After carefully studying the new Government guidelines in relation to the transport of live animals between the UK and Northern Ireland and the EU, it is with great sadness that Walkers European Express Services Ltd have decided with immediate effect to stop the EU and Northern Ireland transport of all small birds, all birds in the parrot and similar families, birds of prey and similar species as well as all reptiles, rabbits, rodents and fancy pigeons.
We are still working with our partners in the EU to try and find a solution to transport Racing Pigeons, but at this moment in time even that is not looking promising, but we will keep you updated when we have any more information to issue on this subject.
The EU regulation for the transport of racing pigeons which now needs to be followed is EU2013/139, which to sum up briefly brings into the equation VAT at 20% to be paid upfront (by the buyer), costs at customs, animal health certificates and costs by government vets, quarantine costs, tests (AI/NCD) costs, transportation costs (no more carton boxes, only aluminium baskets/crates allowed).
Delivery times now have to be 21 days or since birth present at the exporter’s premises and possibly 30 days official quarantine upon arrival in the UK at a registered and approved establishment.
The same quarantine rules would also apply to small birds, http://apha.defra.gov.uk/documents/bip/iin/cbtc2.pdf, says that captive birds imported into Great Britain must complete a minimum of 30 days quarantine in an approved quarantine facility or centre.
We estimate of these new regulations would increase your cost of transport at least 10 times the amount we were previously able to charge before the UK left the EU.
As you can now see these new rules make it extremely difficult for a small family business like ours to continue to transport livestock from the EU.
The animal’s welfare, as I’m sure you would all agree, is the main concern here and from a logistical perspective we would never want to endanger their health by being held up at customs checkpoint with the wrong paperwork or insufficient paperwork, therefore putting everyone under extreme pressure.
Our services in England, Scotland and Wales will still run as normal and let us take this opportunity to thank all our customers for their valued business, and we hope you continue using our company to transport your livestock in the future.