Other Options

3. Quarantine Facilities in Northern Ireland

If Lissen Hall is booked out, or you live closer to Belfast than to Dublin, there is an alternative Quarantine facility in the the North. It is entirely acceptable to the Irish authorities to use this facility rather than Lissen Hall in the South.

Breeny Boarding and Quarantine Kennels
35 Lisnabreeny Road
Castlereagh
Belfast BT6 9SD
Telephone: +44-1232-90-402-068
Fax: +44-1232-90-705-775
Email: Breenyint@aol.com

I spoke to the very pleasant and helpful Mrs. Petrie who runs Breeny Kennels, which is the only authorised Quarantine Facility in the North

The system works like this:

Your pet would have to be flown into Aldergrove Airport in Belfast or shipped to Belfast Port, where staff from the facility will pick it up. That's part of the price. They can arrange pickups from Dublin Airport, but the price goes up because two staff have to take the better part of a day to go down and pick up the animal and clear the various paperwork snarls and permit red tape that ensues. You are not allowed to bring the dog to the kennel yourself, which is the same restriction that is in operation in the South.

The animal is given a variety of vaccinations including a rabies vaccine and all these are given regardless of previous vaccinations.

Once the animal has served its 6 month quarantine and you have the necessary papers in hand, the dog can freely travel across the border into the Republic. At that stage, you can pick the dog up in your own car and bring it down.

Be sure to make arrangements with Mrs. Petrie well in advance of your planned arrival, both to ensure that space is available and so that personnel can be scheduled to pick up your animal at the Port or Airport. Also, Breeny Kennel sends out a very complete packet of information and forms and you'll want to have time to go through these and fill out the forms with the help of your Vet.

For Breeny Kennels' official leaflet detailing procedures, see below.

Because of the danger of introducing Rabies through the importation of dogs or cats from foreign countries and having regard to the fact that Northern Ireland is free from this serious disease, it is important that the following points should be carefully noted:-

1. Dogs or cats may not be brought into Northern Ireland from countries other than Great Britain, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland except under the terms and subject to the conditions of a licence obtained before the time of importation. This restriction applies also to imported foreign dogs or cats which have been in Great Britain, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland for less than 6 months before being brought to Northern Ireland.

Application for an Import licence should be made to: -

Animal Health and Welfare Branch IV
Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland
Room 715, Dundonald House
Upper Newtownards Road
Belfast BT4 3SB

Telephone: Belfast +44 (1232) 28 9052 4622

The licence must accompany the animal on its journey to Northern Ireland.

2. It is recommended that dogs or cats should be consigned only to Belfast Port or Belfast International Airport, Aldergrove, Belfast. On arrival they will be moved to the authorised quarantine premises.

3 . All dogs and cats imported from abroad are required to be detained and isolated for a period of not less than 6 calendar months from the date of importation at quarantine premises, approved for the purpose by the Department. In accordance with the Regulations they will be vaccinated with an inactivated anti-rabies vaccine while in quarantine. The owner will be liable for the cost of vaccination. ALTHOUGH DOGS AND CATS MAY BE VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES BEFORE ENTRY INTO NORTHERN IRELAND SUCH VACCINATIONS MUST NOT BE CARRIED OUT WITHIN 14 DAYS OF THE DATE OF IMPORTATION.

4. The approved kennels are owned by: -

W D J McCartney and E Petrie
Breeny Boarding and Quarantine Kennels
35 Lisnabreeny Road
Castlereagh
Belfast BT6 9SD

Telephone: Belfast +44 (1232) 90-402 068
Fax: Belfast +44 (1232) 90 705 775

5. Owners intending to import a dog or a cat into Northern Ireland should communicate with Mrs. Petrie to establish if they are in a position to receive the animals for the quarantine period. As much notice as possible should be given as accommodation may be limited. It should be noted that an import licence cannot be granted until the Department has received confirmation that quarantine accommodation is available.

6. Charges for accommodation and vaccination are a matter for settlement between the importer and Mrs. Petrie. A statement of fees and other charges can be obtained from Mrs. Petrie on request. All expenses in connection with the transportation, quarantine and vaccination of a dog/cat will be payable by the owner. The Department will not be responsible for the loss, death, injury or illness of any animal when in transit to, or detention in the quarantine premises in Northern Ireland.

