Animals; live, n.e.c. in chapter 01 – United Kingdom

This notification concerns a declaration of special measures necessary to prevent the further incursion of Brucella canis (B. canis) to Great Britain (GB). The measures require mandatory pre-importation testing for B. canis for all commercially imported dogs entering Great Britain which originate in or are dispatched from Romania. A commercially imported dog is 'any movement which has as its aim either the sale or transfer of ownership of a pet dog'. This includes dogs being moved for the purpose of rescue and rehoming. All commercial imports of dogs originating in or dispatched from Romania must obtain a negative test result for B. canis from the UK approved laboratory 'the Animal and Plant Health Agency Surveillance & Laboratory Services Department' in Weybridge. The importer must provide evidence of the negative laboratory report which must be uploaded into Import of Product, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) and checked by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) before the animal can enter Great Britain. The measures are necessary to protect animal and human health from disease. The special measures do not apply in relation to the non-commercial movement of pet animals, nor to the importation of commercial consignments which have been pre-notified via IPAFFS and approved by APHA for travel on or before the date the declaration is made.