Molly Morris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
>In a message dated 1/18/00 3:54:28 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>writes:
>
><< what is that stupid UK quarantine law for? >>
>They don't have rabies and they don't want it!
<Declaring an interest as an ex-member of the Ministry of Agriculture
Animal Health Department>
It is not a stupid law at all.
Like many animal diseases which are uncommon, or unknown in the UK, it
makes sense to avoid the risk of infected animals coming into the
country. The illogical thing is limiting the movement of small caged
mammals that could not possibly be infected with rabies. Obviously
importing wild caught gerbils from Africa would be a different thing.
The UK has a long tradition of strict laws on animal health. This is
because, as an island, there are many diseases that, whilst common
elsewhere, are not known in the UK and this provides economic advantages
for UK agriculture. Countries like Australia, and New Zealand, have
similar laws for the same reason. Even the US has rules on the movement
of certain types of animals across borders although rabies, and certain
other economically important animal diseases are endemic in parts of the
country.
--
Julian
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* Jackie and Julian *
* [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
* National Gerbil Society *
* http://www.gerbils.co.uk/ *
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