Ukrainian war, the appeal: “To welcome refugees with animals even without documentation”

War in Ukraine, people run away from bombs and take away everything they hold dear. Many are seen in the images with their pets, dogs or cats, in search of salvation. In anticipation of possible arrivals of refugees in Italy, accompanied by their pets, and as is already the case in other countries of the European Union, the International Organization for the Protection of Animals (Oipa) today sent a letter to the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, to request that in Italy there is a derogation from the European Regulation 576/2013 which allows animals without a European passport (Pet Passport) and related health documentation to enter our country. “Given the situation of extreme emergency, veterinary prophylaxis could be performed on animals once they arrive on Italian territory so that they are not abandoned along the way or separated from their human companions after having managed to find safety”, proposes Oipa in the letter. , which is available to provide help to Ukrainian refugees who, upon arriving in Italy, need assistance for their animals. The European Commission allows member states to reduce red tape for Ukrainian citizens fleeing war with their pets. As announced by the National Association of Italian Veterinary Doctors (Anmvi), “given the ongoing war emergency, the Directorate-General for Health of the European Commission (DGSante) admits that entry into the territory of the EU can also take place by suspending the requirements provided for by the European Regulation for non-EU states and a tweet from the Commission’s Food Safety Directorate states that the Member States that are welcoming Ukrainian refugees consent to the entry of their pets without prior documentation “.