I will be travelling back from Japan to the UK through Heathrow with my pet dog travelling in cargo. I am familiar with the document requirements of the the PETS scheme and should have all my documents in order. My airline tells me I will receive my dog along with my luggage in the luggage hall on arrival at Heathrow.
Could anyone please walk me through the procedure from that point? I have read online about some sort of Animal Reception Centre, and then having to proceed through customs and declaring my dog, and of this process taking 4 or 5 hours. Will I be expected to wait in the luggage hall with my wife and kids until the dog is returned, prior to proceeding through customs?

Thanks in advance.

I don't know if it's changed since the new regs came in, but I think animals stlil have to go through the ARC (which is outside the main terminal).

You do not proceed with your dog through customs, this is dealt with by a professional company - the cost of this may be included in the cargo fee you paid, or you may have to pay on collection. It used to depend on the airlines (Virgin didn't include in the cargo fee; BA did). you just pick the dog up from ARC at the end of it all.

You could call the Heathrow ARC directly to ask them the question - so many aspects of transporting pets have changed that it's worth calling the experts.

My experience was that it took 4 hrs; others have waited far less time. I remember even on the same day I collected Suzy, people came and went with their dogs whose flights had arrived long after mine.

Thank you 'dunroving'. As usual, lack of complete information is the problem.

Today, my airline (JAL) have changed their story and tell me that I do indeed need to go through a shipping company to bring a pet into Heathrow. As the quote from the shipping company is £2,500!! it is obviously worthwhile trying to find out whether a third party agent/shipping company is absolutely necessary.

I will try and call Defra when I get a mo. to clarify. Cheers.

Yes, a third part company is necessary. They physically get your pet and take him/her through the process and paperwork. You can't be there to do it. Again, it's 6 years since I did it (and 12 years since the time before), but I think everyone has to do exactly the same (I think James Cargo is the company that does every person coming into Heathrow - you might try calling them, too. Off the top of my head I think it was in the hundreds when I did it last (my failing memory wants to say "more than £200 but less than £500")