Good news: A way to take animals to the UK

birds

Good news for those who adopted a pet here in India and want to take it back to the UK.

Pets can be brought from India to the UK but have to spend 6 months in quarantine which is very expensive.

Last week I had dinner with the chairman of the Foundation AAI (http://www.stichtingaai.nl/english.asp). This organisation brings stray dogs from various countries in Southern Europe, North Africa and even Asia to the Netherlands and Germany.

Initially I was a bit apprehensive but was told that the Netherlands has so few strays that there is a 'shortage' of adoptable dogs and that this way at least some foreign dogs can find a good home.

I was also told that Foundation AAI can place foreign dogs which have to go to the UK first with a Dutch foster family and once the paperwork is sorted out the dog can go to the UK without having to go into quarantine. Sorting the paperwork still takes months but at least quarantine can be avoided and the pet will be with a family rather than an organisation.

Foundation AAI can also help with the paperwork of bringing the dog/cat from India to the Netherlands. There is still the cost of transport and some incidental cost but these do not come close to the quarantine cost.

This will make is easier for people who want to take their Indian pet back to the UK.

machadinha

??? Don't quote me on this, but that's not at all what I hear (my friend works in the wider field, and has worked at shelters). Like anywhere else, pet shelters are absolutely overrun here. It may not be about strays so much, but they get dumped all the same. I've been pondering lately to volunteer to look after dogs with behavioral problems, something that seems to be much needed, to increase their chances of finding a home in the future. As you know, if they can't be placed, they'll get euthanized at some point, sooner rather than later (this came up on another thread some time ago, and no, of course this isn't unique to India).

Another thing I don't get is I had heard those quarantine rules in the UK had been dropped. I've heard conflicting stories about this. But whether they have or they haven't, why would they still stand for a place like India, and not for the Netherlands?

I'm not trying to discredit that organization off-hand, but sounds to me like a story that could bear further research.

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birds

I agree it does come across as too good to be true, hence my apprehension. I would be very keen to learn more. I have been able to find statistics on how many shelter animals are put down in the US, Italy and UK. But none for Germany, the Netherlands and France.

Apparently the UK allows pets from certain European countries, including the Netherlands, if they have a pet passport which shows their vaccinations etc. So the Indian pets would still need to get that passport which will take months but at least they will be with a family rather than in quarantine.

Don't get me wrong I do not think this is a mass solution but they they might be able to help out the few people that want to take their pet to the UK.

I was told of one English man who took his pets from India and first lived six months in the Netherlands and than moved back to the UK. And about another who left her Indian pets with a family in France until they were eligible for the pet passport.

Requires quite a bit of organisation but at least these are better solutions than dumping the animals here in India. And if Foundation AAI can help with facilitating this it may just help to convince a few people that there are options available.

machadinha

I'll do some asking around over the coming days on both questions, Birds. Yank my ear if I forget.

machadinha

Little update: That UK quarantaine business is unclear, I assume the regulations should be easy to find on the web. I seem to remember someone who moved out there precisely because she could finally take her dog with her, but I'm not sure and I can't reach her.

About the NL situation, it probably differs from cities to small towns, or even between those. But in general, what I hear is shelters are indeed overrun, albeit with cats more than dogs. Again, it may differ per shelter, but I'm told they don't get put down; what this results in is if they're full, they're full. With dogs, this means they're mostly left with the really neurotic and unplacable ones. Adoption addresses seem to be hard to find, in any case. Even guide dogs for the blind (who need to start off with a period of social training) seem to be not easy to place -- and those are puppies which people tend to find cuter, and they may think it's for a good cause.

So again, this organization may have built their own network and I don't mean to discredit them in any way just like that, but I think the story could do with further looking into.

Dellon

I once tried to bring a dozen cobra's back to the UK but I got stopped at Customs, they did'nt find anything, I drank them on the plane...sorry could'nt resist it

Nick-H

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