7. The following is a guide to the conditions of a licence issued for the importation into Northern Ireland of a dog or cat from abroad:-

(i) The imported animal shall be: -

(a) Landed on or before the date specified on the licence at a port/airport approved by the Department-,

(b) Separately confined during the journey and until arrival at the quarantine premises in a suitable hamper, crate, box or other receptacle which shall contain no hay, straw or peat moss litter and to which no other dog or cat shall have access;

(c) Retained at the place of landing until approval has been received from an officer of the Department to transport the animal to the quarantine premises.

(d) Vaccinated at the owners expense during the quarantine period with anti-rabies inactivated vaccine.

(ii) Artificial insemination of any bitch isolated in the place of detention or of a bitch from any dog isolated in the place of detention is prohibited.

(iii) The person in charge of the imported animal at the time of landing shall, on request by an Officer of Customs and Excise or an Officer of the Department or a Constable, produce the licence authorising the importation of the animal.

EVERY PRECAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN BY AIRLINE AND SIHPPING CONTANIES TO ENSURE THAT NO DOG OR CAT IS ACCEPTED FOR TRANSPORT TO NORTHERN IRELAND FROM PLACES OUTSIDE THE BRITISH ISLES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A LICENCE ISSUED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ORDER.

PERMITS AUTHORISING VISITS ARE ISSUED AUTOMATICALLY BY THE DEPARTMENT. VISITS ARE BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT WITH MRS PETRIE.

Note!

The Government commissioned a team of Independent Scientists to conduct a scientific assessment of possible alternatives to the current quarantine policy. Their report was published on 23 September 1998, a copy can be obtained from Animal Health and Welfare Division. A full consultation exercise is in progress with a deadline of 31 December 1998 for comments on the recommendations.

Meanwhile the 6 months quarantine requirement for all imported pet dogs and cats remains in place.

We are Ministry of Agriculture approved carrying agents and will collect your pet from Belfast International Airport as soon as customs clearance has been completed We would be grateful if you could give us at least 7 clear days notice of arrival and would ask whenever possible pets are sent to arrive on a weekday and not over weekends or Bank Holiday periods.

From Aldergrove we will take the pet to our quarantine station which is situated in the Castlereagh Hills a few miles outside Belfast. All the animals in our care are given regular health checks(there is a Veterinary Surgeon resident on the quarantine premises) and are groomed on a regular basis.

Our dog kennels vary in size from 98sq ft. to just over 200 sq. ft. The sleeping quarters are tiled and each dog is provided with a rigid plastic bed lined with a vetbed or a blanket. The runs are built around a central courtyard, visible from our own residence which allows the dogs to see and hear each other without making physical contact and allows them to see the comings and goings of our staff and ourselves.

In addition all the dogs are exercised twice daily (weather permitting) in a very large exercise area which looks out onto open fields. During these exercise sessions we will play ball, tug of war etc. with the more energetic dogs and in the case of older pets or toy dogs just give them a bit of a cuddle, thus ensuring all dogs get sufficient human contact and hopefully do not become too bored.

Our cattery is very modern and comfortable and the individual kennels vary in size from 35sq.ft. to 50 sq ft. The sleeping area is raised and heated and each cat is provided with a rigid plastic bed lined with vet bed The exercise area is tiled and we provide scratching logs and ping pong balls etc for your cats amusement. All the cats are groomed regularly and benefit from regular play/cuddle sessions with our staff

As a pet owner myself I fully understand owner's concerns about putting their pets into kennels for such a long time. However most of the dogs and cats in our care are much loved and often very pampered members of the family and although it takes a little time for them to come to know and trust us, with proper care and attention most animals adapt very quickly to their new surroundings and come through the quarantine period with remarkable ease. Obviously any information owners can give us about their pets likes/dislikes food preferences, previous medical history etc. does help us to settle them in more quickly and generally feel more at home during their stay with us. Above all else all the pets in our care receive LOTS of care and affection.

I hope this information has been helpful and should you require any additional information or feel that I may be of assistance in any way please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Yours sincerely

Eileen Petrie (Mrs.)