Charities Importing Animals

Criteria for considering applications from charities which import dogs or other animals from overseas

With regard to UK charities that work with dogs or other animals overseas, we favour those which support a shelter, or otherwise provide assistance (e.g. by way of rehoming, a TNR scheme, veterinary help or education), in the animals’ country of origin.

Those charities which also import animals from overseas into the UK must satisfy all of the following criteria in order to be able to apply for a grant:

  1. that they support work within the country of origin which benefits animals remaining within that country
  2. that, having regard to the potential health risks of importing an animal from overseas, each animal is imported legally and in accordance with current DEFRA guidelines applicable to the particular country of origin
  3. that each animal has been examined by a vet following its arrival in the UK
  4. that the charity has its own permanent premises in the UK suitable for assessing the animal
  5. that the charity has assessed the behaviour of the animal both in its country of origin and, for a period of at least 3 weeks, in its UK premises and found it to be suitable for its prospective adopter
  6. that the animal has been neutered or spayed before being rehomed (or that the charity has made arrangements to do this once it is safe to do so)
  7. that a face-to-face meeting is arranged between the animal and its prospective adopter in advance of the animal being rehomed; and
  8. that if for any reason following adoption its new owner finds the animal unsuitable, the new owner is given the option of returning the animal to the charity’s UK premises.  No such animal should then be sent back to its country of origin.