evilroyslade

We have read the guidance on pet passports. Does anyone have any tips for getting the dog wormed by a vet and the passport updated in Spain, preparatory to driving up through France? Also, any experiences of using Eurotunnel over the sea ferries etc welcomed. Thank you

jimenato

I'm a bit confused, are you doing UK -> Spain or Spain -> UK?

evilroyslade

Ah, sorry - we are doing both! Staying in Spain for about a month or so

Dick Dasterdly

Virtually all Spanish local vets are govt authorised to complete the passport and carry out the treatment.
There are lots about, so very easy to find.
They normally just stamp and sign it, stick a Dentrol wormer tablet in your hand and charge 10 euros or so.
Simple and easy.

No worries about travelling to Spain as long as your passport is valid and rabies jab up to date.

evilroyslade

That's great news Mr D! Thank you. I'll check out one in our village asap.

jimenato

Our vet is pretty canny about what worming date to put on the passport - the parameters are quite tight I seem to remember.

chocaholic22

Hi we take our dog over to Spain for a month every year in September. We have always used the Eurotunnel and had no trouble at all. We use a Vet in Beaune (France) on the way back to administer the tick and worming, although this is a bit out of the way, but we like Beaune and it makes the holiday last longer.

You will not need the dog checked in Spain only in France before you return to the chunnel.

However, this year we are thinking of trying the ferry.

The only word of advice I would give, is make sure the passport is dated correctly and that the vet uses the 24 hour clock when he/she puts the time on the passport. They are real sticklers for this at the chunnel.

Dick Dasterdly

Not anymore,
Used to be check in between 24 and 48 hours after treatment.

Now its between 1 day and 5 days.

evilroyslade

1 to 5 days in the current guidance so should be plenty to let us drive up to Calais. I wasn't keen on having to find a vet in Calais then wait at least 24 hours, particularly not as I am only half as fluent in French as I am in Spanish.

evilroyslade

And now just worm tablet, not ticks, required. But thanks for your input chocoholic22

pwwm

you will need the date and time of crossing , ie arrival in UK so hopefully the vet gets the timing correct, make sure it is before departing, have know someones vet get timing wrong. re ferries, we have only done the tunnel with our dog going from Spain to UK and return, but have friends bring their dog here using the Plymouth Santander, having just come back on that one all the dog owners seemed happy enough.

Dick Dasterdly

Exactly.

evilroyslade

That is interesting as t'internet said the Santander crossing was not dog friendly. Did they use P&O? What price, roughly, do you know?

Dick Dasterdly

Done it many times.

They weren't happy on this last trip,most of them being newbies I think.

Half of them were flying around in a rage saying, never again,while the other half were sitting in the kennels weeping their hearts out.

For those not happy about the cages,I suggest dog friendly cabins, only available on the Cap Finistere and you need to book very early to get one.

I think only Britanny ferries now,either Santander or Bilbao.

jimenato

They are strict at the channel. Once we turned up at the port and there was something not properly entered on the passport. Luckily we had the rest of the paperwork as backup and we were sent to a vet in Calais (at 7pm on a Sunday night!) to get the passport properly updated. There must have been 10 Brits in the queue waiting to see him for the same sort of thing. I was amazed and pleased that he only charged 10 Euros.

BTW the Calais ferries are quite convenient. The dog stays in the car (about an hour and a half) but the good thing is that you are first on and therefore first off. We were sitting having our dinner even before the ferry left port.