Infectious animal diseases and control
Importation of animals
The importation of live animals into the UK is subject to a number of legal requirements. The Swindon Borough Council Animal Health and Welfare service is responsible for enforcing these rules within the Borough of Swindon.
The rules require that pets imported into the UK are quarantined in Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) approved facilities for six months. But there are some exemptions to these rules under a scheme called The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS).
PETS allows domestic pet animals from designated countries to enter the United Kingdom without quarantine as long as they meet the scheme rules. The scheme also means that UK residents can take their pets to the designated countries and return to the UK without quarantine.
The PETS rules include a requirement to have pets vaccinated for rabies and to have a 'Pet Passport'.