{"id":2177,"date":"2018-10-05T12:00:35","date_gmt":"2018-10-05T12:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/?p=2177"},"modified":"2022-02-27T23:02:31","modified_gmt":"2022-02-27T23:02:31","slug":"do-northern-ireland-pets-need-passports-for-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/topics\/health\/do-northern-ireland-pets-need-passports-for-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Northern Ireland pets need passports for Ireland?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This includes your pet being marked by a transponder (microchip) and vaccinated against rabies. There are presently no border checks for pets (as official policy); however it is uncertain what regulations will apply post-Brexit.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UPDATE: This fact check is republished with updated information. There is no change in the verdict of the claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Worries about Brexit and pets<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, several media resources (1<\/a>; 2<\/a>; 3<\/a>; 4<\/a>) reported concerns about what a \u201cno deal\u201d Brexit would mean, not for Irish or UK citizens themselves, but for their pets. (There\u2019s even an anti-Brexit campaign called Wooferendum<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some specific concerns around what actions owners and their pets would have to take in a \u201cno deal\u201d scenario, if they want to travel from Northern Ireland to Ireland and vice versa after 29 March 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BBC Northern Ireland Economics & Business Editor, John Campbell, remarked that Northern Ireland pet owners already have to take measures for travelling with their pets. On 24 September 2018, he tweeted<\/a> that \u201cif you wanted to take your dog to Dunfanaghy … you’re supposed to have a valid pet passport\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a \u201ctravelling pet\u201d?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The travelling of pets between EU countries is regulated by the EU Regulation No 576\/2013<\/a>. \u201cTravelling\u201d means the \u201cnon-commercial movement of pet animals into an EU country from another EU country, a territory or a non-EU country\u201d. \u201cPets\u201d are defined as cats, dogs and ferrets: animals susceptible to rabies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four conditions must be fulfilled if you want your pet to travel between EU countries; these are stated in Article 6 of the Regulation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Microchip (or \u201cclearly readable tattoo applied before 3\/7\/2011\u201d)<\/li>
  2. Anti-rabies vaccination<\/li>
  3. Compliant with preventable health measures for diseases or infections beyond rabies (Article 19(1))<\/li>
  4. Accompanied by an identification document (in accordance with Article 22)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    What is a \u201cpet passport\u201d?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It is this \u201cidentification document\u201d that Campbell is referring to in his tweet. The document is modeled as an \u201cEU pet passport\u201d, specified in EU Regulation No. 577\/2013<\/a> and applicable since 29 December 2014<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The pet passport contains information about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n