Hi chaps,

Thanks for your plentiful and varied responses.
I actually phoned AirTransat last night and it turns out that for CAD$275 + $30 inspection fee at the other end, can put the hound on the same flight as us in Sept as there are all of the 5 animal spaces left.

So I don't think I need to go through a pet services company. I'm thinking that this type of full-on service would be more suitable for when you need someone else to pick up your dog and do the full-on delivery service. I think

Katie

...so would I! ...

Skymaster based at Manchester airport are really good - cheapest by far and who I am using.

They are happy to answer any questions you have (and trust me I had loads...)

Thanks very much for that!
Does anyone know what there is in the way of paperwork to fill in, if I do it DIY and go through AirTransat directly? They told me to book flight with Can Affair, tell them I was also booking dog on and asked to get put through to them to book dog on and pay. They also banged on about the crate regulations which I'm aware of and the 30 bucks at the other end, but that was it!

Katie

I too am planning on using airtransat to ship our two dogs this summer so please do let us know how you get on. Because one is too big to be checked he'll go cargo. Was quoted over £1700 for an agency with aircanada! And they insist that the dogs kennel with them over night. Neither of our dogs like kennels so this would just stretch out the stressful experience. Better to just take them to the airport ourselves.

This is what airtransat cargo sent to me:

Import requirements
Dogs may enter Canada if they are accompanied by rabies certification, which means they must have:
• a signed rabies vaccination certificate;
OR
• a signed veterinary certificate, declaring that the dog is originating from a country recognized by Canada as being rabies-free.
• AND
• Â
• a veterinary certificate of health.
The rabies vaccination certificate must:
• be written in English or French;
• be issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian;
• identify the animal (as in breed, colour, and weight);
• state that the animal is vaccinated against rabies;
• indicate the date of vaccination;
• indicate the trade name and the serial number of the licensed vaccine; and
• specify the duration of immunity (otherwise, it will be considered valid for one year from the date of vaccination).
The veterinary certificate must:
• be written in English or French;
• be issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian;
• identify the animal as in breed, colour, and weight;
• state that the animal has been in the exporting country since birth or for at least six (6) months immediately preceding shipment to Canada; and
• be accompanied by documentation from a competent government authority*, stating that rabies has not occurred in the country of origin for at least six (6) months immediately preceding the animal's shipment to Canada.
*Note: a competent government authority refers to a veterinary agency or other government agency that manages a country's animal health and welfare situation, as well as handles the responsibility of veterinary certification for the purposes of international trade. The document can be either:
• a letter issued on the competent government authority's letterhead, dated, stamped, and signed by an official of the competent government authority in the country of origin; or
• a signed letter by the licensed veterinarian who issued the certificate, which must be endorsed by the competent government authority.
The veterinary certificate of health must:
• be written in English or French;
• be issued and signed by the licensed veterinarian who performed the examination;
• identify the animal (as in breed, colour, and weight);
• specify the date and time of the examination;
• state that the veterinarian is satisfied that the animal:
o is not less than eight (8) weeks of age at the time of the examination;
o is free of any clinical evidence of disease;
o was vaccinated, not younger than six (6) weeks of age, for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza virus;
o can be transported to Canada without undue suffering due to infirmity, illness, injury, fatigue, or any other causes;
• have the name and signature of the licensed veterinarian.
All information must be recorded legibly in the veterinarian's handwriting.
The dog must be imported into Canada 72 hours or less after the examination.
Additional Information
Dogs do not require rabies vaccination or certification if they are less than three (3) months of age at the time they are imported into Canada.
Canada does not require a waiting period between the time the animal is vaccinated for rabies and the time the animal is imported into Canada.
If a dog does not meet the import requirements relating to rabies certification, owners will be required, at their own expense, to do the following:
• have the animal vaccinated against rabies within a specified period of time; and
• provide the vaccination record to a Canadian Food Inspection Agency office.

Hiya,
Did they send you this by email?
I have been to their website where they talk about all that kind of thing and also to the link on their site to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency site, section about importing domestic dogs. That page takes you to what you copied and pasted I believe.

Will let you know what happens!
Katie

I got the number for air transat cargo from a lovely lady at are transat and they sent this document through to me. Their email is <snip> and the lovely guy I spoke to is Mark. I'm waiting for a quote from them, but I've found that it's $275 + customs fee of $35 (I think there abouts). I figure whatever happens they'll be on the same plane for the same time regardless of hw much I spend and I'd really rather not add to the stress by kenneling them first!