bodieanddoyle

Hi. I will hopefully be moving out to Jeddah in the next few weeks to join my husband after 5 months....

I am taking my two cats with me but there doesn't seem to be any clear process on what to do for the cats, I'm very confused and slightly distressed about it all. So far I have done:

1 - microchipped them

2 - got all jabs including rabies sorted

3 - received EU/UK passports from vets

My husband has managed to get the import permit sorted but it's with him in jeddah. Really, my question is do I need this import permit with me when I travel (I'll be on the same flight as the cats) and as the import permit has already been sorted, do I need to get the EHC legalised and then stamped by the uk Saudi embassy as this part seems impossible to do within the constraints of the 96 hours before the flight? TIA. I'm having a slight meltdown about this

OleJanx

Umm, have you tried asking the airline, to see what they require to ship your cats? I've shipped cats from Qatar, Oman,Azerbaijan and Dubai, and each time there has been different rules, but the airlines have usually been able to tell me what paperwork has been needed.

bodieanddoyle

Ummm, no I haven't - it's not the airlines issue. It's the requirements regarding what the Saudi government want that I'm enquiring about.

Anybody that's shipped cats from the UK to KSA??

OleJanx

Not shipped cats to KSA. Have you tried asking the embassy?
Worth trying the airlines, though. ( my moggies usually went by British Airways or Emirates - they were able to either tell me the regulations currently in force, or who to contact)

Patsy Stoned

Errr..The airlines will know exactly what is required to ship the cats to whichever country they fly to...They ship animals all the time.

bodieanddoyle

Again, anyone from the UK that has actually gone through the process??

OleJanx

Which airline are you proposing to fly them with? The airline should be able to tell you the Saudi regulations. Also, if you ask your vet , they may be able to tell you as well.
http://www.hziegler.com/articles/bri...ddle-east.html This might help you, if you take advice from those who have don it to similar GCC states.

Kix

Why don't you ASK THE AIRLINE???????

mikewot

PARDON? I'd much rather ask someone for outdated information than bother the airline people, I'm British you know, we don't do that sort of thing.

OleJanx

See edited post.

OleJanx

Nah, you might be British, but you're ex-military. Might as well ask for elbow and arse directions...

bodieanddoyle

Embassy - useless. Look online they say. Nothing in their website.

Airlines - useless. Ask the companies you book the cargo flight with they say.

Cargo company - useless. I will need the EHC signed off before Saudi will issue a import permit. Not so! My husband has got one for them already so obviously they had no idea what they're saying.

AHVLA (government export specialists that DEFRA refer me to) - useless!!! Still informing me that I can get the EHC stamped by the FCO in person. I cannot. The FCO had shut that desk down and I can only get them to legalise the EHC by post. Not a problem usually but the EHC has to be signed off by a DEFRA registered vet, then legalised by the FCO then stamped by the UK Saudi embassy - all within 96 hours of the flight. Which would be manageable if I could do it all in person, but as I've said, I cannot approach the FCO in person...,

I'm not being snotty or ungrateful for your suggestions but it would seem that I am the only person to have ever wanted to take a pet from the UK to KSA and just wanted to find someone else who's done this and could give me some empathetic guidance.

bodieanddoyle

Thanks for that, I'll have a look

mikewot

Bless! You're going to fly your furry babies cargo and not with you? At least one person has done a google search for you and posted up information.
The alternative is leave them behind and get new ones out here, place is swarming with them.

OleJanx

Sorry, didn't mean to be offensive, nothing personal, and all that, but really! If I can find answers to questions in 15 seconds, then...well, exasperation with a capital F!