Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

KAR are proud to announce that KAR Pet Travel has now been accepted by IPATA (International Pet and Transport Association) as a full and active member. This follows the successful completion of the final LAR examination (with a very high pass score) by Kim Betts.
KAR Pet Travel service in the TRNC will now be readily accessable not only to other IPATA members but ALSO to any pet owner, pet service provider, organisation or authority ACROSS the world.
Their role as part of IPATA will now increase as they become the "TRNC Country Profilers" who will be responsible for providing information to world organisations, authorities and individuals about pet travel services and the legal requirements for all animals coming into and out of the TRNC.
This is the culmination of several years of very hard work by both Kim Betts and Margaret Ray in the setting up and running of KAR Pet Travel. They have both achieved respect and high regards, here and abroad, in their professional handling and organisation of all aspects of pet travel and the legislation and technicalities surrounding it. They initially had to campaign for the TRNC to be recognised as a Country in it's own right before they could even be accepted as "provisional members" of IPATA.
We know that KAR Pet Travel will continue to help owners to relocate their pets, using their professional expertise and personal service, - wherever that may be to or from - safely and as stress free as possible (for both pet and owner).
Well done KAR Pet Travel​

Congratulations to both Kim Betts and Margaret Ray. An enormous amount of time and effort went into obtaining this award and I know just how well deserved it is, both to KAR and the TRNC as a whole It cannot be underestimated as to the importance of the TRNC being recognised as a country in its own right and I sincerely hope the movers and shakers here will recognise this. It also recognises that animals and household pets are moved in and out of the TRNC totally legally without loopholes and the concerns this can manifest.

Excellent great news for pet owners

Congratulations,I bought my 2cats out with KAR recently and it was made as stress free as I could have hoped for,fantastic work by all involved. My boys were waiting for me when I got off the plane,more relaxed than I was!,

Is this the overland pet travel or the air travel only?

joker1 - the KAR organised road trips stopped a few years ago. Turkish Airlines were given "approved" status to fly pets from TRNC to UK (Heathrow) and the overland trips were becoming more and more difficult to organise due to the red tape needed for some of the transit Countries - so they were discontinued. However some owners do drive their pets back to UK/France/Portugal etc themselves and KAR Pet Travel can arrange their paperwork for them.

Serious question from a dog lover. If I wanted to go to the RoC for a weeks holiday and put my two dogs into boarding kennels in the Paphos area for the time I was there, would it be possible to transport them from the TRNC across into the RoC and back again using your Pet Travel services?

I am aware that the RoC would attempt to block any movement from the North to the South, just because they can, so fully appreciate it if the answer is just a simple no, but wondered if it would be possible as my wife and I would like to tour the RoC but will not leave our dogs in the North to do this.

We would not expect to have the dogs with us whilst touring but only during the getting to the kennels and getting back again. Both dogs meet all kennel health requirements and we would be happy to pay the 5 day cost of 145 euros. For us it is all about having top quality care for our dogs.

Many thanks.

Sadly the answer, Waddo, is No. We can bring pets from RoC into TRNC (eg pet owners moving from RoC or pets transiting RoC having arrived at Larnaca/Paphos) but it is absolutely forbiden to take them back the other way. It is not for the want of trying to negotiate with the RoC authorities - still a big fat No. We will still keep trying though.
Anyone who says they are, or does, taking any animals from North to South is doing so illegally and runs the risk of prosecution and the animal being destroyed .

I am pleased that this has been explained, because there are people who openly confirm what they are doing, but don't or won't admit that what they are doing is putting the animals at risk. We are all aware there are organisations here in the North who admit to taking animals from North to South and then onwards to all over the place, mainly to the UK, but its only because they have found a loophole and are using it frequently. Its only a matter of time before this loophole is closed or the authorities in the RoC have had enough and start bringing draconian measures to the fore. As "ifonly" states above, there is a distinct possibility the animals will be destroyed, make no mistake about it, so why take the risk?

Many thanks for the reply - it was a forlorn hope that the RoC would play by the big book of rules anyway but I expected no less of them. With luck, one day, they will have to play by the same rules that the rest of the world plays by but I feel that will only happen after they have been caught out trying to bluff, bluster and bully their way to their own version of the truth. Never mind, my dogs remain safe and we will tour the North and spend our money here instead - just like we have for the past nine years - lol.

