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Thread: Rabies vaccination for cats

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    UK to Auckland
    Posts
    32

    Default Rabies vaccination for cats

    Hi guys - has anyone shipped a cat from the UK since the new rules came in at the beginning of 2012? I have been reading the MAF Guidance regarding the rabies vaccination and it is not entirely clear whether your cat needs to have had a primary vaccination and then a booster OR if a booster is sufficent? It makes sense that a booster can only be applied if the primary has been administered, but does anyone have any experience of this? The cats went to the vet today and the vet appears to have given them the booster but I do not think they have ever had the primary (both were adopted so do not have their complete medical history). I am hoping this was not an error by the vet

    Thanks for your help !
    Last edited by plastickiwi; 12th July 2012 at 11:46 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Scotland to Wellington
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    1,454

    Default

    Can't help you there as our animals including a cat came here in 2010. I do know though once we missed the booster vaccination for our cat and left it too long so the vet had to start again with the primary injection and then the booster. I would just ask the vet if the cat needed the original starter injection. And your pet shipper should know about the new rules as well.
    Good luck!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    UK to Auckland
    Posts
    32

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    All is not lost it appears. Yes, the vet did administer a booster but accordingly to DEFRA a top-up can be administered and this should be sufficent. Only problem is that there is now a 6 month period to wait before the cats can be shipped to NZ. Need to wait another 14 days for the top up to be applied, but it could be worse I suppose. Still intend to check with MAF that is acceptable, but will post the outcome.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Ashburton, New Zealand
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    Glad this has worked out for you. We've got well and truly caught by this new rule (blasted EU-compliance!). We're bringing our 2 cats out from the UK to Chch - they were going to go in September until I was made aware of the rabies thing. Did my research in November last year - not well enough obviously! Now the cats are going to have to have a 4 month 'holiday' at my husband's sister's house before they get shipped out. Not the biggest disaster, but a pain in the backside. I just wish I was better at planning!

    Hope things go well with the shipping. Who're you using?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Ashburton, New Zealand
    Posts
    75

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    Arghhh... cats got their first rabies vaccinations this morning! My ears are still ringing from the indignant meowing. It seems much more difficult to move the cats than it used to be. Not sure it is worth it for all the stress to the cats.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,823

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    Cats don't have all the angst humans are caused by imagining the future and remembering the past. Sure, they didn't like having their jabs. They'll have pretty much forgotten by now, though. When the time comes for the move, they'll be indignant when first crated, but will settle to sleep for much of the time when they realize they haven't any choice in the matter, likewise in quarantine. MUCH less hassle than for you!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    UK to Auckland
    Posts
    32

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    Chalkgirl - most of the international shippers seem to recommend Airpets, but they are not cheap. I have been recommended a few others (sorry the names escape me at the moment), one of which I am actually going to see this week. I will let you know how it goes and give you the names of the other pet transporters.

    Have you selected your shippers for your own belongings?

    Chris

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Leith to Rangiora
    Posts
    28

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    Chalk girl, we're using Passport for Pets to take a dog and two cats to NZ. They are very friendly and helpful and somehow have come in at £1500 cheaper than almost all the other companies who quoted.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Ashburton, New Zealand
    Posts
    75

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    Yeah... We're going with Airpets at the moment out of ease (and laziness!). They're prepared to pick up from Norwich, where the cats are going to be having their holiday. Not excessively cheap but not extortionate either.

    We're using Anglo Pacific to ship. They seem pretty sorted so far. Time will tell though. They come to pack on the 10th of September all things going to plan.

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