Originally Posted by MoshiMoshi

France, Holland and Germany also have tons of land borders; they're not an island, trying to maintain and protect its own ecosystem.

I'm sure every airport is different, but when we flew out of Dusseldorf airport with our cats, they didn't even have a dedicated area for animal check-in; we had to leave our cats at the outsize baggage counter. We also had to take them out of their crates so the containers could be x-rayed: holding two furious cats in the middle of queue of people with skis and buggies was really fun. No dedicated animal personnel.

When the cats arrived at LAX, they were left by the side of the baggage carrousel with a pile of outsize baggage. No supervision, let alone animal personnel.

In contrast, I can't say enough about how professional and helpful the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow are. It's an entire facility and they take amazing care of the animals. The import paperwork and procedures are extensive. Google the documentary series about them if you think they're just taking $300 to 'clean up cages'. What rubbish. (And, for one thing, our cats have flown long-haul two times and never once soiled their cages like that -- I've heard cats hardly ever poop in their containers.)

Originally Posted by maddie1959

Maybe you are right or just lucky, because I have read dozens of complains re Heathrow and many cats in bad condition on arrival .
still does not accuse that the same trip to other places in Europe for a cat are $275 virus $1700 for Uk

My time is better spent finding a solution and not debating facts .

Originally Posted by MoshiMoshi

So go ahead and find one, instead of grumbling that we should all call DEFRA, and spreading nonsense scare stories about animals 'covered in excrement' and 'dozens of complaints' about Heathrow. Heathrow has a very good reputation for animal treatment; it's not fair on other returning pet-owners to make up dramatic rubbish, just because you have a chip on your shoulder about the cost.

Originally Posted by Editha

Incidentally, I was advised that it is better, if possible, to get animals flown to Gatwick, rather than Heathrow, because their animal reception centre is faster in processing the animals when they arrive.

Originally Posted by maddie1959

I wont bother to respond again to you , a waist of time .
However for the other pet owners , it was never my intention to scare anyone I know how important our animals welfare are to us.I was given a lot of my informational by a very reliable souse. having said that I know there are many happy endings .

I do not have a chip on my shoulder re cost however there is no justifying the facts,they are out there , I fight for the rights of people ,children and animals , I am not a fence sitter as you appear to be , if changes are to be made we must act .You wish to berry your head in the sand so be it .

Originally Posted by quiltman

The other alternative is fly into Amsterdam , train from Schipol to Brussels and then Eurostar to London. you need to check the regulations but we had a friend who used to take her cat regularly from UK to Paris, and back of course, on the train - some time ago admittedly. She had to have injections and a animal passport but it was very straightforward apparently.The cat travelled in a carry cage.
If you google "taking pets from europe to UK" I'm sure you'll find answers.

Originally Posted by MoshiMoshi

Although I wouldn't recommend using 'souses' for information -- they're very unreliable.
I shall weight in vein for your replay. Good luck to your cat, though.