The kitten Lee, which its owner had brought from Peru to Belgium in early April Without authorization from the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Afsca), is welcome in the Andean country, said Afsca’s Peruvian counterpart, Senasa. The animal is at the center of legal proceedings, in Antwerp, opposing the 23-year-old student Selena Ali, who refuses to have her cat euthanized, with Afsca, who fears that Lee could be carrying rabies.
A return under conditions
“At no time did Senasa refuse entry to its territory to this cat from Belgium“, responded the director of Senasa, Miguel Quevedo Valle, in a letter relayed Tuesday by the association for the defense of animals Gaia. “We are ready for the kitten Lee to return to our country, given that all the vaccines which ensure his health are in order“, also posted the Peruvian agency on Sunday on its Twitter account. The animal”may return to Peru if he presents one of the following two documents: a health certificate issued by the Belgian authority (and showing the vaccinations) as well as the passport “ of the kitten, details by post Mr. Quevado Valle. Or “the vaccination certificate issued by the Peruvian veterinarian, where the rabies vaccine appears “. In this second case, Lee must be placed in quarantine for 15 days upon arrival on Peruvian soil, warns the director of Senasa.
Afsca singled out by Gaia
The 23-year-old student brought the little feline, adopted to a cat bar in Cuzco, on a flight that brought her back to Belgium due to the coronavirus crisis, without authorization from Afsca. However, Peru is a country considered to be at high risk for rabies. The animal was vaccinated against this disease, but did not spend enough time in quarantine. At the end of April, Afsca then asked that he be euthanized, because it is not excluded that the animal is carrying the virus. Selena Ali objected and did not return the kitten. Legal proceedings are currently underway to determine the fate of the animal. “LWhen we argued that Afsca had deliberately provided the wrong (repatriation) documents to Senasa and that, if the right documents were sent, Lee would be welcome, the agency accused us of misleading and defamatory statements“, Gaia president Michel Vandenbosch reacted on Tuesday.”This raises serious questions about the behavior of Afsca. “
Afsca maintains that the kitten’s return to Peru was initially refused. “We have not yet received an official notification that Senasa’s position has changed in the meantime,” Federal Agency spokeswoman Hélène Bonte reacted on Tuesday. The judge in summary proceedings in Antwerp will deliver his judgment in this case on June 5.
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