MAFF threatened over quarantine cat

29 December 1998

MAFF threatened over quarantine cat

THE Ministry of Agriculture could face compensation claims for more than 200m if it is found guilty of refusing a Swedish cat permission to travel with its owner to Britain.

The Quarantine Abolition Fighting Fund is fighting the case against Britains anti-rabies laws, which require all imported pets to spend six months in quarantine.

A government-commissioned report from the Advisory Group on Quarantine recommended in September that quarantine should be ended for pets travelling to and from certain countries.

The countries include all European Union member states, plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein and designated rabies-free countries such as Australia and New Zealand.