Importing your pet safely. Importing dogs, cats and ferrets into Finland from EU and non-eu countries

Importing your pet safely Importing dogs, cats and ferrets into Finland from EU and non-eu countries

2 Importing your pet safely Importing dogs, cats and ferrets into Finland from EU and non-eu countries...3 Importing from the EU, Norway, Andorra, Iceland, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican...5 Importing unvaccinated puppies and kittens under three months old...7 Importing from outside the EU...8 Importing unvaccinated puppies and kittens under three months old...12 Contact details... 14 Published by: Evira, Animal Health and Welfare Unit Illustrations: Anniina Kivilahti Getty Images, Michelle Emert JMG Studio Kaj Lindqvist Plugi.fi Scanstockphoto Layout: Evira, In-house Services Unit 2012

Importing your pet safely 3 Importing dogs, cats and ferrets into Finland from EU and non-eu countries The purpose of the import requirements concerning dogs, cats and ferrets is to safeguard human and animal health and to prevent the spread of dangerous infectious diseases, such as rabies and echinococcosis, to Finland. The import requirements vary depending on the country from which the animal is imported. The import requirements are different when importing animals from the EU and assimilated countries and from outside the EU. The requirements are statutory. If the animal is sent to Finland without an accompanying passenger or the animal is intended for resale or rehoming, the import of the animal must comply with the conditions set for commercial imports. A pet passport is mandatory for dogs, cats and ferrets in all transport between the EU countries. A passport may be purchased from a vet. Before issuing the passport, the vet will check that the animal carries identification (tattoo or microchip) and is vaccinated against rabies.

4 Importing your pet safely Rabies Rabies is a virus disease affecting the central nervous system and infectious to both animals and humans. The disease spreads most commonly via a bite from an infected animal. The main spreaders of the infection are wild predatory animals, such as the fox, raccoon dog, wolf and badger, and of domestic animals the dog and cat. An infected animal may secrete the rabies virus in its saliva up to a couple of weeks before the symptoms appear. The incubation period of rabies (interval from bite to appearance of symptoms) can be up to six months. Once the symptoms have begun, the disease always results in death with both humans and animals. However, with humans the disease can be prevented from breaking out with vaccination treatment given immediately after exposure. Rabies is endemic in Eastern Europe and in Asia, Africa, North and South America. Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm The purpose of the echinococcus treatment required for dogs imported into Finland is to prevent the spread into Finland of the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm, which is dangerous to humans. E. multilocularis is endemic in large areas of Central Europe. The main hosts of the parasite include the dog, fox and wolf. Humans are infected via the faeces of an animal infected by the parasite, for example through wild berries contaminated by fox faeces or the soiled coat of a dog.

Importing your pet safely 5 Importing from the EU, Norway, Andorra, Iceland, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican ID marking The animal must be ID marked with a microchip or clearly legible tattoo done before 3 July 2011. Rabies vaccination The animal must be vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated vaccine complying with the international standard (OIE) at least 21 days before import. The ID marking must be done before the rabies vaccination. The 21-day safety period is not required in the case of booster vaccination, if it is given before the previous vaccination ceases to be effective. Treatment against echinococcosis Dogs must be treated against tapeworm causing echinococcosis 1-5 days before import. Alternatively, frequent travellers can apply the 28-day rule. The dog is treated before travel at least twice at maximum intervals of 28 days, and subsequently the treatment is repeated regularly at maximum intervals of 28 days as long as the travelling continues. The final parasite treatment must be done in Finland after the travelling has ended. If the 28-day rule is applied to the dog, this must be entered in the pet passport under echinococcus treatment. It is recorded in Finnish or Swedish, as well as in English.

6 Importing your pet safely The entries in the passport on echinococcosis treatment are always made by a vet. Echinococcus treatment is not required when the animal comes to Finland direct from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway or Malta. Pet passport The animal must be accompanied by a certificate (or a so-called pet passport) showing the identification data on the animal and documentation from a veterinarian of a valid rabies vaccination and echinococcus treatment. Import of one or several animals travelling as freight If an animal or animals are travelling by plane as freight unaccompanied by a passenger or if there are more than 5 animals or if the animal is intended for sale or transfer to a new owner after the import, the conditions for commercial import apply to the import of the animal. For commercial import there is a requirement for a clinical examination carried out by a veterinarian within 24 hours before dispatch in addition to the other conditions.

Importing your pet safely 7 Importing unvaccinated puppies and kittens under three months old Import is permitted from the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Iceland, Austria, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, France, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Czech Republic and United Kingdom. ID marking The animal must be microchipped for identification. Pet passport The animal must be accompanied by a pet certificate ( pet passport ) containing the animal s ID information. Treatment against echinococcosis A puppy must be treated against tapeworm causing echinococcosis 1-5 days before import. Echinococcus treatment is not required when the animal comes to Finland direct from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway or Malta. Other requirements The animal is brought from its country of origin direct to Finland. The animal comes with a certificate signed by the breeder, showing that the animal was born in his premises and kept in its birthplace up to the time of export, isolated from wild animals. The animal is under three months old at the time of import. The import into Finland of unvaccinated ferrets aged under three months is not permitted.

