Failing border controls leave dogs and people 'at risk' of disease

Britain's border control system leaves both the public and dogs at risk of diseases, a leading charity has warned. The Dogs Trust fears unscrupulous breeders can bring dogs into the country undetected - increasing the chances of serious diseases risk entering the UK.

The charity's Claire Calder warned the present "system is wide open to exploitation, putting dogs and the public at risk".

This comes on the heels of a warning from Westminster's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee that the UK is "failing to provide a robust, risk-based regime of inspection" with "real threats to the health of UK animals and plants and therefore the viability of our agricultural and horticultural sectors". The MPs heard how the situation "may be creating incentives and opportunities for criminals".

The Dogs Trust had welcomed plans for the UK's post-Brexit animal import system, hoping the welfare of all dogs would be checked when they entered into the country. The charity had campaigned for years for action to tackle the import of underage puppies and heavily pregnant dogs.

A priority is keeping rabies and "brucella canis" out of the UK. If transmitted to humans, the latter can cause flu-like symptoms but also result in bone disease.

It was reported that last year 333 cases of brucella canis were under investigation, and in one case it was contracted by a dog owner.

The Dogs Trust says the "promised protections are not being delivered, with serious gaps in enforcement leaving the system vulnerable to abuse". It is also concerned about the "rabies vaccination status of imported dogs".

Ms Calder said the original plans "would have gone a long way in reducing the number of dogs arriving in the UK in poor health and welfare conditions for sale". But she said the charity is now "deeply concerned that the reality falls far short of the promise"

However, a spokesperson for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "Great Britain has one of the toughest pet border checking regimes in the world and we are committed to preserving high standards of biosecurity and animal welfare. Our measures include 100% documentary checks on all dogs entering GB and a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment or an unlimited fine for illegally importing a dog."

Defra says that if a risk is identified then checks are carried out by vets at the animal's destination. The UK and the EU have agreed to work towards the creation of a "common sanitary and physosanitary area" which the Government expects to reduce costs and delays resulting from certification and border checks.