Review Of Quarantine Regulations

EDM number 855 in 2003-04, proposed by Mark Tami on 17/03/2004.

That this House notes that protection from rabies has since 1901 been based on quarantining of mammals on their import to Great Britain and that DEFRA rules require the isolation of an animal for a period of six months and are based on scientific quantitative risk assessment; further notes that it is recognised by all current authorities that the incubation period for rabies in dogs is seven days with the animal being dead four days later and that authorities are able to know within two weeks of importation whether a dog has the condition or not; understands that any imported animal is required to have a rabies vaccination within the first few days of quarantine and resistance to contracting the disease is confirmed by a blood test within 30 days; believes that a rationale for continuing to intern domestic animals beyond the one-month period has not yet been demonstrated; recognises the need to protect the population from the risk of rabies, but believes that the term of confinement should relate to the actual risk presented by respective species; and calls on the Government to undertake a review of the current one-size-fits-all approach to quarantine regulations and to consider a fair, flexible and discretionary method.

This motion has been signed by a total of 55 MPs.