happyglow

Jeepers. Going through the form the local Animal Health office sent me, and it seems to predate the rule change as it refers to blood tests! It's one of those triumphs of bad design that governments are so good at pulling off

Deep breaths, don't panic, god I need a drink and it's not even lunchtime

gailc

As we are beginning to find out - with you new regulations if definately IS easier to take your pets than you spouse.
They don't care how much money you have to take your pets -
Never seen so much rigmoroll in all my life.
Easier for pets - harder for humans!

gailc

Try Air Animal - they are based in the USA, but as far as I know they work anywhere in the world.
They seem to be very nice people as I have been responding back and forth with them regarding our pets travelling to England.
They are on Facebook as well.


www.airanimal.com

Visit our website for more details about our services.

Tel. - (813) 879-3210
USA Toll Free - (800) 635-3448
Fax - (813) 874-6722

USA Toll Free - (800) 874-6799
Email: [email protected]

Good luck

happyglow

Just an FYI for anyone thinking of flying their pet into mainland europe then taking a taxi through the tunnel: approx cost for one person plus pet between Calais and Folkestone is 175UKP.

pennylessinindia

It may not always be as much as this if you use a UK taxi and travel off peak

It is a good way to go and saves a second flight for any poor dog!

happyglow

Another related FYI:

You can take up to 2kg of commercial pet food into the UK as long as it is a sealed packet with seal unbroken.

(Saves having to hunt around for vegetarian dog kibble!)

Redgal

Just wanted to say that we flew a dog out from Vancouver to Gatwick under the new rules last year and despite all my worrying and stress it went really well. The staff at both ends were FANTASTIC with her and our agency was great. It was a rush for us and a bit complicated to get her there but that's only because we live in a remote part of Canada and had to drive down to Vancouver, see the government vet, and board the flight with her and two little kids in tow within a certain timeframe. Happy to share experience with anyone who needs.

Now, if only getting the rest of my family back home were that easy...

happyglow

Thank you so much for sharing that! Any tips or suggestions very welcome, however small.

(and I'm sorry you had to leave some of your family behind, how come?)

Redgal

We flew one of our dogs out to stay with my sister on her farm.Then I flew back to Canada thinking the rest of us ( two daughters, one more dog and partner) would fly back a year later for good. Turns out they have changed the rules for immigration and visas and it is going to be very difficult for us to get home and will likely be split up for some time, but that's a whole other rant

I am not sure where to begin with tips I learnt so many things in the process. But, here are some to start off with.
1. Our dog came microchipped ( she was a hurricane Katrina rescue) with all her microchip documents and number but on the day before we flew her out the vet checked her microchip and could not find it....after an absolute panic, frantic calls to the microchip company and the vet assistant trying desperately to find it we realized it had migrated all the way down her left leg! So, microchips can migrate. If it is not easily found at the back of the neck write in red on the forms and get your vet to write where it has migrated to otherwise they can be denied.
2. Make 3 -4 copies of the paperwork, keep one on you during the flight, one to hand in, one ask your vet to keep in case they need to verify something, one taped to crate in plastic bag.
3. I lined her crate with a towel, and one of her blankets to make her feel secure then I threw in a t-shirt that I had worn for 2 weeks straight, nice and smelly to make her feel safe I also used a non spill bowl ( i can find the name of the one i used it was very good) attached to her crate with water in it and a towel underneath. Current consensus is no tranquilizers. I agree. Our dog was a terrible traveler vomiting and all but she did just fine.
4 We used Emma from Ladyhaye pet travel in the UK. She was fantastic.
5. They said they had 'cleaned her up' in the arrivals. I think a lot of dogs poop. Even though they suggest you should fast them, it's a long time to be in the crate as we had to check her in 5 hours prior to departure and we had just driven 15 hours with her. However, all her blankets looked very clean.
6. Whenever I stressed about it all my partner would remind me that she only had to do this trip once. That really helped.
7. I wrote her name on the crate in big letters and everyone kept calling her by her name which helped. They were so good with her.
8. You can give them some food which they will give her at arrivals. They also gave her lots of treats. When she got to my sisters she drank and drank and drank so lots of water post flight.

Hmmm I can't think of anything else at the moment. But happy to answer questions. I remember I was SO stressed out and worried about the whole process. I spent the 10.5 hour flight worrying about her but she was perfectly fine when I collected her and looked as if it was just another regular day at home!

Oh and we didn't need need any blood tests done. Microchip, vaccines up to date, tick/ tapeworm treatment and fit to fly. ( Remind me if i am missing anything). Then we had to get double checked by a government vet in Vancouver at the airport since there wasn't one near us so we booked an appointment with her before our fight. I gave her ALL her documents, adoptions certificates,, all veto nary paperwork the lot...I went overboard but I didn't want anything to go wrong.

It sees, like a really complicated process and it is stressful but it will be fine. they are GREAT with dogs at Vancouver and Gatwick.

Kath

ElizabethK

I am looking at some information that I received today from Airanimal (I intend on checking out many more companies though before deciding which one to use) Anyway, it seems that if I want to fly into Manchester Airport, I will have to be on the same flight as the pets, yet Heathrow & Gatwick arrivals don't require the same?
As much as I'd love to be on the same flight, I think this might be too much. I can imagine trying to make sure I have everything in order for myself to travel whilst having to cope with the worry of getting 3 cats and 1 dog to the airport without copious amounts of shit in their kennels !

I am trying to remain calm and know I can do this, but oh my god it's giving me the heebeejeebees! Hopefully it will cause me so much stress that I'll lose my appetite and will shed some lbs and arrive all svelte in UK

happyglow

I'm sorry about that, very tough on you indeed. Hope it all works out well eventually.

Thanks for all that wonderful detail! Gobbled up for future use (next month! Eep!)

Could you please expand on "fit to fly"? Was that an extra health check required by the airline, or...?

Thanks heaps, this sort of info is invaluable

gailc

I think it depends on where you want to go in the UK and the airline you are travelling on.
For instance - we live near Tampa and to fly BA the pets can be on a different plane. Virgin which flies out of Orlando, when I checked their website, they said you HAVE to be on the same plane with them.
We also have 3 cats and one dog. I feel horrible when we have to leave them at home just to go on holiday ourselves, let alone an 8hr+ flight for them in the belly of a plane. I would be a nervous wreck myself as well!

Poppy girl

I have posted in detail my experience in this thread, but if anyone wants any help then PM me if you are flying from SFO.

Just a recap Kitty flown from SFO (San Francisco) to LHR (London Heathrow) with Virgin Atlantic in June 2012 and returned with me to SFO in October, I did all the paperwork myself and cannot see any need for a pet travel agency, just my personal opinion (may depend on your circumstances) he was perfectly fine on both flights and was taken great care of and I highly recommend Virgin Atlantic.

He is sitting next to me now eating his morning treats

Photo taken all snugged up waiting for his next day departure to California at Heathrow hotel.

gailc

He looks so relaxed - I don't think any of our's would look like that
Really the pet travel agency makes sure all the paperwork is correct and everything done at the same time.
What kind of crate do you use?
Another thing of concern is that all our pets have 3 yr rabies - wondering if they can be given it again as it has to be done within a year of travel if I am correct.
Did your cat have to have any other injections besides the rabies and the test they do for intestinal worms?

Celticspirit

I am pretty sure that so long as the microchips were inserted before the three year rabies shot, it is valid for three years. At least that's what my vet told me.