How can Bosnian dogs brought to the UK be illegal?

This is a question I have been asked a number of times. The answer is also important to understand my next two posts.

Please bear with as it's quite detailed though easily understood.

Pet Passport Scheme: this is exactly what is says, a passport for YOUR pet. The assumption is that responsible owners will ensure their dogs are healthy and vaccinations, worming etc are up to date. They are ONLY for use when a dog is travelling with it's owner or an appointed legal representative who is travelling with or within 5 days of your dog from the same country of origin to destination.

Further,"you or your representative must sign a Declaration of Non-Commercial Transport stating that your pet's transport does not involve the sale or transfer of ownership of your pet."

This is applicable for all animals coming to the UK using the PET passport scheme(exceptions for show or exhibition dogs exist). So, if your dog has left it's country of origin using the Pet passport scheme and did not fulfil the requirements above, your dog entered the UK illegally.

The majority of rescue dogs entering the UK are not registered to or travelling with their new owners and must therefore comply with the Balai conditions for commercial imports.

General Balai requirements - intra EU trade

Animals moved under Balai must be the subject of trade and come from a registered or approved premises.

A registered premises can be, for example, a breeder registered with their local authority or the competent authority in the country of origin.

An approved premises must meet the more stringent bio-security requirements and be approved by the competent authority of the country of origin. The main requirements are that the site must:

• have clear boundaries between itself and the surrounding area; in order to avoid a health risk;
• be able to catch, confine and isolate animals;
• have adequate quarantine facilities for isolation and testing animals coming from non-approved sources;
• be disease free;
• keep records of age, sex, species, blood tests, and diseases;
• have an appropriate facility for post-mortems;
• be able to dispose of carcasses safely;
• employ a vet who is approved by the competent veterinary service.

Animals which need a health certificate

4. The animals below must be checked by a vet before export and must travel with an official veterinary Export Health Certificate:

• Apes;
• Lagomorphs (hares and rabbits);
• Ungulates (non domesticated varieties of sheep, goats, camels, pigs, cows, deer, and all wild ungulate species);
• Mink, ferrets and foxes;
• Bees;
• Cats and dogs;
• Psittacines - captive birds and their hatching eggs*.

The reason for this is disease control and ensuring animals and healthy before travelling! Bosnian and Macedonian rescue dogs must be registered as commercial imports and obtain a Common Veterinary Entry Document (CVED) following the procedure below.

When your consignment arrives at the Border Inspecton Point (BIP) This is the customs point where the animal enters the EU so from Bosnia, that would be on the Croatian border. They should then be entered into the EU TRACES system: 

When your consignment arrives at the Border Inspection Post, official veterinarians at the Border Inspection Post will check the animal identity and documentation. They may also carry out a physical check.

If your consignment passes the check, officials will give you a completed and validated CVED.


Leaving the Border Inspection Post BIP:

You must not remove your consignment from the Border Inspection Post or customs clearance area until official veterinarians have completed and validated the CVED.

When your consignment leaves the Border Inspection Post, you must make sure it goes directly to the destination named on the CVED.

You must make sure the CVED accompanies the consignment to this destination.

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Sneaking dogs across to Hungary in a car to be put in a Romanian van on Romanian traces IS NOT complying with the Balai conditions and is illegal.

The consequences of this is that dogs who are not well enough to travel or who are carrying diseases are being brought to the UK and nobody can guarantee that they have been vaccinated or wormed or are free of disease.

The UK rescues involved have, in my opinion, no excuse for being complicit in this illegal trade. Regulations are there for a reason and Bosnian dogs can be brought over far easier than Serbian dogs can so it's simply a case that it's "easier" and cheaper" this way.

Individuals are less likely to be aware of the regulations but again, if you are going to the expense and trouble of adopting from abroad, spend ten minutes online and learn how your dog can be brought in legally then find a rescue who abides by the law instead of a smuggler who only cares about their profit margin!