JACOBSTOWE charity Rapid UK may have to keep its rescue dogs in Spain if there is no change in the quarantine laws, the charity's director has said.

Despite a campaign for an early release of dogs Gemma and Kelly, who helped save lives in the Turkey earthquake last August, they have had to complete the regulation six months in quarantine.

The dogs were released from Arden Grange International quarantine Kennels near Gatwick Airport on Tuesday.

Director of Rapid UK (Rescue and Preparedness in Disasters) Graham Payne said the campaign had also been about achieving a special dispensation for future dogs being deployed from the UK on disaster missions.

'The campaign had fantastic support from the public and several MPs but unfortunately failed with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAFF) giving no latitude for improvement on the present system,' said Mr Payne.

He said in Spain and some Scandinavian countries rescue dogs returning to the country were blood-tested and examined by vets and if the vets were happy the dogs were allowed home.

Gemma and Kelly had been vaccinated against rabies and micro-chipped and had not come into contact with any local dogs during their time in Turkey, he said.

'It is a possibility we might have to keep the dogs in Spain if we cannot do something to change the laws.

'We do not have a never-ending supply of dogs and we have to think of their welfare.'

Mr Payne said it was a step in the right direction that after April a pet passport scheme would mean pets no longer had to be quarantined for six months after returning to the UK from EU countries but this did not apply to places like Columbia and Turkey.

Some dogs took quarantine without any problems but others could be really distressed by the experience and there was a chance they would not be used again in rescue missions, he added.

It took 18 months to two years to train rescue dogs and the charity now had six fully-trained animals and six undergoing training,

Quarantine caused them to lose their 'edge' as rescue animals, he said.

'These animals are pets before they are rescue dogs and this has an affect on their owners as well.

'I am not against quarantine but the animals are a vital part of the team which we cannot afford to do without. It would be a tremendous loss if they had to go to Spain.'

He said the dogs were offered to take part in the rescue after the Paddington rail crash but if they were relocated to Spain they would not be allowed into Britain for similar disasters.

'We will keep campaigning to get the laws changed because we would much rather they stayed here — they are almost like family to us,' added Mr Payne.