Dave_Pardew

Wishing all members a very happy and prosperous New Year, and all the best with your journeys across the Pond

I'm in a dilemma about how to proceed with transporting our two cats to Edmonton from the UK.

I originally received a quotation from Pet Air for approximately £1600, which was door to door. However this was for our original destination of Vancouver. When we advised that we'd changed our destination, Pet Air said that they could not quote us for Edmonton, because they use Air Canada to get from London to Toronto, however the connecting flight (he didn't say which airline) from Toronto to Edmonton does not have a suitable pet hold, and therefore they won't risk the welfare of their furry clients (which seems fair).

Since then I've contacted Airpets, who have quoted a total of £1254, and includes:

Flights
Air Kennels
Airline Handling - UK side
Delivery from Airpets to Heathrow/Gatwick
Fit to Fly Certificate
Defra Export Certificate
Boarding - 1 days duration
Customs Entries UK
Quoted with Air Canada (whatever this means, I'm assuming they're just referencing the airline rather than classifying this as something which is included in the price???)

What's not included:

Customs / Airline Fee Paid Upon Arrival in Destination Airport
Rabies Vaccinations, as least 30 days prior to export
Vaccinations: Cats-Feline Enteritis and Feline Flu, more than 14 days
Owner to deliver pets to Airpets' premises
Microchip Identification

What's bugging me is that I've researched the process for pet transportation, and while I have n problem with paying a professional company to deal with what to me is a major aspect of our move, I'm struggling to see why I should pay any company a not insignificant sum for what is mostly legwork on my part.

I just wanted to ask if anyone can throw some light on the matter. I'm more than happy to pay for professionals, however should I consider doing the whole process myself (or is it just a massive pain best left to the professionals for everyone's sake, including the cats')?

Additionally, Canada Immigration's website states that for UK cats over 3 years old, all I need to produce is either a rabies vaccination certificate, or a veterinary certificate which confirms that my cats have been born in a rabies free country. No other health certificate or medical history is listed by them as being required.
So why does Airpets (and probably other companies) insist on my cats having a rabies shot when they didn't need one for the UK and won't require one for Canada (unless it's to safeguard them in transit alongside other pets who may have rabies - but surely this can't be the case if they're flying from the UK, as all fellow pets travelling will have had to have already been confirmed as rabies-free)?

Would appreciate any advice on the matter (and recommended professionals), just want to do the best for us and the cats, getting them across safely but without feeling like I've been extorted because it's an emotional decision. Thanks

glendem4

Only issue you will have is booking the cats on the same flight as the one you wish to travel. You can only book 6 weeks in advance with BA and 30 days with Air Canada. One other thing to factor, I believe BA will only fly pets on a week day. BA limit 6 pets per flight in cabinhttps://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...ling-with-pets, not sure with AC.

You will require a letter from your Vet stating the animals are fit to fly and a government letter from DEFRA stating the UK is a rabies free country. Your vet will be able to get the document. That is it.
Everything else can be done yourself. E.g. Pay fees of $30 for first cat and $5 for second cat when you land in Canada.

$100 per cat to fly in cabin is a lot cheaper than the quote you were given.

Aviator

You know you can get cats for free here, right?

Photoplex

Something to bear in mind about Canada (well, definitely Edmonton and Calgary) and cats. Most municipalities prohibit cats leaving their owners property. If your cat strays onto someone else's property, they are entitled to trap it, and take it to the impound, where you will have to pay a fine to get your cat back. Edmonton and Calgary Animal Services even goes so far as to lend out animal traps to homeowners to catch nuisance cats that stray onto their property.

As you can imagine, trying to keep a cat from running off your property is, well, like herding cats,. So most cats here are "house cats", and never/rarely leave the house.

Just something to think about, especially if your cats are used to having free roam of the neighbourhood.

