ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: There was a historic visit to Britain this week. Seventeen dogs and one cat arrived on a ferry without passing through quarantine. For the past century, pet owners were forced to leave their loved ones behind in cramped quarters to prevent the spread of rabies and other diseases. Now that has changed. And as Britain's ITN reports, the new law means a lot more paperwork for pet owners.</s>CHRIS CHOI, ITN (voice-over): Kate Chandra has been separated from her dog Yogi not just by the English Channel but by Britain's anti-rabies laws. Now that's all changed.</s>KATE CHANDRA, PET OWNER: Although it's an absolute nightmare with paperwork, it can be done.</s>CHOI: All pets must have certificates showing they've been rabies vaccinated, blood tested, parasite treated and microchipped. It all takes six months and costs 150 pounds.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We discovered that it's an awful lot harder to get a passport for your dog than it is to get a passport for yourself. There's an awful lot of paperwork involved. You've got to spend a lot of time researching how to do it and what you need.</s>CHOI: This lunchtime, 17 dogs and a cat demonstrated this whole new style of international travel. The first phase includes cross- channel ferries and some airlines. Twenty-two destination countries are involved, and next year the scheme will be extended to include other pets. Already, the new documentation has saved them six months in quarantine but not necessarily the discomfort of an unflattering passport photograph. Chris Choi, ITN, Folkston.
Britain Lifts Century-Old Pet Quarantine Laws