Cats, dogs evacuated from Afghanistan to quarantine for up to four months in UK

The cats and dogs transported out of Kabul last week to Great Britain will spend up to four months in quarantine, a spokesperson from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told Al Arabiya English.

Following a high-profile campaign to rescue almost 200 dogs and cats, a privately-funded chartered plane carried the founder of Nowzad animal charity Paul “Pen” Farthing flew out of Kabul to the UK.

While the rescued pets were flown to safety, the charity’s Afghan staff were left behind in Kabul.

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“The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has issued licenses for Nowzad’s cats and dogs to be transported to pre-arranged quarantine facilities where they will remain for four months or until compliant, whichever is earlier,” the spokesperson said. “There are a number of approved APHA quarantine facilities in the UK. We are ensuring that our high standards of animal health and biosecurity are protected.”

The rules for bringing pet animals into Great Britain depend on the country they are coming from.

Pets can enter if they have been microchipped, have a pet passport or health certificate and have been vaccinated against rabies, the spokesperson said, adding that the animal may also need a blood test if traveling from a country that is not listed.

Dogs must also usually have a tapeworm treatment (unless travelling from a country that is recognized as tapeworm free). Animals that do not meet these requirements may be put in quarantine for up to four months.

In 2020, there were 73,730 commercial pet movements into Britain, 66,952 of which were dogs.

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