jeanc,
I know your not saying the vets here aren't good. IMHO every vet is wonderful.
Do you mean if you don't have the blood test then you would have to wait at least 11 months before pets could have another rabies jab and then the blood test? Or am I splitting hairs? Because I know many people have taken their pets on holiday abroad for 2 weeks and they were allowed to re-enter so don't know where the 6 months clear enters into the equation.
If rabies jab lasts for a year here and 2 years in UK can they not be tested during this time.
Mitziboy, my dog is a terrible traveller. Barks constantly. However vet would not sedate...very dangerous...but gave us vallium for him. It worked.

We sedated our cat when we came here. It wasn't pleasant to be sure and not something I would like to repeat, but its a two day journey at least.

As I understand it, if you don't have the blood test / rabies updates and return to the UK then you will end up with the dog in quarantine. Your friends must have a pet passport with up to date rabies jabs for them to be able to do that.

I've only worked here for 3 years but as far as I am aware as I have said, You have the rabies vacc and you can go where you want but you cannot enter england without the blood result and the result has to be at least 6 month earlier. So if you want to holiday and come and go the blood you have to have had a possitive blood result, ie high enough antobodies to rabies, but if you had it done 1st Jan you could not come and go between uk and elsewhere untill 1st july but you could gou between other countries. As been said before check with defra if you are concerned but if I'm wrong there's a lot of our clients having to wait for the pets to go on holiday that should be to-ing and flo-ing between uk and where-ever.

Having been in aviation for 20 plus years and carried everything from small mammals to incredibly valuable racehorses, I'd not want any animal of mine to go in an aircraft. Being stuck in a box for ages (have to be checked over, boxed, go thro security and into the baggage handling system) and then put in the "bulk" hold at the rear of the aircraft (hopefully the crew are told and will turn the heating on!) would not be my idea of fun. Take em with you, you'll get to Spain with a far less stressed animal.

His Gingerness (masquerading as that silver bird, whatever her name is!)

Understand now jeanc what you were saying. Sorry to be so pedantic just couldn't get my brain around what you meant initially...probably too much sun.

it's ok