8 Importing your pet safely Importing from outside the EU These requirements concern pet dogs, cats and ferrets coming from non-eu countries other than those listed above. These import conditions are applied to animals travelling with their owner or other person responsible for the animals during the transport and which are not intended for sale or rehoming with a new owner and which number is no more than five. If the animal or animals travel by air alone as freight without an accompanying passenger, if there are more than 5 animals, or they are intended for sale or for rehoming with a new owner after import, the conditions for commercial imports are applied (see Commercial imports ). More detailed information on the import conditions, such as EU-approved health certificates, lists of approved arrival points, countries approved for commercial imports, and approved laboratories, are on the Evira website (www.evira.fi > Animals > Import and export). Approved arrival points The animal must be brought into Finland via an approved arrival point, where a customs official will check the animal s ID marking and import documentation. ID marking The animal must be identified with a microchip or clearly legible tattoo done before 3 July 2011. The ID marking must be done before the animal is vaccinated against rabies.

Importing your pet safely 9 Rabies vaccination When importing from low rabies risk countries, the animal must be vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated vaccine complying with the international standard (OIE) in accordance with the manufacturer s recommendations at least 21 days before import. Most vaccines are recommended for administration to puppies over 12 weeks old. The 21-day safety period is not required in the case of booster vaccination, if it is given before the previous vaccination ceases to be effective. Testing for rabies antibodies When importing from high rabies risk countries, the animal must have had a blood sample taken to determine rabies antibodies a minimum of 30 days after the rabies vaccination. The analysis must be carried out in an EUapproved laboratory. The neutralising antibody content must be at least 0.5 IU/ml. At least three months must pass after taking the blood sample, before the animal can be imported into Finland. Testing for antibodies must also be carried out on Finnish animals that make even a brief visit to high rabies risk countries, if testing for antibodies has not been done in Finland before departure. Testing for antibodies carried out before departure allows the animal to be returned to Finland before the three-months waiting period has passed. The test result must be entered on the veterinary certificate (or pet passport). Treatment against echinococcosis Dogs must be treated against tapeworm causing echinococcosis 1-5 days before import. Alternatively, frequent travellers can apply the 28-day rule. The dog is treated before travel at least twice at maximum intervals of 28 days, and subsequently the

10 Importing your pet safely treatment is repeated regularly at maximum intervals of 28 days as long as the travelling continues. The final parasite treatment must be done in Finland after the travelling has ended. If the 28-day rule is applied to the dog, this must be entered in the pet passport under echinococcosis treatment. It is recorded in Finnish or Swedish, as well as in English. The entries in the passport on echinococcosis treatment are always made by a vet. Veterinary certificate (or pet passport) The animal must be accompanied by an official EUapproved certificate issued by an official veterinarian or other veterinary surgeon approved by a competent authority in the country of origin, showing the information concerning the animal s identity, rabies vaccination and echinococcosis treatment. The approved certificate form may be printed from the Evira website. If the pet originates from an EU country and is accompanied by a pet passport, the pet passport replaces the veterinary certificate. The original vaccination certificates must be attached to the certificate. Commercial imports If the animal or animals travel by air alone as freight without an accompanying passenger travelling on the same conveyance, there are more than 5 animals, or they are intended for sale or rehoming to a new owner after import, the conditions for commercial imports are applied. Commercial imports are only permitted from certain non- EU countries.

Importing your pet safely 11 In commercial imports, the health certificate form is different. The conditions of the health certificate are the same as those of non-commercial imports (see above; ID marking, rabies vaccination, rabies antibody testing for certain countries, treatment against echinococcosis), but an additional requirement is a clinical examination by a vet within 24 hours before departure. The animals can enter the EU area only via a customs post (e.g. airport) containing a veterinary border control post approved for examining pets. The veterinary border inspection is subject to a fee and is always carried out on live animals in the first EU country in which they arrive. In Finland, the approved border inspection posts are Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and the Vaalimaa highway border crossing. Prior notice of a veterinary border inspection must be given, using the CVED form, by the last weekday before arrival at the latest. Safeguard measures Imports are also limited by safeguard measures issued by the Commission. The safeguard measures currently in force are found on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry website www.mmm.fi. If import conditions are not fulfilled There are no quarantine facilities for animals in Finland. If the animal s import conditions are not fulfilled, the animal must be returned, and if this is not possible, destroyed. The costs are met by the importer.

12 Importing your pet safely Importing unvaccinated puppies and kittens under three months old Imports are permitted from Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Approved arrival points The animal must be brought into Finland via an approved arrival point, where a customs official or in commercial imports a border veterinarian (see the definition of commercial imports and conditions of commercial imports) checks the puppy s ID marking and import documentation. ID marking The animal must be microchipped for identification. Treatment against echinococcosis Puppies must be treated against tapeworm causing echinococcosis 1-5 days before import. Veterinary certificate (or pet passport) The animal must be accompanied by an official certificate issued by an official veterinarian or other veterinary surgeon approved by a competent authority in the country of origin, showing the information concerning the animal s identification and echinococcosis treatment. The certificate form may be printed from the Evira website.

Importing your pet safely 13 Other requirements The animal is brought from its country of origin direct to Finland. The animal comes with a certificate signed by the breeder, showing that the animal was born in his premises and kept in its birthplace up to the time of export, isolated from wild animals. The animal is under three months old at the time of import. The import into Finland of unvaccinated ferrets aged under three months is not permitted.

14 Importing your pet safely Contact details More detailed information on importing dogs, cats and ferrets on the Evira website www.evira.fi. You may send questions on the subject to Evira by email. Importing from the EU countries, Norway and Switzerland: ehyt@evira.fi Non-commercial imports from non-eu countries: kolmasmaa@evira.fi Commercial imports from non-eu countries: lentoasema@evira.fi

Notes:

Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira Mustialankatu 3, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland Telephone +358 29 530 0400 Fax +358 29 530 4350 www.evira.fi