Ukrainian refugees allowed to bring pets to Northern Ireland

More than two million people who have fled the Ukraine conflict have crossed the border into Poland

Ukrainian refugees will be able to bring their pets with them when they come to Northern Ireland.

Pet owners fleeing the war can now use an emergency licence, so the normal pet travel rules do not apply.

Where possible, people are being asked to notify the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs in advance.

The department will carry out checks and meet the costs of any quarantine and health treatments required.

Those treatments may include worming, or vaccinations against diseases such as rabies.

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Northern Ireland is a rabies-free zone, and the minister Edwin Poots said protecting that status was important.

"We have strong biosecurity measures in place to protect the public and other animals from diseases which can be brought to Northern Ireland by animals from overseas," he said.

"To protect these measures alternative arrangements have been put in place.

"This will include meeting the costs of quarantine for pets and the necessary health treatments such as tapeworm or rabies vaccinations to ensure we protect our long held rabies-free status and ensure pets are returned to their owners as quickly as possible."

Pets which are travelling on to the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere in the United Kingdom will be permitted to continue their journeys if they fulfil the requirements of a compliance check.

If not, they will be taken to their destination by an approved transporter and the authorities there informed.