Is there a law in Switzerland, cantonal or federal that states that dogs living in Switzerland require annual vaccinations. I can not find this information on the Bvet site for some reason. Praps I'm looking in the wrong place.
Bvet site is very confusing at times. 1 page says if I'm bringing in more than 5 pets (we have 6) then I need a commercial license, another page says I can bring in as many pets as I like. Ho hum....anyone had any experience bringing pets in by car from UK?
Once you've got the dogs in they no longer have to be vaccinated against rabies. It used to be compulsory every two years but now Switerland is, officially at least, "rabies free" that requirement has been dropped. There are strict requirements about rabies jabs before you import them - just browse the pet corner forum - this has been discussed several times. No other vaccinations are compulsory after import but protection against stuff like distemper and kennel cough etc are recommended/advisable and kennels here won't admit dogs without up to date vaccination certificates. Once you get here your vet will advise you on recommended vaccinations and protection against ticks which is also highly advisable.
Did he say it was compulsory? Maybe he was just recommending it. It's always surprised me how they can claim Switzerland is rabies free when France isn't, especially for those of us who live 10 minutes away from the border.
To comply with pet travel scheme requirements full vacc's are required or no passport, no passport no entry. Once here, I don't think there is a requirement, but should you leave CH with your pets and the rabies is out (now valid for 3 years) your pet would require the initial vacc' and blood test again from scratch. Also without full vacc's, which would maybe include nasal kennel cough, the chance of your pet being accepted into a kennel is zero.
Much easier to keep full vaccination for your pets safety, keep travel options open, and save the hassle.
Also stock up on frontline before you get here as it's way more expensive than here than the UK and ticks are a big problem.
Regarding number, I believe you can bring as many as you like but if over a certain number, I believe they require a commercial license. I have 3 and we were ok, but 6 would probably require additional paperwork, and fees.... welcome to Switzerland.
I've run up against the 5 limit for imports outside the EU, but I think coming from the UK the limit might not apply - but I could be wrong. The BVet will clarify that for you. I have crossed the border with more than 5 dogs without problems, but in those cases most of the dogs were already registered here, and were returning.
(And should there be a limit for EU pet imports... you said " we have 6". Perhaps you could import 3, and your partner the other 3. )
Thank you all for the replies. Just to clarify we have 6 pets, rather than 6 dogs. We only have 2 dogs (1 snake, 2 giant african land snails and a goldfish, whom I think may have to stay behind rather than suffer the journey).
We have all the relevant information regarding importing the other animals, it was just clarity on the vaccinations that was required.
My dog came with me from Iceland witch is indeed rabies free, and there fore she never had rabies shot before. I took her to my vet in iceland before we went, she looked up the requirement and the only thing that was needed is that she had rabies shot 3 weeks before entering to Swiss, since Swiss was not recorded as rabies free (and this is a surprising news that it is supposed to be...). The vet wrote in her pet passport that she should get another one after one year.
Then, to the swiss vet: We are planning a holiday to Sweden to visit her breeder, Sweden is also rabies free and there fore we need a titer test before arriving there (because Swiss is not rabies free? I would guises). The vet said that normally a dog needs 2 rabies shots before have full ***blablabla*** stuff against rabies, shot her again and said that normally they should get shot every 3 years and wrote in her petpass valid to 2012
Both Sweden and Iceland have very strict rules about import because the are rabies free, and according to both countries, Swiss is not qualified as rabies free...
I also think it is weird that Switzerland is rabbies free when France isn't. Just asa a precaution I would givve my cats (or dogs if I had any) a shot every year as is stipulated for countries where there is indeed rabbies. I do not know where the 3 years recommendation comes from?
I believe the rabbies vaccine is really harmless so it would not hurt to vaccinate my pet..
I was under the impresion that rabies shots have to be given every year, and not every three years. Otherwise the dog looses tolerence to the vaccine .. i know for a fact that if your vaccine is out of date in the animal passport you cant enter the UK .. which requires an annual innoculation
When I got the passport for my two, the vaccination against rabies is shown as lasting for 3 years. I queried this and was told that 3 years is what the manufacturer says is necessary with that particular brand of rabies vaccination (Nobivac Rabies). According to the DEFRA website, as long as the rabies shot is within the 'valid until' date, they are within the Pet Travel Scheme Rules. No mention of 1 year intervals being necessary (unless the manufacturer says it is, I guess).
"After an animal has been vaccinated, it must be given booster vaccinations to remain qualified for PETS. This must be done by the “Valid until” date on the animal’s EU pet passport, third country veterinary certificate or PETS certificate and recorded in section IV of the passport or third country official veterinary certificate and on the animal’s vaccination record. The revaccination interval for cats may be different to that for dogs (refer to the vaccine manufacturer’s data sheet)"
Form what I have heard there is this new vaccine that is enough for 3 years.
However, not all countries recognize this new stuff so it could make problems, when traveling a lot with doggy. Definitely harder to the strict countries like Sweden, UK, etc.
From what vet says though, they don't really like to vaccine every year, because too much of vaccine can cause bad reaction to vaccinates...
When we first arrived our dog was vaccinated every year for rabies, but now she is on something new that only needs to be done every 3 years. It seems to vary by vet, but we don't travel with her to the UK so it's not a big concern from that point of view.
I was told the rabies booster would have to be done every 3 years. Does anyone know whether a cat would have to be re vaccinated bofore having the rabies titre blood test done,even if their rabies shots were upto date?
My dog (10-year-old Hovawart) was last vaccinated againsat rabies in CH in 2006 and the passport indicated it was only valid for a year. So when I went back home with the dog she had to be vaccinated in 2007 even though the same vaccination is valid for two years in Finland. The passport then stated the next date to be in 2009 but she was vaccinated early at the end of 2008 in Finland when we went home for Christmas and the next date now is for the end of 2010 but I have a feeling our vet will want to vaccinate her by the end of this year again.
The way I understood it is that different vaccinations (by different manufacturers) have different "expiration" dates. Someone correct me if I'm mistaken.
Depends a bit... Why do you need a titre test? If you are travelling, importing/exporting it depends on the country. Sweden for example reqires that titre test is done at least 4 months after a rabis shot, Australia has some other time frame... Probably best to speak with your vet about this.