I am aware that many "Handbag" dogs make the trip backwards and forwards to the UK via British Airways and that day trippers are often taking their dogs across the Green Line in both directions, that is up to them and I only hope they never get caught for the sake of the animals only.

Many thanks again for putting the record straight.

Totally agree with Sophie's comments.
What is the old saying '' Rubbing their noses in it''.
Something is going to go drastically wrong and who is going to suffer. Already one dog has had to be destroyed since it arrived in the UK because it had not been given enough time to be assessed and also adjust from being a dog out on the streets here, to then being in strange surroundings and being expected to fit into a home. This is on top of how the dog was brought to the UK in the first place. I must point out that the travel arrangements were not done through KAR.
Personally I don't care about the ''Humans'' because they make their own choices, the animals can't and it is them that will be destroyed when it is found out what has and is going on.!

So many people are turning a blind eye but I think it won't be long until the officials react.

It is going to be the animals that will pay the price and for why? Money .
We have come here to live - our own choice so therefore we should have respect even though we may not always agree.
BBB's other half - ducking now and I do expect some flack but not from other responsible animal lovers.

Sophie - i beg to differ. They have not found a "loophole" - THEY are acting illegally.
It is ILLEGAL to take any animal from TRNC to RoC - it is only possible if it is SMUGGLED into RoC
It is ILLEGAL to take a cat/dog that originates from TRNC into the EU/UK without following the correct procedures (which takes approx 4 months) . It is only possible because the cat/dog has been SMUGGLED and then is issued with an EU Pet Passport as if it had originated in RoC and had never been in the TRNC.
Do "they" (owner/organisation facilitating it) realise that they can still be prosecuted in the UK even after their cat/dog has arrived and is living there ?
Do "they" realise that their cat/dog can still be confiscated and taken into quarantine (at their expense) after it has arrived and is living there ?
Do "they" realise that they are helping to jepordise ALL future pet travel from the TRNC - if, because of such behaviour , the EU cancels all TRNC pet travel and reverts to the old system - would everyone prefer that old system of 6 months quarantine on entry ? Maybe "they" don't care because they will just continue to SMUGGLE animals out of here and act iLLEGALLY. But most law abiding animal lovers certainly would care !
People who do this are very blinkered - they can only see the benefit to themselves (usually money saving) and have no concern for the wider picture of how it can impact on others.

Just imagine - Worst case scenario - a cat/dog is smuggled into the TRNC (maybe on the ferry) but it has come from a high rabies Country and is in fact incubating rabies. It is then dumped/abandoned here (for whatever reason). Joe Blog falls in love with the cat/dog and it is "arranged" that the cat/dog is SMUGGLED into RoC and given an EU Pet Passport (very little waiting time compared to if the TRNC/UK rules were complied with) and is flown to the UK as if it had NEVER been in an initial high rabies Country or been here. Then, in the UK, the cat/dog develops full blown rabies !!!!!!! Horrendous everyone would agree. Far fetched it may be - but it is possible.

That is why we have to abide by the regulations - like it or not there is a reason for the 3 month post blood test wait and it is because of bio security such as in the case scenario above. However small we think it is - there is deemed to be a risk of rabies being present here and precautions need to be taken when animals need to be move elsewhere. But then obviously the precautions and laws really only apply to those who DO care - the others probably don't give a damn as long as they can save a bit of dosh !
BBB other half - move over and make room for one more person "ducking" ????? Ha ha

Only hope that the people who are doing this have read your posting ifonly because if they honestly did not know the risks they were putting the animals in, they will do now as well as the people who are rehoming them in the UK or wherever.
Will this stop them - think I need to phone a friend!

BBB' s other half - just borrowed my neighbours crash hat - just in case!

The other issue is ---- the REHOMING of animals from TRNC (and some other Countries) into UK is PROHIBITED - it is ILLEGAL , (maybe because of the potential consequences of Worst Case Scenario as per earlier) . The rules/regulations surrounding "ownership" in order to prove an animal is "owned" for the purpose of TRNC - UK movement are complicated and need to be looked at very carefully on a case by case basis .
If an animal , is considered to have traveled to be REHOMED ( various circumstances may/will apply) from TRNC into UK (even after it has arrived there) then there is NOT the option of the animal being confiscated and quarantine enforced - the animal will be returned to the TRNC (at new owners expense) or EUTHANISED.
You cannot look at an animal online that is in the TRNC - choose to rehome it in the UK - then it is sent to you. It is ILLEGAL.
The whole issue of pet travel from TRNC is complicated and those who flout the rules risk the purse of the new owners and, more importantly, the lives of the cats/dogs.
If anyone doubts this then please contact DEFRA about the whole situation from here but explain the animal originates in the TRNC NOT RoC ( different rules apply).
It is a minefield - that some organisations/individuals are ignoring whilst others are trying to change through legal channels.

