In April, Yulia Llatova and her boyfriend don’t dare to be in their hometown Odesa anymore. They have had enough of the war and decide to flee. Leaving the cat Persik with friends or relatives was not an option. That is why he is with the couple when they come to Norway on 28 April. – I love my cat. I have taken care of it all my life, says Llatova. In quarantine In Norway, Persik is given a pill against any parasites and after a short time is quarantined at an animal shelter. It stayed there for a month before it returned home to its owners. – I missed the cat very much and was very happy to see him, says Llatova. But shortly after they get Persik back, he falls ill. He sneezes blood, vomits and feels sick to his stomach. A trip to the vet reveals that he has been infected with a virus. – We were worried, but after two weeks the cat got better, says Llatova. Now everything is fine with Persik. Yulia Llatova was unable to leave Persik behind when she and her boyfriend fled to Norway from the war in their home country. Photo: Privat Wants to facilitate – We see that there are many people who bring little with them, but the pets are included, so we understand that these animals mean a lot in a difficult situation, says Elisabeth Schei-Berg. She is a veterinarian and senior adviser at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and says that they are surprised at how many of the refugees bring animals with them. Since the war in Ukraine broke out, more than 1,000 Ukrainian pets have come with their owners to Norway. – We want to make arrangements for them to be able to bring these pets with them. The most common animals are dogs and cats, but there have also been caged birds, rabbits, different types of rodents, turtles and reptiles. Usually, bringing in animals from countries outside the EU and EEA is subject to fairly strict requirements. The reason is that there is a different animal health situation in these countries and, in particular, a certain incidence of rabies. Schei-Berg says it is a joint EU decision to reach out so that it will be possible for the refugees to take the animals with them. – It is humane considerations that come into play, quite simply, she says. Senior advisor in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s central region, Elisabeth Schei-Berg. Photo: Julie Haugen Egge / news Relaxing the requirements Since the war broke out, the EU has made exceptions to the rules for Ukrainian refugees traveling with their animals. The requirements that must be in order before traveling into an EU country can be met after they have arrived in the country instead. In Norway, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority must be contacted immediately so that they can carry out a health examination of the animals and check documents. All the animals are registered electronically, so they can be tracked. Those who lack ID marking will be marked. Blood samples are taken and rabies vaccines are given if the animal lacks them. If animals have significant deviations, they are isolated. At the longest, the isolation can last up to four months. – There are many shorter courses as well, so it is in a way the extreme, says Schei-Berg. In order for the animals not to be separated from the owner for longer than necessary, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority is considering solutions with home quarantine extending slightly into the isolation period. – They are in a tough situation, so it is important for the animal owners to know that the animals are doing well, and we have spent a lot of time and resources on that, to inform them and reassure them, says Schei-Berg. Thinking about the animals in Ukraine At home in Trondheim, Persik has got on well with Yulia Llatova and her boyfriend. At the same time, Llatova thinks about all the thousands of animals who were left behind in their homeland when people fled the war. – I know many people simply left their animals in Ukraine because of the war. They are left alone and await their fate. Volunteers help the animals they find and that makes me happy. I hope this horror ends soon, she concludes.
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Over 1,000 Ukrainian pets have come to Norway – news Trøndelag
