What would you have done?

[SpottedBlue]

Tied up on the departure pontoons at St Peter Port on Monday watching a sweet young child off a uk registered mobo playing with a puppy on the pontoon. Soon after a German catamaran arrives with a dog on board - soon both dogs and owners are playing on the pontoon. Then the Germans get in the dinghy with their dog and row ashore.
As far as I recall, this infringes just about every anti rabies regulation and under the rules both dogs would be liable to be quarantined for 6 months.
We did nothing, I guess we should have reported it and since then I feel very uncomfortable about it.
While all this was going on the harbour staff were zooming around collecting dues, I wonder if they have their priorities right?



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Sybarite]

Vaccination certificates are now accepted. The previous quarantine rules no longer apply.

John

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[peterb]

Vaccination certificates are now accepted.....

...but not off yachts in the UK. Spotted Blue is right, the dog would have been liable to quarantine when it landed in the UK. And I would be surprised if it were acceptable in Guernsey, either.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[kingfisher]

Paranoia?

I guess there is about as much chance for a UK dog to have rabies as a German dog. So I find it funny to see the ghasp-reaction on seing a foreign dog walk the pontoon. Yes, we all know continental canines are rife with infection. And those overseas barbarians, obviously none of them are aware of the fact that thier pets can be vaccinated

Had he been from the Bordeaux-region, I would understand. And I think people should be weary of all strange dogs, and certainly not let their children play with them.

How many dogs come by chunnel to the UK every day? When was the last case where a continental dog caused a rabies-epidemic?


Aren't we just a teensie bit irrational?


<hr width=100% size=1>Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[claymore]

Answer

Shoot ra dogs and droon the childer? They wid in East Kulbride - ask Jamesie


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>regards
Claymore<font color=purple>
/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Iota]

Could be perfectly OK
http://www.guernseytouristboard.com/information/default.aspx

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/index.htm

Friend single hands his boat wife and dog go by ferry and they meet the other end.

Ioata

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[tcm]

Re: Another Answer

I think I would have given the dinghy a vaccination. Sure, it might not have been popular but you can't be too careful.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[PaulF]

In addition to the comments above, even going back several years I can recall that all German and Swiss owned dogs were supposed to be vaccinated against rabies. So I would be very surprized if the German dog you saw was not vaccinated. I wondered why we didnt do it here at the time. So rest easy.
In this country we were brainwashed about rabid dogs in Europe. Quite how bad it was I dont know, but I dont recall seing one single newspaper article that actually cited a real case of rabies.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Metabarca]

Re: Paranoia?

I have to agree that Britain has always been a wee bit paranoid about rabies, which should it arrive, is more likely to do so by fox than by pet dog. My parents live out in the country here: Karst woodlands full of roe deer, boar, foxes, stone martens and even bears and wolves. Their dog was not vaccinated against rabies, often went for a romp on her own in the woods and never even caught a cold in 14 years.
So, sure, make sure incoming pets are vaccinated and enforce the rule but let's not go overboard, eh!
There are far more nasties arriving in Europe and the UK in cargoes of bananas and timber than in people's cars and boats. IMHO.


<hr width=100% size=1>Adriatic links here: <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html>http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html</A>

 

[Brian_B]

All this quarantine stuff is crap (excuse my French). If you ask a quarantine kennel owner how many rabies cases they've seen, the answer will be none!
Quarantine is an excuse for under worked officials to throw their weight around and kennel owners to line their pockets.
Almost forgot the vets who make money from vaccinations and inspections and more inspections and ....


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[boatmike]

Re: Answer

Sure they wouldn't have shot the lot and drowned the Germans?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Guest]

I thought quarantine was now not used

In line with EU - I thought that Vaccination Cards were in force now - not the old quarantine system ..... I thought it changed a few years back.

<hr width=100% size=1>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/
Posts personal opinions and maybe controversial

 

[SpottedBlue]

>Vaccination certificates are now accepted. The previous quarantine rules no >longer apply.

I am suprised at that because the notice boards at the top of the pontoons and harbour entrance and the information in the 2004 harbour guide as far as I recollect all clearly state that animals from abroad cannot be landed and that any animals must be isolated on board and not allowed on pontoons. If the rules have changed then the information should be updated.



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Iota]

technically the signs are correct but perhaps should be altered to state those outside the EEC. For the UK you can only land a dog from abroad through a recognised route. So for dogs with pet passports dog and person take a ferry to say Cherbourg or St Malo and they then join the cruise and reverse the procedure on the way back. You could quite legally go via the Channel Islands to Cherbourg and put dog and accompying person on a Ferry.

As the Channel Islands are not part of the EEC how many of you come direct to the UK and fly a yellow and report in?

Iota

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[claymore]

Re: Another Answer

Daft old sod!

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>regards
Claymore<font color=purple>
/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Sybarite]

<< EU pet passport (From British Consulate site)

From 3 July 2004, dogs, cats and ferrets meeting the necessary requirements will be able to move between EU Member States if they are accompanied by an EU pet passport. >>

I stand corrected relating to dogs off yachts. Sorry.

A few years ago (15/20) in France, rabies was gradually approaching the Paris area through infected foxes. However the last infected fox was analysed in 1998 and rabies is now considered to have been eradicated in France except for that carried by bats. (14 cases of infected bats identified between 1989 and 2002.) The last person to be infected was in 1924.

The authorities are maintaining their vigilance to avoid what happened in the States where a new more virulent strain broke out.

John

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[SpottedBlue]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3618866.stm>New Rabies alert in France</A>

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[SpottedBlue]

Quote from the Guernsey Harbour Authority web site below - seems like neither the UK or German vessels should have been on the pontoon and the German definitely shouldn't have had the dog locked up below and not it ashore. If the Uk vessel had been to Cherbourg first that would apply to that also.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.guernseyharbours.gov.gg/>http://www.guernseyharbours.gov.gg/</A>

Animals On Board
Because of Rabies, all vessels arriving in the Harbour with animals on board will be subject to controlled mooring.
The landing of animals from vessels arriving in Guernsey directly or indirectly from elsewhere other than the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey or the other islands of the Bailiwick is strictly prohibited. Any animal on board any such vessel in harbour in the Bailiwick or at anchor or moored in the territorial waters adjacent thereto must remain securely confined with an enclosed part of the vessel from which it cannot escape. Any such animal found ashore or not confined on the vessel will be detained and may be subject to six months' quarantine or destroyed and the Master of the vessel prosecuted. Unless express permission is granted by a Customs Officer, no vessel with an animal on board may moor alongside a pontoon or quay. Under no circumstances will any vessel irrespective of its last port of call be permitted to enter the marinas with any animal aboard.



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[USM]

In most countries in western Europe (Italy for sure and I think also Germany) rabies does not exist anymore although authorities keep asking for vaccination certificate...I wouldn't be very unconfortable especially since it is probably a German dog (not African or something else)

<hr width=100% size=1>