On November 20, 2002 the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs announced that the U.K.'s Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) would be extended to the U.S. and Canada beginning December 11, 2002. PETS is a system that allows pet animals from certain countries to enter the U.K. without quarantine if they meet certain rules. It also means that people in the U.K. can bring their pets back from those countries without quarantine.

On the day of the announcement, Ambassador William Farish and Mrs. Farish posed at the U.S. Embassy with their dog Katy (held by Mrs. Farish) and a basset hound named Fred who is owned by one of the Americans at the Embassy. Fred stands on a travel trunk adorned with replicas of the "Pet Travel Scheme - USA and Canada" tags. (State Department photo by Sarah-Jane Mayhew, U.S. Embassy London)