Imported rescue dogs

What Happened

Over the last ten years, the UK has seen a massive influx of rescue dogs from countries like Romania, Bosnia, Cyprus, and others. Most of these animals travel hundreds, if not thousands, of miles, and unfortunately, they are accompanied by little to no paperwork, incorrect vaccination records, or falsified ages. In addition to that, as time goes by, more and more of these dogs have been diagnosed with infectious diseases which are quite new to UK vets, such as Brucella canis, leishmaniasis, ehrlichiosis, and heartworm.

In most cases, these dogs come with serious behavioural problems. For example, they might be scared, aggressive, or suffer from the effects of trauma because they likely have not been properly socialised.

Analysis

Besides the risks to the dog, some risks can influence public and other animal health:

• Veterinarians should do their best to help rescue animals, but they must take into consideration biosecurity and the risk of diseases that could be transmitted to humans (zoonosis).

• Quite a few infections (e.g., Brucella canis), which are currently the most common causes of euthanasia or lifelong strict disease management, are putting owners and vets in a terrible situation of having to choose between them.

• Dogs that have been imported illegally can lead to overpopulated shelters.

• There is a question raised whether UK charities should be focusing more on local rehoming as a means of reducing the risk of disease spreading and guaranteeing better welfare.