28 July, 2021 - Brexit has caused all kids of havoc for Brits, who now find the EU not quite as accessible as before for longterm stays. Things are also a little confusing if you plan to take your British pet on holiday. Delighted to welcome Mikki Hall in Osijek to TCN with some first-hand advice and experience. 

Dogs with dual nationality

Pet-friendly hotels and holiday lets are amongst the most popular online searches. In 2019 Forbes published an article that said: “Over two million pets and other live animals are transported by air every year in the United States, more than four million worldwide, according to the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association. United alone transported 138,000 animals in 2017.”

In the UK, we have all become used to taking our pets on holiday, especially to France or other EU countries, with ease. This became even simpler after 1^st October 2001, when the EU introduced the Pet Passport (PETS scheme), under which animals from any member country could freely travel to any other member country.

With the arrival of the summer holidays, more and more stories have started to appear around the difficulties people are having crossing the French/UK border. So, what’s changed?

Invalid pet passports

You can no longer use a pet passport issued in Great Britain for travel to an EU country or Northern Ireland. On the other hand, you can still use a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland to travel within the EU or to come to the UK.

My friends who travel frequently to their holiday home in France have both a French and GB pet passport for their dog. Yes, pets are getting dual nationality. They also noticed that taking your pet on holiday has become a lot more expensive. Earlier this year they paid £173 to take their pet dog on holiday with them.

However, if your pet does not have dual nationality and you want to take it on holiday there is a workaround, as long as they have the following:

• a microchip
• a valid rabies vaccination
• an animal health certificate
• tapeworm treatment for dogs if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway or Malta

These requirements also apply to assistance dogs. In addition, you must need to ensure that you go through one of the approved points of entry on arrival.

Putting pet travel into practice

Last year we travelled from the UK to Croatia with our adorable labradoodle, Buddy. Initially, we wanted to fly, and we found that we could do so with Croatia Airlines - the only airline offering the service.

However, there’s a catch. Croatian Airlines transports animals from the UK to Croatia, but they don’t transport animals on flights from Croatia to the UK. So, you can fly your pet on holiday, but you can’t take them back home.

Many people travelling from the UK to Croatia opt to use the pet taxi service or ask a family member to transport their pets for them. Here is where you run into the second post Brexit change. At the French border, some people are being told this is no longer allowed and owners must now travel with their pets.

Is this a change of rules, or Border Officials simply misunderstanding the changes?

What are the new rules?

EU guidance on pet travel is very clear. As a rule, pets should travel with their owners. However, the owner may give written permission to another person to accompany their pet on their behalf. The owner must be reunited with their pet within five days of its relocation.

Yes, Border Officials simply misunderstood the rules.

Adopting a pet

It is not only the French officials who are misunderstanding the new rules.

Last year a friend of mine adopted a rescue dog in Croatia. She contacted DEFRA for advice and guidance. As with the French Border Officials, DEFRA does not always give correct advice.

In this instance, they classified the dogs under the same rule as moving cattle and sheep. This legislation is relevant only to businesses moving a large number of dogs for commercial reasons, and not for the movement of a single pet.

So, we contacted DEFRA on her behalf and got to speak to an official who had access to the right guidance.

In summary, if you are adopting a pet from an EU country:

• your pet needs to have an EU pet passport, be microchipped and have all relevant vaccinations
• pet details need to be entered onto the IPAFFS system to obtain a UNN (unique identification number). The IPAFFS system is used to notify enforcement authorities about the import of live animals into Great Britain
• if you are not traveling with your pet, you must give your friend a letter or authority or use a registered pet transport carrier
• you need to complete a written declaration stating that pet’s relocation is for non-commercial reasons.

With all of that in mind, our little dog had a bag full of paperwork to accompany him on the journey to the UK. He arrived in London safe and well and is living happily with his new owners.

In summary, taking your pet on holiday is still possible, but you need to plan, plan, plan and be prepared for higher costs.

If you are planning to travel with your pet, make sure you know the rules. Even better, reach out to an expert who can help. The rules are very new and even those who should know are still learning!

Thanks to the cooperation between the Helping Animals project and Canicross Croatia, the third race of runners and dogs looking for an active weekend took place on Sunday. This is an event which was first organised in Croatia by the Zagreb Sports Dog Club. The first race took place in 2015 under the title “Right Paws”, reports Index.hr on November 20, 2018.

Canicross is a sport which combines cross-country running and dogs. The idea about co-operation between the Helping Animals project and Canicross Croatia was born spontaneously, with the aim of assisting in the adoption of dogs left on the streets. A total of 85 participants and 87 dogs participated in this year’s race, of which nine were dogs still looking to find a home.

This is a wonderful collaboration in which volunteers of Helping Animals brought together volunteers and dogs from various other animal welfare groups. In this way, the dogs get an extra opportunity for someone to notice them and provide them with a warm home, and at the same time, they have an opportunity to socialize.

The main goal of the project is to develop a lot of positive energy and co-operate in order to find homes for the abandoned animals. Everybody can participate in the project and help in any way they wish. The race is open to children as well, and this year the youngest participant was only five years old.

The race is divided into several categories so it is accessible to everyone. You can choose between a walking group, beginners or advanced runners. The next race will be held on November 25, from 3 to 4 pm, and the participants will meet next to the parking lot at the Dotrščina Park Forest in Zagreb.

Everyone who wants to spend time together is more than welcome to come. You can run or walk, with a dog or without it. Even if you do not own a dog, you can visit the Helping Animals Facebook page and arrange for a walk or run with a dog who needs help in finding a new home.

You can find more information about the event here.

For more on pets in Croatia, click here.

The competition was fierce.

ZAGREB, March 18, 2018 - About 300 residents of the eastern city of Osijek rallied outside the county police department on Sunday, protesting against a recent case of suspected intentional mass poisoning of dogs and pigeons in the city.

Croatia currently imports pet food worth about 900 million kuna each year.

How does Zagreb fare as a dog-friendly city? Rather well, concludes new arrival, Stuart Jameson. 

A car crash on holiday in Croatia involving a Belgian family has resulted in a lost pet and urgent appeal on July 31, 2016.