Dave_Pardew

Thanks @glendem, that's reassuring to know that I can reasonably do this myself. So it looks like the process would be as follows:

1. Take cats to vet for their annual boosters, and obtain from the vet a Fit to Fly Certificate and a DEFRA certificate.
2. Book our flights with Air Canada (Edmonton via Calgary) at least a month in advance, and notify them at the time that we will be travelling with two cats in the cabin (total cost is our flight tickets + $200 for cats in the cabin).
3. Buy two suitable pet cabin carriers for the flight.
4. Arrive at Heathrow on the day, present our pet paperwork and go through customs with the cats.
5. Land at Calgary and get on our connecting flight to Edmonton.
6. Land at Edmonton, present our paperwork and pay $35 fees.


Thanks @Photoplex for the helpful information, luckily these two are full-time house cats but knowing the rules means I'll be extra vigilant.

Shakyuk

Can you trap it and eat it?

Dave_Pardew

If you can catch Fat Jerry you're quids in, he'd easily feed the Waltons with some to spare

Former Lancastrian

Waiting to see who is brave/stupid enough to make a totally inappropriate comment along the lines of well Im partial to eating ***** once in a while.

Shakyuk

Now the cat has a cool name, I no longer wish to eat him.


I would like to know if the cat was called Fat Jerry first, and then overfed in order to live up to the name or was he just Jerry then he got fat?



I'm usually on the innuendo/pun train, but this one was probably too crude for me.

stuabroad

Right. And there's the -40c for 6 months to consider My two furry friends spend the summer on the balcony but i do feel bad for them stuck in all winter. At least when i go out they listen to BBC or Talksport on the radio.

bert07

We brought our 2 cats out to YEG a couple of years ago using one of the UK companies (I can't remember which).

They had to bring them LHR to Calgary and we collected them from there because YEG was a pain to get cats into due to the planes having the correct provision and they couldn't do it in winter due to the cold. It was semi painless, cost £1600, the cats missed their plane so had to get the next day plane! But, they arrived in one piece and only slightly traumatised. All I had had to do was make sure their vaccination books were up to date (didn't have rabies vac).

We returned last year and did it ourselves via amsterdam (UK rules for using certain transporters meant it was insanely expensive compared to going via AMS). We travelled with the cats as excess baggage and it was an absolute doddle. Read the paperwork, stick to the paperwork requirements exactly and it cost a few hundred dollars. The cats were totally chilled about this move - if we return with the one remaining one (seriously,fly across the world fine - gets itself squished by a car outside the house) we would probably do it as excess baggage this time but i'd probably fly with just her and not the kids, it would still be cheaper.

We had considered taking them as excess baggage when we went out but changed our mind at the last minute (3 young kids, 10 bags plus 2 cats just wasn't happening!). But we were flying with icelandair and it was about £75 per cat or something stupid.

They need the full vaccination programme but do not need rabies vac as they are coming from a rabies free country. They did have the jab once out there.

There is speculation of making cats indoor only in YEG/StA/ShPk but as far as I know it hasn't been made a bylaw at the moment - worth checking on your chosen areas webpage and it will identify any specific bylaws relating.

Dave_Pardew

Thanks bert07, really appreciate the help and info, and very sorry to hear about your second cat...

In terms of making sure I've got the correct paperwork, should all eventualities be covered if I have:

1. the DEFRA veterinary certificate confirming the cats originate from the UK;
2. a fit-to-fly letter/certificate from the vet; and
3. their full medical history showing details of all jabs and boosters

bert07

Pretty much yep. Make sure you have airline approved carriers - check with the airline as it was different with BA than with KLM.

Importing or Travelling with Domestic Cats - Three months of age or older from countries recognized by Canada as being rabies-free - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

I printed the page off and had it in my notes just in case I had a jobsworth to deal with.

Dave_Pardew

I spoke with Air Canada regarding this airline approved carrier, whose dimensions are 19"x12"x12", with particular reference to the height of the carrier, as Air Canada's maximum dimensions for soft-sided carriers are 21.5"x15.5"x10.5". The chap in their customer contact team said that the carrier was absolutely fine, as long as it can be reduced to a height to fit under the seat.

I bought a pair of these carriers along with a pair of secure lead cat harnesses so that they can't make a dash for it when I open the tops of the carriers on the plane.

Former Lancastrian

Have you asked the cats if they actually want to go to Deadmonton?