Vet strike: dog deported or destroyed

An unexpected consequence of the industrial action currently affecting in Iceland is the repatriation yesterday of a young chihuahua named Tutzy back to Norway.

As reported on mbl.is yesterday, members of the Ice­landic Vet­eri­nary As­so­ci­a­tion are currently on strike. These vets are responsible for supervising and monitoring imports of animals into Iceland.

Unaware of impending strike action

Tutzy moved from Iceland to Norway with her owner, Thelma Rut Magnús­dótt­ir, two years ago and the plan was to send Tutzy back to Iceland to live with Magnús­dótt­ir’s mother. All necessary arrangements for the move – injections, check-ups, quarantine – were made in good time of the move. Magnús­dótt­ir was not aware of the impending strike action and assumed everything was in order.

Magnús­dótt­ir claims not to have received any information on the possible problems the strike might cause. This is denied by the Ice­landic Food and Vet­eri­nary Au­thor­ity, who claims that all those intending to import an animal into Iceland around this time were duly informed.

Deported or destroyed

Tutzy flew to Iceland yesterday with Magnús­dótt­ir’s mother, who was informed that Tutzy could not be admitted into the country.

The choice was simple: take Tutzy back to Norway or she would have to be destroyed. Magnús­dótt­ir applied for an exemption but was denied.

If Magnús­dótt­ir cannot get Tutzy into Iceland soon, the dog’s injection period will expire and the whole import process will have to be gone through again, at the owner’s expense. Magnús­dótt­ir is adamant that she received no information from the Ice­landic Food and Vet­eri­nary Au­thor­ity and would never have tried to import Tutzy if she had.

The Ice­landic Food and Vet­eri­nary Au­thor­ity reiterates its message to people not to try and import animals at this time as there are no vets to handle them upon arrival, as required by Icelandic legislation.

Related article:

New wave of strikes hit Ice­land