Hello everyone,

We've finally got to visas etc and are flying out to Toronto in August... hurrah, but we have 3 labradors and the quotes we have had up to now are £2500, £2880 and £3020 which seem quite a lot.

Has anyone done it themselves i.e got the docs, booked flights etc and whats involved, we already have the pet passports, I've seen the travel cages for about £400, is it just tickets and export/import docs ??? or have i missed something, cant figure out what £2k+ is paying for.

Thanks,
Chris

Hi

I think what you have stated is pretty much it So not sure what they charge for

If you search for dogs or pets transport you will get lots of hits for previous thread where this has been discussed.

Good luck

Just posted on another thread about the same thing, Not sure if its your thing or you would want to but you can go on a translatlantic cruise from southampton to NY with the dogs costing around £600 for the dogs as far as I know, they have thier own deck and have a lampost and are treated very well.

We are miles away from getting a Visa but i've looked into all the options for the dogs, other good things about the cruise is the luggage allowance is mental so you can take plenty suitcases.

We enquired and as long as they have the pet passports you can get through customs...

Just maybe another option

cool. sounds like an option. im trawling through the other posts at mo, defo looks like doing it ourselves.

You've missed off a couple of things - rabies innoculation and vets fitness to fly certificate, and there are definitely others but I can't remember off the top of my head now! Did the quotes not break down the price for you?

I know it's not dogs, and dogs are dearer, but we got a quote for three cats - £1,000. This included three cages made to spec, collecting from home and boarding at their premises for couple of days, paperwork check and vet services/fitness to fly paperwork, transport to Gatwick couple of days after we land (their policy), getting them on the flight and the flight. I thought quite good value. It's on a sliding scale and works out cheaper for more cats.

For Canada, the requirements are, if they are under 3 months, they do not need any innocs or rabies. Over 3 and under 8 months they need rabies....don't know why. Other than that, they do not need pet passports and do not need to be up to date on innocs and do not need rabies.
They need the private fit to fly document from your vet, who also has to check and sign the Defra paperwork to say the animals have come from a rabies free country.

I have sent many dogs to Canada, the last 3 being this Monday as my son immigrated a couple of weeks ago. For all 3 dogs the price was £1447. That of course does not include the vet work.
I buy my Vari kennels from Ebay, I don't know anywhere that charges as much as you have found A cage for a Dobe sized dog I paid a £100 on Ebay, it was a new crate that someone had bought but not used.

The dogs I sent this last Mondya were a Sussex Spaniel, a Border Terrier puppy and an adult Border terrier.

You can do it yourself no problem, I hate the early morning drive to Heathrow though!!

Hi,

if you dont mind me asking, who are the quotes from. were flying on 12th june, have 2 labs and 2 tortoises. ive had 3 quotes the cheapest for all 4 pets including making the wooden crates, delivered straight to cargo manchester them booking the shipment was £1900

Thanks Co-Writer, very helpful.

What size travel crate for a BT do you suggest (have a cage type crate at home & for use in the car) - I know we have a while to go yet but nothing like looking ahead plus i'd like to get it a few months before we go so Lu can get used to it.

Cheers Arris

Animal Airlines: £2500
Jets4pets : £2880
and i cant remember who the other one was, the wife got it..
expecting a couple more other the next few days

hi im sending you a pm
kae

We are looking at going via cunard as it seems quite good value. We have 2 small dogs.

I agree. The dog transfer is reasonable and the cost for the people doesn't have to be stupid. The state rooms with balcony are about £700 per person, which when you think includes a 6 day holiday and saves the cost of the flight isn't bad.

The only thing that puts me off is having to dress for dinner, and apparently there are up to three black tie dinners during the trip. And it doesn't look like it's optional either. I enjoy putting the tux on as a treat at Christmas, but I don't know if we're old enough for that kind of cruise yet.

"Only" 32 myself Mark went on our first cruise last year, it was a really mixed age group, I love the thought of getting off in NY with the dogs and travelling up through the country to Ontario maybe a wee stop at lake placid or the likes on the way...Still researching what it would be like getting over the border with the dogs.

No need to go the tux every night, there are other resturants and you could get food delivered to the Cabin, dont mind doing the James Bond thing at dinner then into the Casino for a martini..shurely shum mishtake mish moneypenny.

Yes as far as I am aware there are different grades of restaurant. My girlfriends mum says there is wall to wall food, 24-7! The dress code seems quite strict, but I think you can go down the pub.

We have also heard about problems with some airlines and there are restrictions that air canada have at certain times of year due to temperatures. Our friends dog caught pneumonia on a 2 hour flight to Sweden with BA

I have found a clause that stops you hiring a car in the US and dropping it off in Canada, so that might be an issue for us.