[ SHOWGSD-L ] From the Gulf Daily News in Bahrain
- From: Gail Sprock <gsprock@xxxxxxx>
- To: ShowGSD List <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 09:38:46 -0700
PEOPLE are being warned to avoid an illegal animal import racket,
which allegedly brings puppies to Bahrain from Thailand using fake
paperwork.
Buyers are paying up to BD300 for pedigree dogs, which often arrive
sick and have even died soon after being handed over to their new
owners, according to a top vet in Bahrain.
The vet, who asked to remain anonymous, said the racket was
responsible for an outbreak of disease and deaths among puppies in
Bahrain.
They claimed the puppies are being flown in on Gulf Air flights from
Bangkok to be sold at pet farms.
However, the vet said the age and vaccination documents of the
imported puppies were being forged.
"What is happening is unqualified people, who know nothing about
animals, are making money from sympathetic people at this end in
Bahrain," said the vet.
"People here are paying up to BD300 for puppies which arrive with
false descriptions and documentations and are usually sick - often
dying as a result of their illness.
"Puppies are being brought in by aircraft crew on certain Gulf Air
flights from Bangkok and, up until they cancelled the flight
recently, also from Johannesburg, South Africa.
"People in Bahrain are paying for purebreds such as Chow Chows, Pugs,
Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas and German Shepherds, but the puppies
arrive with documentation written in Thai.
"Therefore it cannot be understood, but usually claims to have the
correct vaccinations.
"In one case, a puppy's documentation claimed that it had been
vaccinated when three months old, but upon investigating the teeth of
the dog it was found not to be older than twomonths.
"Therefore there was no way it could have been vaccinated.
"Sadly, the puppies are dying - in some cases upon arrival.
"This is due to the fact that they are too young to travel and also
because they are not being correctly vaccinated or vaccinated at all."
The vet said the puppies are being sent by a legitimate pet shop/farm
selling puppies and kittens.
However, he added that the standards were "very low".
"I have seen the results at my clinic," said the vet.
"My question is why should Bahrain be a party to this unscrupulous
and sometimes dangerous business so that private business people can
make their fortunes through the suffering of animals and the
ignorance of the pet-buying public?
"Diseases that I have treated these dogs for are demodectic mange,
which is a kind of mite living inside the hair follicles that causes
itching and eventual balding of the dog.
"I have also treated coughs and respiratory diseases, as well as worm
lave in puppies coming from Thailand.
"Currently, we have a huge outbreak of distemper amongst these
puppies. It is a serious virus which attacks the nervous system and
can lead to death.
"In the 30 years I have been practising in Bahrain, I have only seen
a few cases of it.
"Suddenly, we have an outbreak, which is caused by these dogs from
Thailand.
"The parvovirus is also common amongst these puppies. It is a virus
that causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea, and most puppies die
within three days."
The vet called on authorities to take action against unscrupulous
animal importers, but admitted that the problem was difficult to solve.
"Something has to be done about the way people are getting away with
it," said the vet.
"Not only are puppies dying, but there is a threat that dangerous
diseases - which Bahrain has been completely free of up until now -
could be brought in.
"Luckily, we at least have a dedicated government quarantine, which
is doing its best to abide by the rules.
"However, this is made very difficult when puppies come in looking
healthy.
"The disease they are carrying is usually in incubation and it is
days or weeks before symptoms appear."
Bahrain's top government vet, Directorate of Animal Wealth Director
Dr Salman Abdulnabi, acknowledged there was a problem.
"We try to follow all regulations given to us," he said.
"If we discover that the documentation is incorrect, we put the
puppies into quarantine for monitoring as well as for the correct
vaccinations.
"Once the puppies have been observed for a period of time, which is
specific to the country of origin of the puppy, then they are released.
"This process is, however, made a lot more difficult by incorrect
documentation, as well as false birth dates and ages of the puppies."
A Gulf Air spokesman said the airline was doing all it could to make
sure that animals being shipped to Bahrain were accompanied by proper
documentation.
"Gulf Air strictly adheres to all IATA (International Air Transport
Association ) and government regulations involving the transportation
of live animals," he said.
"Under no circumstances are these rules relaxed or compromised.
"We only accept animals that have all export documentation issued by
local authorities and in accordance with IATA and import regulations
governing the movement of live animals.
"In addition, all Gulf Air employees involved in the transportation
of live animals are well trained to handle and facilitate their
movement."
============================================================================
POST is Copyrighted 2007. All material remains the property of the original
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE
PROSECUTED.
For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - www.showgsd.org
============================================================================
Other related posts:
- » [ SHOWGSD-L ] From the Gulf Daily News in Bahrain
