mootymoots

Hi All

I'm moving back to UK, and trying to fly my pets home. Quick insight: Its a nightmare during COVID.

No direct flights, so my dog and cat have to fly to Frankfurt, then Ground ship to UK. I am having to deal with two companies to ship them, one from USA to Germany, one from Germany to UK.

I cannot get a clear answer about the health certificate in terms of the destination and which cert to use and wondering if anyone can help? As far as I know, UK accepts the EU non-commercial certificate until June 30th, which is great for me. I'm not flying with the pets but will travel direct to London within 5 days. However my air shipper is insisting that the destination on the health certificate should be Germany because that is where the pets will pass through customs. However, that's not their final destination and surely they will pass through customs at Dover? I really don't want to get this wrong, and neither company seem to have any real idea what I should do, leaving me to figure this out and risk losing my pets somewhere along the way.

Air shipper says the "AWB" Airway Bill needs to have Germany as destination, makes sense as that is the flight destination.
No one is clear about the health certificate. I tried the US gov too and get conflicting answers

Would appreciate any insight or experience with this!

destone

Please use AA Cargo. They fly direct to LHR from LAX, DFW, JFK and other major hubs. We used them in November.

Glasgow Girl

Honestly, I think you need to travel with your pets, or find a better arrangement. Flying them to Frankfurt and then ground shipping them to the UK with two separate companies sounds like a recipe for a disaster to me. Personally, I think it is also cruel and inhumane to do so. You need to adjust your own travel arrangement to make the pets a priority or assume the risk of never seeing them again and having no idea what happened to them.

mootymoots

They won't fly my breed, so I'm stuck with Lufthansa as the only company that will fly, and as I am told, will take great care of the animals.

mootymoots

Flying with my pets makes no difference to the reality of this journey - they have to go as cargo if I fly with them or without. I either leave them behind in USA for an unknown future, or take them with me where they will be loved and cared for. I am not sure which part of that is inhumane, sorry.

Also, I didn't ask for an opinion on the choices of me and my family to ship our beloved pets, or the million times we've debated and discussed and stressed over this - I'd just like some help with the health certificate.

Glasgow Girl

Then fly to Frankfurt with them, or on the day prior, and personally receive them in Frankfurt and oversee the transfer from Lufthansa to the ground transport company. That way you will be present to manage any unforeseen problems which can arise. I know because I have shipped pets myself, and no matter what the airline says there are many people in the mix and it only takes one of them to mess things up. Being there to resolve any issues personally makes a huge difference.

Not sure why you cannot fly them from Frankfurt into the UK with Lufthansa, if they will fly them from the US to Frankfurt. Perhaps you could try that to shorten their journey considerably and reduce stress.

angie_329

I've flown cats into the UK.

The health certificate also known as 'fit to fly' must be filled in by an authorised vet and is very important . If it is not correct it will cause delays on clearing your pets. Normally pet companies scan and send the documents to the arrival port of entry so they can be checked and cleared BEFORE the flight leaves. are you in USA? The health cerficate is issued by a vet in originating country so you need to check that once the pets have cleared in Germany they dont need another certificate issued to enter UK . In EU this would normally be inside a pet passport.I am surprised your pet transporter cannot advise you on this. Are you committed to them? I could suggest alternatives. Which company are you using?

You can email the Animal reception centre at Heathrow ( HARC) on their contact form, they are very good, though busy, with your query on the health certificate.needed

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/serv...ception-centre

Who are you using for ground transport? Usually the person collecting the animal needs to be on the airway bill as 'consignee' and have a letter of authority . Are both pets on the same airwaybill. I presume so as one shipment of two crates.

There are a number of services that transport pets by ground in Europe. I think the option of transferring onto another plane should be looked at but only if animals can 'transit' via Germany and not have to clear through customs . If they did it would be restarting the drop off, waiting etc until boarding the next flight. An experienced pet travel company could advise.

angie_329

Found some more info for you. I hope it will help as its so stressful thinking about one's pets travelleing. They usual arrive in better condition than we do!

These animal couriers will know what you need in terms of health certificate- they pick up pets in Europe from airports regularly and take them to UK by road via Tunnel/Ferry. Its worth c asking for a quote and at the same time about whether the same USA certificate can be used for UK. Dogs need to be wormed before travel so whether than takes place in USA or in EU do ask. Cats do not need to be wormed to enter UK. Ensure their microchips are readable and ISO standard.

https://www.animalcouriers.com/channel-hopping/

To reassure you, your pets will be very well cared for on arrival at Frankfurt. At the animal centre they will have their own small room enclosure and be fed and watered, dog walked, cat will have litter tray. Vet will check them. So they have a rest of several hours before the next leg of the journey. For everyone who is worried, many pets fly into Europe ( rescue dogs and cats) as its less expensive, and then travel by road into UK, they all manage well and are fine as soon as they get home. The transport vans are specially adapted for dogs and cats enclosures who even have litter trays!

Re air routes- try sending an enquiry with your departure location/ destination and your dog's breed to petairuk com, they are well established and run by vets.

Tip: start feeding pets inside their travel crates so they get used to them. Travelling in the hold is quieter and less stressful than in cabin . Animals are placed in a special area, the hold is pressurised and temperature regulated. The only bumpy bits are take off and landing, They will probably sleep most of the journey.

