Don’t smuggle your pets: Central Bedfordshrie council warn residents

Earlier this week, officers received a report that a Houghton Conquest resident had recently entered the UK from Ireland with a new puppy without following the law.

As a result, the Jack Russell cross was required to be taken into quarantine for monitoring and will now be microchipped and receive a rabies vaccination, all at the owner’s expense.

The UK is a rabies-free country, but puppies or other pets smuggled into the country may not have received an effective vaccination.

Rabies is a fatal disease of the nervous system that can affect all mammals, including humans, cats, dogs, farmed animals and wildlife. It is important to quarantine any animal which has not been vaccinated to monitor whether rabies is present or not and also reduce the risk of it spreading.

If residents are travelling from or to the UK with their pet, they are urged to make sure they are aware of the rules by visiting the following website www.gov.uk/bring-your-pet-to-uk