Ifonly, thank you for explaining to the Forum as a whole, the difference between a "Loophole" and something being totally illegal. Other organisations appear to be blinkered and seem to be unable or unwilling to differentiate. I cannot help feeling it isn't going to be long before DEFRA pick up on the number of animals that are being transported from RoC. on top of those who are legally able to do so of course and feel dreadfully sorry for the first person in UK who hasn't had it explained to them the risks they run, only to discover they have possibly imported an infected animal. They have allowed their heart to rule their heads. In some respects it's understandable but they MUST read the DEFRA rules or contact them direct before committing themselves.

My most sincere congratulations to KAR on its pet travel authorisation achievement. However, having now read some of the follow-up postings of others, I am confused as to the passage of pets from the TRNC to UK. Would it now be possible or feasible for KAR to publish a definitive this is what is legal, the exact classification of eligible pets, documentation required, time-frame, registered carriers, likely cost, etc? This will then provide authoritative, current information and save numerous telephone enquiries.

tomsteel - it is confusing BUT only because there is the LEGAL way for pets to travel into UK and the NON Legal way (which some organisations/individuals here are facilitating).
There is information on the KAR Website http://www.kartrnc.org/pettravel.php - but basically the whole process takes approx 4 months from start to possible travel. It consists of micro chip, rabies vaccination, no less than 30 days later a rabies titre serology test (tested at an approved lab for the rabies antibodies) - if the test is a PASS then the pet can enter EU/UK 3 months after the blood sample was taken for the titre test. No more than 5 days (or less than 24 hours) prior to UK entry dogs need to be treated for tapeworm.
The ONLY approved route from TRNC into UK for pets is Turkish Airlines as a cargo booking from Ercan to Heathrow. All pets flying into the UK arrive as manifest cargo. However it is possible to take pets (with other carriers as well as Turkish Airlines) into another EU member state first (eg France Paris) and then transport them in a vehicle using ferry operators or Channel Tunnel.
Or owners can drive them back to the UK.
Paperwork and proof of the microchip/rabies/serology test/worming for dogs needs to be presented at border crossing points and to the airline/ferry company being used - part of this will have been completed by the TRNC Government Vet Dept. That is only valid for 10 days.
Owners have 4 months after EU/UK entry to have their TRNC vet record and Export paperwork transferred into an EU/UK Pet Passport.
Costs - these depend on factors such as method of travel, route, size of pets etc.

There is NO LEGAL option of pets arriving from TRNC into the UK via RoC. Pets cannot cross legally from TRNC to RoC. Pets from TRNC CANNOT be issued with EU/UK Pet Passports unless as per above.
I hope this helps - but if in doubt please contact KAR Pet Travel.

ifonly, thanks. I was becoming bewildered as to statements it is not possible etc where others stated it was. You have, at least, given the legal option available. Grateful for your time and effort.

We are currently following the legal route with KAR. I hope people who are thinking of going via RoC read all of the above information, that is if they really care about their pets.

Just a thought! Can I legally take my dogs with me to Turkey, no further, in our car via the car ferry. Travel around for a week then come back home again - not in the summer months of course! There are some "Pet Friendly" places to stay in Turkey that we have found and just wondered if this may be another option.

Yes Waddo you can providing the dogs have the correct Export/Import paperwork and meet the entry criteria for Turkey and TRNC (for when you return).
Please email KAR Pet Travel (pettravel@kyreniaanimalrescue.org or kar@kyreniaanimalrescue.org) and they will be able to advise on how the process works and what is needed.

Congratulations to KAR

All the posts appear to be regarding taking pets from the TRNC.

Please can you give some advice of bringing lets from RoC to TRNC

Thank you

Rafferty, I would suggest you contact KAR at one of e-mail addresses in msg 21 that way you will be sure of a reply.