Crufts is officially the world's biggest dog show and that means thousands of canines coming from across the globe to compete for the coveted Best in Show trophy.
But overseas entries have fallen significantly this year because of Brexit worries.
Crufts 2019 Best in Show winner Kathleen Roosens, from Belgium, who triumphed last year with her papillon called Dylan, said: "I think fewer Europeans entered Crufts this year purely because of Brexit – nothing else.
"Some people I spoke to feared they needed rabies tests and others didn’t enter because of not knowing what 'worse case' could be."
So what are the rules for travelling to and from Crufts with your dog?
Which country are you coming from?
The rules for bringing your dog (or cat or ferret) into the UK depend on whether you’re coming from:
a) An EU country, or another country the UK accepts pet passports from - these are Andorra, Azores and Madeira, Canary Islands, French Guiana, Gibraltar, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Martinique, Monaco, Norway, Reunion, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican City
b) A listed country - Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Ascension Island, Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Bermuda, BES Islands (Bonair, Saint Eustatius and Saba), Bosnia-Herzegovina, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Curaçao, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Russian Federation, Saint Maarten, Singapore, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Pierre and Miquelon, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, USA (includes American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US virgin Islands), Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna.
c) An unlisted country - a country the UK does not accept a pet passport from, and one that is not in the above list of listed countries.
d) There are more rules if you’re entering the UK with a cat from Australia or a cat or dog from Malaysia
Crufts 2020
The rules for bringing pets to the UK
The UK Government says you can enter or return to the UK with your pet dog (or cat or ferret) if it has been microchipped; has a pet passport or listed country official veterinary certificate; and has been vaccinated against rabies. It will also need a blood test if you’re travelling from an unlisted country (see above).
Dogs must also usually be given a tapeworm treatment.
Your pet could be put into quarantine for up to four months if you do not follow these rules - or refused entry if you travelled by sea. You’re responsible for any fees or charges.
You must follow extra rules if the animals will be sold in the UK from outside the EU or inside the EU; or rehomed in the UK from inside or outside the EU.
If you bring a banned breed of dog into the UK it can be taken away from you by the police or local authorities and could be destroyed, even if it is not acting dangerously and there have been no complaints.
Banned breeds are:
- Pit bull terrier
- Japanese tosa
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
Whether your dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name. So if your dog has many of the characteristics of a pit bull, it may be determined to be a banned type.
Your pet must arrive in the UK no more than five days before or after you, or you will have to follow different rules.
Pet owners must use an approved transport company and route unless travelling between the UK and Ireland.
They need to fill in a declaration confirming they are not going to sell or transfer the ownership of their animal.
Before you set off, check if your chosen travel company will accept your pet- make sure there isn't a maximum if you are bringing more than one.
Also check if the travel operator needs any proof that your pet is fit and healthy to travel, such as a letter from a vet or specific information in your pet passport.
Your pet can travel with someone else if you have authorised it in writing.
What about guide dogs and assistance dogs?
People who need a dog to assist them are allowed to travel on more routes than other pet owners.
They can also go in places where other dogs would not be allowed, such as in a passenger cabin on a plane.
But they must also meet the regular rules for travelling with dogs.
How has Brexit changed the rules for 2020?
The rules for pet travel in and out of the UK have not yet changed.
They will remain the same during the transition period for the UK's departure from the EU, during which all the terms of Brexit will be finalised.
That transition period ends on December 31, 2020.
Pet passports issued in the UK will be valid during the transition period. So nothing has yet changed.
Bill Lambert, spokesperson for Kennel Club which organises Crufts, said: " The movement of dogs in a post-Brexit world is a concern ahead of Crufts, and many dog owners – who needed to enter the show by 20th January – could have been put off by the uncertainty around pet travel.
"While we now know from Defra that pet travel regulations will remain the same throughout the transition period, we were only notified of this the week after entries for Crufts closed, so were unable to reassure potential competitors before they made a decision to enter.
“This could have had an impact on international entries. We continue to urge all dog owners to read the Defra advice by visiting the Government website for the latest information on how to prepare their dogs for foreign travel.
"But in the meantime, all entered dogs and visitors are welcomed to this year’s Crufts, where they will be treated to another fantastic and international event."
It's Crufts 2021 where things could get interesting. See the potential changes to pet travel detailed below.
Cats and dogs
Are there changes coming?
Yes, there are changes that will affect travelling with pets from the UK to EU after January 1 2021, and it depends how the UK is categorised as part of its exit from the European Union.
But travelling from the EU into the UK won't change, the Government says.
Travel from EU to UK
The Government says there will be NO CHANGE to the current health preparations for pets coming from the EU to the UK on and after January 1, 2021.
Pets entering the UK must have:
- an EU pet passport (issued in the EU or UK before January 2021)
- the AHC issued in the UK used to travel to the EU (which you can use up to four months after it was issued)
- a UK pet health certificate (for travel into the UK only)
And, as before, you will also need to give your dog a tapeworm treatment no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (five days) before entering the UK (except if coming to the UK from Finland, Malta or the Republic of Ireland).
You must travel using approved routes, except if you have an assistance dog. Your documents and microchip will be checked when entering England, Scotland or Wales. Different rules apply in Northern Ireland.
Travel from UK to EU
From January 1. 2021 you will not be able to use the existing pet passport scheme for travelling from the UK to the EU.
For pets travelling from the UK to the EU, travel requirements will change depending what category the UK becomes.
If the UK becomes an unlisted country , a current EU pet passport issued in the UK will not be valid for travel to the EU.
Before your dog (or cat or ferret) can travel, you’ll need to take the following steps.
1. You must have your dog, cat or ferret microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.
2. Your pet must have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after its last rabies vaccination (whether that’s a booster or initial vaccination). Your vet may recommend a booster rabies vaccination before this test.
3. Your pet’s blood sample will be sent to a to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory.
4. Wait three months from the date the successful blood sample was taken before you can travel.
5. The vet must give you a copy of the test results and enter the day the blood sample was taken in an animal health certificate (AHC).
You must also take your pet to your vet no more than 10 days before travel to get an animal health certificate (AHC).
To get the AHC, you need to take proof of your pet's vaccination history, microchipping date and a successful rabies antibody blood test result.
The AHC is valid for 10 days after the date of issue for entry into the UK, for onward travel within the EU for four months and for re-entry to the UK for four months.
If you’re travelling with your dog directly to Finland, Republic of Ireland or Malta, it must have treatment against tapeworm one to five days before arriving in one of those countries.
If the UK becomes a listed country, different rules will apply.
You will need to have your pet microchipped and vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before travel. You’ll need to make sure your pet’s rabies vaccinations are kept up to date and make sure your dog has tapeworm treatment if needed.
In the case of us becoming a Part 1 listed country , you must also apply for a new document, the UK pet passport. You can use this for travel to the EU for your pet’s lifetime (or until full) as long as your pet’s rabies vaccinations are kept up to date.
And if the UK becomes a Part 2 listed country , you must also visit an official vet no more than 10 days before you travel to get an AHC confirming that your pet is microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.
Your pet will need a new AHC for each trip to the EU if the UK becomes a Part 2 listed country. On arrival in the EU, pet owners travelling with pets need to come through a designated entry point and may need to present proof of microchip, rabies vaccination and tapeworm treatment if required.
