GOOD NEWS FOR animals who find themselves caught up in an emergency abroad.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney has announced that animals that find themselves in the midst of a natural disaster or political unrest will be permitted to travel with their owners under a new permit.

Answering Deputy Andrew Doyle’s parliamentary question, Minister Coveney said that during the course of the Irish presidency of the EU Council they had laid down new regulations which will allow pets travel without their “pet passport”.

He said:

Pet owners who have to return to the EU in a hurry (sudden natural disaster, political unrest, severe personal circumstances) will now be able to bring their pets with them under special permit even when their pets have not been properly prepared.

Difficulties in making travel arrangements will be eased by allowing pets to be transported unaccompanied by their owners where justified. Exemptions from rabies vaccination may be possible between rabies free areas.

Under EU law, if owners want to bring their pets abroad they need to have a pet passport that certifies “the pet’s identification, rabies vaccination status and for travel into Ireland and some other member states, tapeworm treatment”.

The minister said that they new regulations will be more “user friendly”.

This is cause for celebration, no?

Via Cheezburger.com (If you can’t view this gif click here)

Guess which animal is Minister Simon Coveney’s favourite…>

This is everything* you need to know about bringing your pet on holidays>