daisy09

Has anyone looked into the pets travel scheme since there have been a few changes in Dec 14/Jan 15? It seems as though it might be less onerous for USA to UK. Just wondering if anyone else is finding that?

britwhore

The only things that's changed (to my knowledge) since we went in 2012 is that owners MUST travel within 5 days of the dogs arriving (if flying in separately)

It's still:

Rabies 21 days or more before entry into UK.
Health certificate from 3rd country vet no more than 10 days before entry.
Tapeworm no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before entry.
APHIS/USDA stamped no more than 10 days before entry.

Hope that helps!

HartleyHare

Britwhore - just wondering if you have the EU Pet Passport for your dogs and if you do, if the procedure above also applies.

I'm returning to the UK with our dog at the beginning of May after spending 2 years in the US. I have a UK Pet Passport. Rabies vaccination was for 3 years, so is current - I will only need the tapeworm and a fit to fly certificate from our vet. According to DEFRA I won't need a 3rd Country Certificate so I am assuming that I don't need any paperwork endorsed by APHIS/USDA? I've looked at the APHIS site and it does not make any mention of the procedure to follow if you have the Pet Passport.

britwhore

I have no idea how the Pet Passport works as we don't have them. Sorry.

HartleyHare

Thanks for replying. No problem, I'll contact APHIS and DEFRA for clarification. There won't be many people living in the US with and EU Pet Passport - probably only expats like myself that are on short term contracts and will be returning to the UK. I knew from your previous posts that you had lived in the UK a for a while and thought you may have got the passports for your dogs before returning to the US.

Good luck with your return

britwhore

Yeah we didn't.....stupidly

Good luck!!!

MoshiMoshi

We had two cats in the US, and they both had EU pet passports (originally from Germany). When we returned with them to the UK, we got all the APHIS paperwork done too. This was 2013, and we were under the impression that it was necessary (I can't remember why, though -- sorry!).

You need to check whether a) the airline will board them without it, and b) the UK will let them enter. Technically I don't see why b) isn't possible, but while the passports seem to make short-haul travel easier, there still seems to be a preference for tons of paperwork on longer journeys.

The APHIS stuff isn't really that onerous, if your vet knows how to do the forms: it'll just be repeating the information already in their passports. Getting the document stamped by the state USDA vet office is a pain, but I'm not actually sure you'd be able to take pets out the country without a USDA stamp of some kind: doesn't it function as a kind of export license?

So... that wasn't very clear. Sorry! As you said, it's unusual for pets traveling US-UK to already have an EU passport, so we found it hard to get straight answers.

HartleyHare

MoshiMoshi - Thank you for your reply.

I am also finding that this is a grey area. The DEFRA site claims that no 3rd Country Health Certificate is needed to enter the UK if coming from the USA. But it also looks as if we need the export paperwork from APHIS and stamped by USDA. Like yourself, I think I will have to get it all anyway.

I'll need to check what happens with the rabies vaccination as the one our dog had before leaving the UK is still current (3 year expiry) so she shouldn't need another one. Obviously, she's also been already microchipped, so hopefully it will just be the tapeworm treatment.

Anyway, I will check with the airline too (planning on flying BA into Heathrow) and I'm also going to contact a pet moving company to see what they quote. I used Pet Air on the way over and didn't really have to get involved at all in any of the paperwork.

I'll update this thread when I get more information.

daisy09

Hi, I did this in 2011 with my dog, and had to do the serology test, so I somehow was expecting to do it again. She was re vaccinated in the UK although I did not get a passport done (stupid me). However, her rabies is current, and my vet is assuring me it is just the parasite and health cert that is needed, i.e. a two week lead time so I am thrilled.
I came back for a (potentially long term) job, but it hasn't gone the way I thought and I am returning happily to Wales, but my poor dog has to fly one more time!
I used Virgin to come here, and they were super. So I will go back iwth them again.
You don't need an agent to do this, just a switched-on vet. It is not difficult, just painstaking to check and double check you've go it right. I was quoted $2K last time by an agent, but the reality of doing it myself was her airfare (24 lb dog and crate, similar to my airfare), a couple of vet visits and the blood work.

HartleyHare

Hi Daisy09. Thanks for the information. We also flew over with Virgin and found them excellent. I've just emailed a pet re-locator for a quote so will be interested to see the price I get.

Like most people I just worry about fluffing the paperwork and our dog ending up either trapped in the US or refused entry to the UK!

I still have the wooden crate she came over in so hopefully I can reuse it.

Whereabouts in NJ are you? We are up in Bergen County. Lots of snow today and schools closed.

britwhore

Have you tried emailing DEFRA in the UK? I emailed [email protected] and they got back to me within a couple of days. Very helpful and can answer all your questions!

HartleyHare

Hi Britwhore - Thanks for the link: I've also sent them an email along with APHIS.

I think that although a 3rd Country Health Certificate is not a requirement for entry into the UK, (as long as the criteria are met), it is a requirement to have this certificate in order for the dog to leave the USA. This seems to mirror what Daisy09 above has been told by her vet.

I'll also give our vet a call to see if she has any experience in this matter.

Alternatively, if I can palm the whole lot off to a relocation company I might just do that!

I will update the thread so that others who find themselves in the same position are also aware.

scorpio14

Have you tried relocating your pet with a moving company? Some moving companies do pet relocations.

daisy09

I am sure we need the Health Certificate, and mine has to go to Harrisburg to the State Vet to be formalised 2 days before (i.e. I drive it there). The NJ one will go to Trenton.
Last time I shipped her I had to do the bloodwork, which took 4 months, so this time it is a 10 day process, which has simplified my arrangements. It's not difficult, it's just crucial! I stressed last time, and will stress this time, but it is perfectly do-able. I'm leaving PA, about 20 mins from Allentown.

HartleyHare

Ok, after a few days sending emails, I can update as follows:

I contacted my local APHIS/USDA office in NJ and the very helpful vet there has advised me as follows in relation to my UK Pet Passport and paperwork requirements:

As long as I have a valid UK Pet Passport and our dog's rabies vaccination is up to date then there is NO requirement for a 3rd Country Health Certificate. Additionally, APHIS/USDA do not need to either see or endorse my Pet Passport.

The airline carrier may require a form VS7001 which may need to be endorsed by USDA - each airline has it's own requirement for this.

So, I then contacted British Airways and they have also confirmed that I only need my Pet Passport and a Fit To Fly Certificate - there is no requirement to complete form VS7001. BA will send me the forms for customs when I make my reservation.

Thankfully, it looks to be a very simple process for us. I still need to get our dog's tapeworm treatment from an approved vet and luckily one of the vets at our local practice is a USDA accredited vet. I can get him to issue the Fit to Fly certificate at the same time.

In terms of pricing, BA have quoted me approx $1280 Newark to Heathrow, which includes customs fees. I did contact a local pet shipper but as they quoted $1900 and the process is straightforward, I'll organise it myself.

I'm currently checking on the crate requirements as BA will not confirm that the wooden custom built crate that we shipped our dog over in is acceptable. They have suggested that we can take the crate to their cargo depot at Newark and they would give it the once over. However as the crate does not fit into our car it would mean hiring a suitable vehicle, the cost of which is only slightly less than purchasing a new crate.