- A not always easy balancing act, says Simon Löfgren, Deputy Head of the Infection Control Unit at the Swedish Board of Agriculture.
According to the Swedish Migration Agency, just over 21,000 Ukrainians have so far sought refuge in Sweden.
At the same time, the Swedish Customs states that an estimated 10 percent of the refugees have pets with them.
This corresponds to around 2,000 animals.
Both the refugees from Ukraine and their animals must be admitted because there is a kind of state of emergency for them.
But at the same time, the Swedish Customs and the Swedish Board of Agriculture must catch any signs of rabies in the animals.
If the disease is spread to humans, it is often fatal.
Kept under supervision
The animals are kept under surveillance for shorter or longer periods.
- It may be relevant with different types of insulation while waiting for information that there is no risk of rabies, says Simon Löfgren.
He describes:
If the blood samples taken from the animals show antibodies against rabies, there may be a few days of isolation for safety.
- Then the animal can be where the fleeing family is.
More animals on the way
If there is a high risk of rabies in the animal, the Swedish Board of Agriculture may require up to four months of isolation.
In Skåne, there are animal quarantines in, among other places, Örkelljunga, where about ten animals are now kept, and in Åstorp.
The Swedish Board of Agriculture believes that more refugees with animals will come to Sweden.
- But it is difficult to say anything about how many people are waiting to come here, says Simon Löfgren.
Hear the Swedish Board of Agriculture talk about how Ukrainian pets are handled in the clip below:
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The Swedish Board of Agriculture in Jönköping has had to take special measures when Ukrainian pets accompanied the escape from the war.
Photo: TT / The picture was taken in a different context