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Adopting a dog or cat from Greece On Sunday 2nd November 2008 I received the following email from a holiday maker who visited the island of Corfu. We receive many similar emails from tourists wishing to enquire about the procedure for bringing home the strays they have encountered while on holiday in Greece.
We have been given your details from a local animal charity organisation, Friends of Animals, and hope that you will be able to give us some much needed advice. We have just returned from a holiday in Corfu where the English owner of our hotel had rescued two puppies which had been tied in a carrier bag and put in a waste bin. She is currently feeding the puppies with a bottle every 2 hours and they appear to be doing well. She is unable to keep the puppies herself as she already has quite a menagerie, although is happy to look after them in the short term. We are both very interested in finding out the procedure and also the costs involved of bringing these puppies back to the UK and adopting them ourselves and your advice would be greatly appreciated. We have attached a photo of them so you can see how young (and gorgeous!) they are. Many thanks for any help that you can give us. Linda and John |
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Below is the response I sent to Linda along with all the information regarding the Pet Travel Scheme. Hi,Please find attached the file which explains the procedure for bringing dogs/cats to the UK, normally taking a minimum 7 months, but because the pups are so young, it would probably take 10 months (because they can't have the anti-rabies vaccine till they're at least 3 months old) Of course they would both need to be fully vaccinated, microchipped and blood-tested as well. It's difficult to say what the total cost would come to - the vets fees for vaccinations, microchip, blood-test etc would probably be around £200 each (this would include a passport) and of course they would need to be taken care of for the months it takes to prepare them for the UK ... would the English hotel owner be willing to do that? Of course you would probably need to pay towards their day-to-day keep, but if you kennelled them, it would cost at least 15-20euro per day, though kennel environment wouldn't be suitable for such young puppies. There are no shelters on Corfu, apart from one which is run by two mad Greek sisters and I wouldn't trust them to take care of a tortoise, never mind a dog. I'm a great believer in the saying: 'where there's a will, there's a way' .... you could raise some money by asking a couple of local newspapers to write an article & include an appeal ... it is a 'sob' story and Brits are great in responding to such appeals. You could also organise a raffle, a quiz night at a local pub, a sponsored walk .... the possibilities are many, you just have to be positive. Do please let me know what you decide and if you need any further advice, you can write to me or call me anytime. Regards, Vesna |
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Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) is the system that allows pet dogs, cats and ferrets from certain countries to enter the UK without quarantine as long as they meet the rules. It also means that people in the UK can take their dogs, cats and ferrets to other European Union (EU) countries, and return with them to the UK. They can also, having taken their dogs, cats and ferrets to certain non-EU countries, bring them back to the UK without the need for quarantine. The rules are to keep the UK free from rabies and certain other diseases. Information on the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) can be found on the DEFRA and the Directgov websites. Adopting a Rescue Dog - a free guide
Rescuing a dog from a shelter is a wonderful way to give a dog a second chance at life, and find yourself a new best friend. But, how do you help start this new relationship off on the right paw? This FREE Guide walks you through the first seven days of Adopting a Shelter Dog. From selecting a dog that will be a good fit with your family through to establishing routines and socialization. Each chapter ends with a real story from a family that adopted a rescue dog, sharing with you the joys and the challenges that accompany any adoption. With seven simple lessons, the book helps you ease the transition from shelter life to home life for you and your pup. You can download your copy here. |
