Since 7 October, new rules require mandatory pre-import testing for Brucella canis for all commercial dog imports from Romania into Great Britain. This also applies in case of sale or transfer of ownership – including to rehome rescue animals.
Testing prior to travel
An authorised veterinarian in Romania must take a sample and send it to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in the UK for testing, prior to import. Serum samples will be tested for Brucella canis ELISA and SAT. If both tests are negative, the dog can enter Great Britain no later than 30 days from when the blood sample was taken.
Increase in B. canis among imported dogs
According to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, there has been a steady increase in the number of B. canis cases in Great Britain, the majority of which have been found in imported dogs with around 50% of all identified infections since 2020 in dogs from Romania.
Zoonotic risk
The Gram-negative bacterium B. canis spreads predominantly via reproductive fluids. The risk of spread is particularly high if a pregnant bitch aborts a litter of puppies. The disease can also be spread via blood, urine and saliva. Pet owners and people in contact with the bodily fluids of infected dogs, such as laboratory workers and veterinary professionals, are at zoonotic risk.
Calling for mandatory identification for all cats and dogs
'Sadly, cross border adoption of rescue dogs brings a lot of risk for both animal and public health,' Ann Criel, UEVP board member and Fecava President warns. 'And there's not just the risk of brucellosis, but also other diseases including rabies. We hope that the upcoming EU regulation will make the identification and registration of all pets mandatory, so that dogs (and cats) will be traceable from 8 weeks, reducing the risk of illegal and irresponsible trade.'
FVE and Fecava are calling for mandatory identification of all cats and dogs in the EU. Together with FVE and Fecava, UEVP furthermore published a position paper on responsible dog trade.
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