sandy noble

Thanks for your replies, we have travelled leeds to plymouth-santander then driven six hours to home in spain, all I am concerned about is my dogs (border collies) in pens on the ferry and cats in the car, we just wondered if it was less stressful in your members experiences to travel to calais in france and then drive with the animals with us.

Thanks for your replies so far,
have enquired about taking them with Easypet.

debandsie

please, please do NOT use this company. We had a very bad experience with them and in the end refused to let them carry our dogs.
If you want any further info feel free to pm me.

sandy noble

OK will not do, that is exactly why I have asked this forum, have watched for three years and members talk sense so easypet cancelled, thank you!!!

Dick Dasterdly

The good thing about the dogs is you can get them out for exercise at regular intervals at the many service stations and large rest areas in France and also at the ovenight stop.
Depends if they are good travellers,many dogs can travel long distances no problem at all, while others can be sick during a very short journey.
Best they are on limited amounts of dry food only while travelling.

Cats are another kettle of fish with presumably being confined to their cages, so I imagine the shorter and quicker the journey the better.

jdr

That`s a bit ironic, I am a member and recommended them, we had no trouble at all.

PS. why start another thread on the same subject ?

jdr

Don`t forget you really need aircon to keep them cool in the 40c heat we are having at the mo.
Dogs also they need to be in a cage or in restaining harnesses traveling though Spain and probably France too.

sandy noble

Sorry about starting a new thread, havent got a clue as new to this, I assume you mean title, I consider myself punished by the elder!"! thanks for your help anyway am only concerned about my pets.

Sandy & Phil.

Dick Dasterdly

Very true,better still to avoid travelling during mid-summer if possible but still best to have good air-con.

Very sad about those two police dogs in the UK,...no doubt who was to blame, but it only took one mistake or very serious lapse of concentration by a guy who must surely have cared deeply about his dogs.
Apart from wrecking his career he has it to live with for the rest of his life.

JnK

I agree with the other posters here, apart from the mention of Easypets who I have no knowledge or experience of. The heat at this time of year would be quite stressful for all I would imagine, including yourselves. We drove down from Wiltshire to Competa in late February this year with our three dogs - a Bassett Hound and two Tibetan Spaniels - and we did the Channel Tunnel route (didn't want them kenneled on the ferry). We decided to drive purely for the dogs benefit as we didn't want to fly them (one was 14+ and the Bassett a very nervous puppy farm rescue). In fact we even bought a small campervan for the journey too!! You will have no trouble overnighting as all Campanile and Premier Classe hotels allow pets without any hassle. It was an interesting if very long drive and I wouldn't even contemplate it in this weather ... with or without aircon as you have to get out sooner or later!! Let us know how it goes. Good luck with everything.

JnK

P.S. We found a lovely B&B 5 minutes' from the Channel Tunnel which takes pets too so we could get an early crossing without too much stress.

EsuriJohn

Can you post the name and location.

bigglesworth

We brought our dogs and cat over on Brittany Ferries, as we were worried about streesing them out in a car. The pet deck on the ferry is a godsend, as we spent nearly every waking moment there with the dogs. The cat settled comfortably in the car.
But we did plan the journey around them. Bought an estate car so we could have a full dog guard (sectionable), had all our goods bar a few clothes shipped with removers, and took loads of old unwashefd clothes they could sleep on.
Really we were pretty happy with the experience.

As for the stuff we had shipped over with a large reputable removals company..... well that's another story....

JnK

Not sure if I'm allowed to but it'll be snipped if not so here goes

http://cornerpubs.ndo.co.uk/beachbor...modations.html

There's a map on this link too. Literally 5 mins away from the crossing.

Only downside, the bed was a bit uncomfy but the rooms are converted stables facing onto a large grassy quad for the dogs.

jackytoo

Nearly all French Hotel chains take dogs. We have taken two dogs both ways a few times. Last one we stayed in in France said they would only charge for one dog. (8 euro). If it is really very hot I cover our dogs with a damp towel, they sleep most of the way.

Cats-R-Us

We travelled down with 3 cats in the back of a Ford Fiesta. Used Channel Tunnel through France to Alicante where our home was to be at that time. My husband made a purpose built cage using the whole of the rear seat and boot area so they had freedom of movement. There was access to the big cage from the front seats of the car so we could put them into smaller transport boxes to take them into the hotel each night stop. We used Campanile motels as they allow pets. When taking them to the vets in the small boxes they used to yowl the whole time so we were pleasantly surprised when they did over 3 days of travelling with hardly a murmer. May be the freedom to move and also see out of the windows helped.
My husband once worked at Stansted Airport and saw a dog in his travel box waiting on the tarmac amongst all the noise of aircraft starting up and moving off while the dog waited for his plane. No one was looking after him/her. Hopefully not all animal transport people do that. The frightened state of the dog was enough to put us off ever sending an animal by plane.