The Board of the Finnish Kennel Club has decided to extend the prohibition for dogs living in Norway to participate in canine events in Finland until 30th September 2019. The prohibition concerns all canine events held under the aegis of the Finnish Kennel Club. The decision is re-evaluated before 30th September. The reason for the prohibition is a serious illness affecting dogs in Norway. 

The Norwegian Kennel Club has informed on 16th September 2019 that due to a serious epidemic in Norway, all trials, competitions and dog shows in Norway have been cancelled until further notice. The decision is in force until new information is received from Norwegian authorities. Norway does not send any national teams to international championship competitions abroad. The Norwegian Kennel Club also recommends that dog owners in Norway should not attend canine events abroad. The Norwegian Kennel Club maintains a close dialogue with veterinary authorities in Norway and the situation is investigated.

Veterinary authorities in Norway specified its instructions regarding contact between dogs in Norway, upon which the Norwegian Kennel Club decided to allow organization of some trials and competitions in the country as of 17th September 2019. In accordance with authority instructions, all allowed trials and competitions are such where contact between dogs can be restricted.

Affected dogs in Norway have suffered from symptoms such as blood-tinged diarrhoea and vomiting. Their general condition has worsened rapidly.

The Finnish Kennel Club follows up on the situation and gives out further information as soon as we receive it. The Swedish and Danish Kennel Clubs have also decided to continue to prohibit dogs living in Norway from participating in trials, competitions and dog shows until 30th September 2019.

The Finnish Food Authority overseeing the health and wellbeing of dogs in Finland has been informed about occasional cases of hemorrhagic diarrhoea. The Finnish Food Authority informs that so far, no similar clustering in a particular locality or area has been detected in Finland. According to the Finnish Food Authority, hemorrhagic diarrhoea is a known disease around the world. The cases discovered in Finland are not contagious between dogs.  The animal health situation in Finland is good. Similar infectious cases have not been reported in Sweden or in Denmark, either.

Information about the situation is updated on the Norwegian Kennel Club website and the Finnish Kennel Club website (in Finnish).

Please visit the website of the Finnish Food Authority for further information regarding control of animal diseases in Finland.

For more information

Harri Lehkonen, Chair of the Finnish Kennel Club’s Board
harri.lehkonen@kennelliitto.fi
tel. +358 50 329 2188

The article has been updated on Wednesday 11.9.2019 with information from the Finnish Food Authority regarding cases in Finland as well as with information on the prohibition set by the Swedish and Danish Kennel Clubs.

The article has been updated on Tuesday 17.9.2019 with updated information from the Norwegian Kennel Club as well as with information regarding the continued prohibition to participate in canine events in Finland, Sweden and Denmark for dogs living in Norway.

The article has been updated on Tuesday 17.9.2019 16.20 with information on the decision of the Board of the Finnish Kennel Club to prohibit dogs living in Norway from participating in canine events in Finland until 30th September 2019.

The article has been updated on 18th September 2019: the Norwegian Kennel Club has allowed the organization of specific trials and competitions in the country as of 17th September 2019. All allowed trials and competitions are such where it is possible to restrict contact between dogs.