Esme

... if you read my last new thread you may see the follow on here.....

I have heard that you are not allowed to pick your dogs up yourself from the airport (Heathrow, as I've also heard you can only fly TO Heathrow) but that someone (professional) has to do it for you and it costs 1000GBP per dog. Is this true? Has anyone had an experience to the contrary? Is there a difference if your dog was passported when they left the UK or were rabies tested here and are entering the UK for the first time since the test?

(This may have been covered elsewhere but my search attempts didn't reveal anything so point me in the right direction please if needs be!)

1chumly

I brought back two cats, a dog and a parrot from the US and picked them up myself at the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow. This was in 2004 but don't think anything has changed since then. In fact my sister just moved back to the UK in January and she picked her cat up at the ARC too. I did everything myself and intend to again when we go to Calgary. The only problem I had was getting the correct information from the various agencies, i.e. Defra and USDA. I would get a different story with each person I spoke to especially concerning our parrot. I travelled BA as I think they have loads of experience with animals and I have to say they were very good. It was the first time my animals had been to the UK. As long as you make sure all your paperwork is in order and they have had a rabies shot and the subsequent test, waiting period, Tic treatment and health certificate you will be OK. I would call whatever airline you are travelling with as I found BA invaluable.

Hope that helps and good luck! I was a nervous wreck the whole trip but it all turned out fine.

Esme

Thanks! That's great advice! Did you have to pay anything at the ARC?

sans

Hi Esme As far as i know if you have a pet passport, as long as your rabies etc are all up to date.....you should be ok. I rang defra up several times when i was doing it....just to make sure, they may tell you to ring PETS up...i have the numbers somewhere if you want them.

Air Canada i'm sure have reinstated pets travelling as access baggage and BA was still allowing pets as cargo, without using a pet travel company when i was checking it all out......not sure about which airports they go to tho. Good Luck

1chumly

No, just forms to sign. You have a long wait though, usually up to 4 hours but your pets have been taken care of during that time.
One word of warning. I only know BA so can't speak for other airlines but they are very strict on crate sizes. I thought I had measured correctly but they would not accept my dog crate, said it wasn't tall enough. Thank God they had a spare one at the cargo centre which was a huge wooden thing but I used that instead. They kept my crate in part exchange and of course it all cost extra. If in any doubt, go one size up instead of a having a major panic!! That is what I am doing this time. Unfortunately I had to leave the wooden one at ARC for some other poor soul as it wouldn't fit in the car.

Heavenlyscent

Hi I picked up my labrador and cat up myself from Heathrow in July 2007 from New Zealand. I stayed in a hotel overnight then picked them up, one hour after landing and headed home. Yes all animals have to fly into heathrow.

TaraC

There is a fee at ARC, at least there was when I went last September. I don't remember exact amount, but it was about 200 pounds payable in cash. You should check with the airlines or ARC themselves. Virgin is also very good in terms of giving you information.

1chumly

My sister came back in January with her cat and there was no fee. I would give them a ring just to make sure

sans

My cats flew into Manchester at the end of june 08, so i dont know who said they have to go to heathrow And their is a fee you pay, for your animals to be checked over when they have landed. Because i flew into Manchester using Ladyhayes and Zoom the pet check was already included in my bill.

Marmalade

Hey Sans, how are you??

How much was the pet check at Manchester (for each one)?? I have probably asked you this before, but seeing I will be flying in there myself with my two kitties, just wanted to know (will be a while though).


Hi to Tara too

sans

Hi Not sure to be honest..........when i asked ladyhayes they said it was included in their quote................But at the beginning of the yr when i was in a mega panick, over the fact that me and another forum member was told that Zoom where not flying out of Canada anymore I rang both Air Canada and BA and they both gave me the costs of the checks at the other end. And as far as i remember it was $400ish CDN. Air Canada dont or didn't at that time fly from Vancouver to Manchester, not that thats of any use to you

teresa1003

We came back from the US about a month ago along with two golden retrievers. We flew with British Airways and the cost was $3500 for both dogs, we flew into Heathrow and collected them from the ARC about 2 hours after we landed, there was no extra charges. The people at the ARC are really nice and both our dogs were let out of their cages, fed and watered on arrival.

You can fly into Manchester as well now with British Midlands, but we chose Heathrow even though we were returning to Yorkshire. I wanted to be on the safe side and go with BA through Heathrow as they have the most experience. I have to say they were very professional and our dogs seem none the worse for their experience when we picked them up.

1chumly

Maybe BA includes any fee with their charges.. I paid no fee, my sister paid no fee and Teresa1003 didn't but others appear to have done. I don't know what other explanation there is. I envy everyone getting their pets in under 4 hours though. I thought I was never going to see mine again and all they tell you is they are fine!! It really was very stressful when you are so tired anyway. If it had been my OH I was waiting for I am sure I wouldn't have been that worried. Just kidding!!!

Esme

If you're anything like me, I'm sure you're not kidding!!!!!!!!!!!

1chumly

You've got me!!!