UK pet import rules must be tightened following a positive Brucella canis test in a rescue dog imported from Belarus in March this year.

The British Veterinary Association has highlighted the case, where the woman fostering the dog was hospitalised after coming into close contact with it, in the UK’s first confirmed dog-to-human transmission of this zoonotic disease. The foster animal and four pet dogs which were exposed to the disease all had to be euthanised.

Brucella canis is a bacterial organism which primarily affects the reproductive organs of male and female dogs. This nasty condition can cause puppies to be stillborn, which is what one of the imported dogs experienced.

Humans can catch brucella canis through dogs by contact with infected fluids, especially during breeding or birth. According to the BVA, most cases of brucella canis have been found in imported dogs. Data released by the Government shows a steep rise in confirmed Brucella canis cases since the start of 2020, rising from just three before that year, to 107 up till July this year. The dogs were all either imported from countries such as Romania, Bosnia, Greece, and Belarus, returned from holiday overseas, or been bred with an imported dog.

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While the disease in humans is rare, those who contract it can develop intense symptoms, as it is part of the bacterium family which causes brucellosis in humans. Whilst it is rarely fatal, symptoms can be debilitating. According to the NHS, signs of brucellosis can take several weeks to appear.

Stray dogs in some European countries and other parts of the world often live in harsh conditions. Along with Brucella canis, they may harbour other undetected and potentially life-threatening exotic diseases not found in the UK, such as leishmaniasis, rabies, canine babesiosis and heartworm, without showing any outward clinical symptoms. When imported into the UK, such chronically infected ‘Trojan’, or carrier, dogs risk passing on the infections to susceptible pets and, in the case of some diseases, to humans as well.

BVA president Justine Shotton said: “This recent case of Brucella canis in a foster dog is extremely tragic and highlights why vets have long raised concerns over the real and serious risks of importing ‘Trojan’ rescue dogs with unknown health histories into the UK.

“With thousands of dogs needing homes within the UK, the British Veterinary Association is strongly urging prospective owners to adopt from a UK-based rehoming charity instead. You can also support organisations in countries abroad to rescue and rehabilitate any stray animals locally.

“If you already own an imported dog, be vigilant to symptoms of Brucella canis and other exotic diseases and call your local vet for advice on testing and treatment for any underlying conditions.”

A BVA survey of vets in 2018 showed that more than nine out of ten companion animal vets in the UK were concerned about the import of rescue dogs. Worryingly, 40% of these vets had seen new or rare conditions in their practice over the previous year that are associated with dog import. BVA has called on the UK Government to impose strict restrictions on the movement of pets, including mandatory testing in stray dogs for any such diseases before travel to the UK. It also calls for the strengthening of enforcement provisions and checks on dogs brought in through the commercial route.