Pet travel scheme to be extended to North America

Pets from North America may be allowed into UK without quarantine

source: Veterinary Record vol 151 no 1, July 6 2002 p2

The UK government plans to allow pets from Canada and the US to enter the UK through the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), though this is conditional on further research on this topic, scheduled for completion in autumn 2002. Animal health and welfare minister, Elliot Morley, has announced that a risk assessment on the possibility of rabies being imported into the UK was commissioned by the government, to help with making a decision on whether to extend PETS to North America. This research found no significant risk. Peer review of the research has raised some questions, and the government has commissioned more research to look at those questions. This additional research should be finished in autumn 2002, when Morley expects to make another announcement on a possible extension of the PETS scheme. The government is also talking to the European Commission about treatment of Canada and the US within planned European Union regulation.
GN,LW