On the travel crate: Prepare a large label and type the AWB/ consignee name and tel number including country code, followed by 'Owner' your name your full mobile number and UK postcode followed by/ UK/.name of your pet if you can fit it in., Use a tie on the top lock side of the travel crate into the hole to ensure crate is secure.

mootymoots

Hi Angie - firstly thank you so much for the detailed replies - this has helped a lot.

I've read on the APHIS website (US gov agency that endorses the certificate) that the EU health certificate is supported by UK until June 30th, which is within my timeframe so sounds like I am OK. I plan to do the tapeworm as you say so will meet the UK gov needs in terms of certificate being valid, and the treatments being good and timely. The only real "hitch" is the destination on the EU health certificate in terms of it being Germany or UK.

My USA shipper is saying the health certificate should be Germany, with the AWB destination also as Germany but "Address of receiver can show UK address." - I haven't seen anAWB to understand how both Germany and UK can be on it, but maybe that is fine?

My main concern is if UK are unhappy the destination on the health certificate says "Germany". Maybe that doesn't matter... it seems no one really knows - but like you say - I thought this would be a common question...

I'll do more digging in the links you mention, and see if I can get some answers!

angie_329

Its a bank holiday this weekend so you may have difficulty contacting but worrth a try.

Whne you say 'the EU health certificate' you really mean the Health certificate issued by an approved vet in originating country USA ( this is to show the animal is fit for the journey.). The question is do you need another issued by an EU vet for ground travel into UK? Because on UK entry your pets will be considered as coming from the EU not USA anymore.since they have been cleared into Germany/ Europe .

This is where ringing up a pet ground travel company will give you the answer. I think it is possible that during a certain timeframe the original health certificate issued in USA will be valid for UK entry. The other point is, is it required for entry by vehicle. I presume the heatlh certicate asks for port of entry? in that case it has to be Germany.

the AWB is simply the transportation part that tracks the goods or items travelling for that particular leg of the journey only.. Yes the AWB should state destination Germany since your pets will clear customs in Germany.but it's separate from Health certificate but one of the documents needed..

The ground shipper who is picking up your pets- ask them what documents they usually need to bring pets from EU to UK?
Why dont they khow what you need? If they do this regularly they should know. That would concern me.


Also looking up luftansa on snub nosed dogs that many airlines wont fly ( is your breed snub nosed?) Technically they now say they are not cargo since 2020 but 'excess baggage' put in an air condiitioned area in the hold. Im not sure what the real difference is as inside cargo hold its a big space but all compartmented and all areas animals are in are ventilated as if for a passenger in the cabin, but this could be more airconditioned to keep temperature lower for snub nosed breeds... You could ask if your cat is treated as cargo will they be separated? The cat may prefer to be warmer!

ignore the dangerous dogs part- go to drop down on snub nosed.
https://www.lufthansa.com/us/en/dangerous-dogs

Is your USA shipper clearing the dog at Frankfurt ? Sometimes someone has to go to cargo office and pay a fee and take documents to the animal centre to release. hopefully if they are a pet shipper they probably have that side sorted.

angie_329

Airway bill form
https://airwaybillform.com/

on the airway bill the consifgnee name address is iimportant - it should be the ground pet company picking up the animals at Frankfurt with their contact tel
once the animal centre has cleared the animals they will contact the consignee to clollect them

mootymoots

Hi - Yes I mean the Health Certificate issued in USA for EU (non commercial). According to APHIS this certificate is valid for UK until June 30th. Not on the UK page, but other EU country pages it states:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet...-treatments-uk

I realise UK is not EU anymore, but if they are still accepting the certificate, then maybe this is also valid. Either way they will arrive to UK within the 10 days that UK requires from time of accreditation in USA.

Yes I've asked the German shipper direct now. I was going through a pet shipper in UK who was coordinating but the chain of comms it too slow. As you say they do this all the time so should be able to answer my question directly. And yes you're right - is it 2 certificates USA to EU and EU to UK or just one? Seems a simple question to me too

angie_329

OK so that sounds fine in terms of the health certificate and 10 days from accreditation into the UK. So in effect sounds like you wont need an EU issued health certificate.

However your pet shipper should have all that paperwork in hand if they/ve done this route before and if they are picking your pets, or have they outsourced that?. Hopefully the German shipper will enlighten you.

I can tell you that post brexit to bring an animal back INTO the UK from EU its exactly the same process. as before brexit.

mootymoots

The German courier will pick the pets up from customs and take them to the UK to my new UK address. So as you say, they should know what they need as have surely done this before. I understand that they have as have been copied on some interactions with them (and I am going via a UK pet move company brokering it). Just all disjointed as I am in the middle coordinating, no one else is centrally doing it.

angie_329

So the courier/his company name, collecting at Frankfurt / is the consignee on the AWB. but check with them / your pet shipper it could be their name and he brings an authorisation from them. . They will be using animal accredited for travel vans I expect as is required in the EU.. So if the pet shipper has brokered it they should have the info to share with you . You may wish to look at their website etc. ask how often your dog would be taken out during journey for a pee etc. Never let a travelling cat out of a carrier though! They can bolt.

On paperwork the Germans are very efficient so He wont leave iunless its correct as he wont want to be stopped on entry to UK and delayed.


Always good to put your UK postcode on each carrier and mobile phone number on a label.