice vets give them, therefore as a profession, we really have an obligation to deliver that information.
"I'm concerned from the survey that there is a gap in our understanding… as a profession we have an obligation to close that knowledge gap."
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
