My dogs
 

Hi my mum and I have decided to move to Spain from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
We need to transport my 2 small dogs with us but have no idea how to find out the cost of flying them over and what we need to do.
Really need to get a quote asap so we can start planning. Any info on airlines etc much appreciated.
Many thanks in advance.
Julie

Re: My dogs
 

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

Re: My dogs
 

Thank you very much Rosemary x

Re: My dogs
 

Hello, i did inquire yesterday while at the vets about pet passports, we think we will take our Lab with us this year so we can all get a feel for things, the cats are a different story. I was told it is £160.00 for the dog passport and i think from searching with Aer lingus that her flight would be 40 Euro each way. I am sure some of the major airlines flying out of Belfast also carry pets, we are also in the North. There is a lot of stories from others who have taken the ship from England to Spain and drove down, but it is a really long journey for us in Northern Ireland. Good Luck Julie on your travels,isn't our weather terrible tonight, hopefully the storms die soon.

Re: My dogs
 

Hi Jenny, thanks for replying and the info.
I would be delighted if the cost for flying the dogs was only 40 euro! I thought I'd got a great airline from Belfast City Airport to take them (Vueling), they can travel in the cabin with them for £40.. HOWEVER... in the tiniest type font I have seen, it says 'please note this service is not available from and to the UK & Ireland. Oh well back to the drawing board.
So it looks like Aer Lingus will be the one, although they don't start to fly to Mallorca again until 4th May.
The weather is atrocious tonight - Palma here I come lol thanks again xx

Re: My dogs
 

Just came across this, so Aer Lingus don't either 😞
Aer Lingus

Pet allowed?: In the cargo hold only
Price: approximately €160 (depends on the country of origin)
Container dimensions: not specified
Other important information:

pets are not allowed on short-haul flights (Ireland, UK, Europe) due to insufficient ventilation in the cargo hold
pets can be booked on direct flights between Ireland and New York, Boston, Chicago and Orlando
pets cannot be carried on flights to and from the UK and Europe
the animal must be at least ten weeks old
certain breeds of dogs are not allowed to travel on Aer Lingus flights: Akita, Argentino, Fila Brazillero, Mastiff, Pitbull, Tosa

Re: My dogs
 

There are a number of pet transport companies that will take your pet to Spain by van, which does seem to be the only way from UK or Ireland, pet pasport requirements are the same, There have been a number of threads in the past, with people recommendations.

Re: My dogs
 

Thanks for the info. I was trying to get them there as quickly as possible and 3 days seems very long by road. I'll take a look at past Q&A's as you suggest. Many thanks again.

Re: My dogs
 

Have you considered the Cork (Cobh) to Roscoff then Roscoff to Bilbao with Brittany Ferries. Still a bit of a drive but far less than via England.

Re: My dogs
 

I dread to think of the cost of that option.

Re: My dogs
 

I'm in the North of Ireland (UK) Mike. Really prefer to fly them, and us, into Spain. The search continues. Thanks for your reply.

Re: My dogs
 

It's only around 400ks - I've driven it in less than 4 hours. ISTR that the North is still attached to the South :-)
The time on the ferries is easy, especially if you can get dog-friendly cabins. I notice that Pont Aven is on this route and that has d-f cabins as well as kennels. I reckon the cost would compare favouably with flights and you can be with you animal the whole journey. Plus you can take loads of stuff with you.

Re: My dogs
 

The sailors are probably right. All the low cost airlines are not licensed for freight, regrettably they are freight, if there is no chance with Aer Lingus then your only possibility I can see is British airways, with a change. This trauma will seriously affect the dogs.
Try Jet2 as they can do unexpected things but for me it would be the boat and be there for your pets.

Re: My dogs
 

When we moved over with our cats we brought them with us in the car from Clacton, Essex to Folkestone, on the tunnel to France and drove through to where our new home was at that time in Alicante. We did this as my husband used to work for a catering firm supplying an airline at Stansted Airport and one day saw a large dog in a crate waiting to be put on a plane. It had been left unattended near the various aircraft starting up etc and was petrified. I would not put any animal of mine through such a traumatic event.

Re: My dogs
 

I used this company to bring my cats from Spain to UK. It took a few days but they arrived safe and sound. Dogs get plenty of walks along the way, as I understand. Not sure if they operate from/to Ireland, but you could ask them. There are other similar companies too. The advantage is that it gives you a few days to fly there and get settled before pets arrive and it's door to door, unlike airlines.
Here's the link:
Animalcouriers • worldwide pet shipping and animal transport services • +44 1483 200123