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(Britains Position, January 2000)
The Ministry Of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF) have established a website which explains the current UK quarantine laws and the NEW arrangements coming into effect that enable the movement of dogs in/out of the UK without the need for quarantine. Please visit the MAFF site for fuller details
Please Note--- The notes below were written in 1996 and are in need of an update
(Rabies Free Countries)
Hawaii operates an 120 day quanrantine confinement system (couple months less than in the UK). It is noteworthy that the only exemptions to this are for animals coming from Australia, the British Isles and New Zealand as these are the only countries that Hawaii recognises as being rabies free.(Rabies Worlwide)
An authorative read is the World Health Organisation's report "World Survey of rabies for the year 1992" in which the distribution of rabies is documented, and confirms Hawai's positionas one of the few countries that are rabies free. Some statistics - "worldwide more than 33,000 people die of rabies each year, most of them in China and India. Human cases of rabies in Europe are relatively rare. Only 8 such cases reported in 1993, all were fatal as were the 12 cases reported in Europe in 1992. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (USA) the estimate of deaths in humans caused by rabies is higher than WHO and is estimated at 40.000 to 100,000. This report also states that whilst the number of human rabies cases in the USA has significantly reduced, the total number of animal rabies cases has approached historical limits by 1993.Some examples of USA statements -. New York State Department Of Health 1995 Annual Rabies Summary listed three trends, 1 Second human rabies death in a New York hospital in three years associated with an unrecognised exposure to bat rabies. 2 Continued spread of raccoon rabies into previously unaffected areas. 3 A second wave of rabid raccoons in areas first affected by the rabies epizootic. The summary goes on to state that a total of 889 towns and 57 counties in the state have been affected since the outbreak started in 1990. Interestingly, 96% of the cases occured in wildlife, just 3 dogs and 27 cats identified as rabies infected. Some other USA statements -The Fayetteville Observer-Times 1995, "No Time To Relax - regions rabies epidemic is still going strong". "The quarantine restricting the movement of animals across county lines remains in force". Here's a press release from the Broward County Goverment "Cat and Dog Rabies in Florida Remain At Highest Levels In 25 Years". The main recommendations involve vaccinating pets every year against rabies and keeping pets away from wildlife. North Caroline Department of Agriculture stated "State Rabies for 1995 Hit Record High with a 250 percent increase in 1995 over the previous year. Southern Texas apparently has a particular problem onthe borders with Mexico with concern that Coyote rabies will/is spilling over into the domestic animal population and special measures are in force.
Not seen to be picking on the USA, rabies is endemic in Mexico, parts of Asia, Africa. The common theme here is that WILDLIFE is the main carrier of the rabies disease and that the danger occurs by wildlife coming in contact with domestic animals.
(Wildlife)
It seems to depend what country you live in as to the main carriers of rabies. The New York State report listed raccoons, skunks, bats, fox's, woodchucks, deer, beaver, bobcat, cats, dogs, cattle, ferret and horses as confimed cases. The WHO are coordinating a campaign and estimate that more than 59 million vaccine baits have been distributed in more than 15 countries in Europe and North America.(Cost)
The Palm Beach Town Crier News stated a cost of US Dollars 800 per person for the month long series of vaccinations per person, so a few thousand dollars to protect the whole family. According to the Daily University Star Online News October 1995, Texas is under a rabies quarantine and the police can hand out citations starting at 50 us dollars and/or confiscate pets without papers showing they have been vaccinated against rabies and are transported across town or state lines. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention gives the example of the potential exposure to a single rabid kitten in New Hampshire led to the treatment of more than 650 persons at an estimated cost of 1.5 million US dollars.(Closing Comment)
This is an enormous subject. This writer writer had no idea of the scope and enormity of the problems that exist, particularly amongst wildlife until he undertook study for this articleWhere does this leave us with Quarantine? Well I guess from Britains perspective as an Island State, protected by our water boundaries, remaining rabies free is a healthy situation that will be vigorously defended. As well as the obvious health benefits, as is apparent from the last paragraph, there is an enormous economic incentive to keep rabies out. Britains position with the EEC member countries is to encourage them to eradicate rabies, and then Britain can consider further relaxation in their quarantine regulations.
Unfortunatley, rabies can incubate for several months in an affected animal, hence Britains 6 month period. It may be that as medical science advances, tests may become available that can more earlier confirm that an animal is/is not rabies affected, and perhaps enable Britain to shorten the quarantine period.
I am sure all in Europe would like to see open borders with Britain which would enable more frequent exhange of animals and bloodlines. For now, we'll just have to remain grateful to those few people who endure the time and expense of importing into Britain.
I hope this brief article has helped put some perspective on rabies and quarantine, its a much bigger problem than I imagined when I set out to write this article.
Steve Tillotson 101451.505@compuserve.com April 1996Click here to return to MAIN MENU