kiwibrit101

After 20 years in Auckland NZ my partner and I are heading back to the UK. We have done the wrestling in our minds for about 5 years and gone back on holidays for answers, but I honestly think the only way is just to 'do it".....So we are! So we are just about sold up houses, batches and just the business left which is looking as if it might be going soon. What we thought would take months has taken weeks and its happening so quick....We are taking that as a good omen. So a few questions.... our doggie.... looks like qantas is favored by the pet carriers , but its a long flight has anyone used anyone else...more direct?
Our initial final destination is Scotland but the doggie has to process in Heathrow, does anyone know a motel near the airport that takes dogs?
We figure we don't want to drive up to Scotland after that journey.
Long term car hire say 2 months....any ideas?

We have no idea where we will end up, we are both from the North, but like the idea of the south coast.....Eastbourne , Brighton maybe.
And we are both absolutely excited and crapping ourselves at the same time...pardon my french......Oh yeah....France.....mmmmmm
Kind Regards

dollface

Good for you sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet and go for it. I have been in Canada 13 years and we are just about to do likewise. Thought about it on and off for years but the "feeling" never went away. We too are from Scotland and will return there most likely.

Good luck to you

Moggiemiss

Re the question concerning accommodation near the airport ... contact James Cargo Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow.

www.jamescargo.com - the website - has a lot of information and you can email them. They do have a list of 'pet friendly' taxi companies and they may be able to help you with your request.

I have found them very helpful and friendly.

Good luck with the trip back and good on you for making the decision!

Loch Lomond

Has your dog passed it's rabies test? If not it will need to be quarantined in London. The PETS program used by UK Customs has specific routes that can be used to ensure the pets don't need to stay in quarantine. We moved back to Scotland from Perth WA last year and brought our Alaskan Malamute with us, we used JetPets who picked him up from our house in Perth and delivered him to our house in Scotland. Saying that, I probably wouldn't use or recommend them as what should have been a 6 hour rest period in London before he continued up to Glasgow turned into 3 days. James Cargo claimed the crate Jetpets used was too small for our dog (however after being unable to get a larger crate into the hold of a plane they put him back in the original crate). Neither Jetpets or James Cargo were too concerned about this problem.
Good luck when you come back, we have been back 9 months now and loving it. Oh and the state of the economy is no where near as bad as some would have you believe.

FiP

We used Qantas from Perth to Heathrow and we found out that the dogs did not go on the flight from Singapore booked for them. They had a much longer layover in Singapore than we had anticipated even though flights were on time as scheduled. It's common with Qantas apparently so I would try to avoid them if you can.
Air New Zealand takes dogs but don't know the routings.
It takes a while for the paperwork and dogs to be checked over at the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre and then we were offered the wrong dog so I really wonder sometimes.......!!!!
Travelodges in the UK take dogs and Holiday Autos are not bad for car hire if you want to pick a car up at the airport.
Good luck with your move.

kiwibrit101

Thanks for that....The rabies stuff has changed and is much easier from NZ. Just one vac shot and they can fly without quarantine 21 days after. Thank God. It seems as qantas is our only option as the others don't take terriers.

kiwibrit101

Interesting to hear your view on the economy, we are getting scary reports, but ha....when is there ever a perfect time, the xchange rate is better than ever and the house prices have lost there crazy sting.

brits1

Hi...we were the same as you and then really just made the decision to go and we are so glad we did....our small dog flew direct to Manchester from Perth, Aus. and she was fine (she even loves the weather here..lol) we used the boarding kennels where our pet stayed whenever we were on holiday they were called paws&claws and they use a company who deal with direct flights, you could google them and ask as they did say they also arranged for pets in NZ....good luck hope all goes well, Spring is on its way...already we have light nights until well past 5pm......

Chortlepuss

I grew up in Saltdean, just outside Brighton - it's a great place, just 4 miles from Brighton but much much cheaper. Good bus service, lovely walks, peace and quiet - boring for youngsters but a fantastic place to retire

Spacecake799

Hi,

Can you just explain where I find out about the rabies shot. We had our dog done last year and expected to need to get a booster for him soon as were not leaving within the year of getting him done.

Thanks

BEVS

Hi Spacecake. Perhaps ask Defra UK direct.


DEFRA

coedyddinas

That's awesome, we are hopefully planning on returning next year, I am originally from Wales and been in Australia 18 years, my husband is Australian and has given the green light for us to go over for a few years - its good to hear the economy isn't as terrible as what the media portrays it to be. I know exactly what you mean about it being really scary!

I have used auto reservations for car hire whenever I go back, their web address is: http://www.autoreservation.com/ - the longest I have hired a car for is 6 weeks, have always found them good to deal with.

Good luck with everything, hope to hear all about it

FiP

Some rabies jabs given for the last 2 years or so last for 3 years now without annual boosters. You can check with any vet if you know the type/brand of vaccination used from your paperwork.
To be absolutley sure though (which you would want to be!) you would need to check with a vet who is licensed to do the export paperwork.

dollface

In Canada, may be different elsewhere, the rabies shots last 3 years, no boosters required. The vaccination must be given AFTER your dog has been microchipped.

FiP

Good point about the microchipping!!