WarriorLife

Does anyone know where to start with this? You guys are basically my first port of call. We are looking into booking our flights for our Xmas trip back to Liverpool...and would like to take our dog with us.

If it is practical we'd love to do it...I heard quarantine has been abolished and that a dog with all its shots can be transported quite easily.

Any links, experiences, etc would be very gratefully appreciated.

Pigeon

Manc

How long you going for?

Guelder Rose

I think it takes a minimum of six months from giving the rabies vaccine to getting a passport ... the Defra site will answer all your questions on that point.

Further, the cost of transporting your dog could well run into thousands for a return trip ... and this is not even to mention the trauma that your dog will probably go through. If you are only going for a short vacation, it might be kinder to leave your dog with a friend, relative ... or even at a kennel.

Elvira

Frankly, I feel such a trip would be too stressful for your dog. The only justification I can see for transporting a pet across the Atlantic is one-way emigration...

If you want to pursue this further, I would suggest discussing it with your dog's physician...

Elvira

CaliforniaBride

Or saner.

CaliforniaBride

Ahh you bottled it

Guelder Rose

My own experience was bringing my dog from the UK to CA ... she was locked in her crate for approx 14 hours and was really distressed when I collected her (as such, I would never put her through that experience again). The cost from Heathrow to LAX was just over 700GBP ... cost of crate was 140GBP.

Guelder Rose

Absolutely true ... it took an awful lot for me to leave my dog to go and board my flight, but the only other option was to stay in the UK. Sadly, this pet passport scheme is bandied about as being a way for your pooch to go on vacation with you ... thankfully the costs involved deter most people, because no matter how much you pay and what you are promised by the carrier, the whole experience is very traumatic for a dog.

WarriorLife

Thank you all for the fast responses. You're quite right to think of the trauma. Like I mentioned, my and wife are tossing the idea around and havn't begun to even look at the 'wrinkles'. Obviously there are many.

We will be going for 10 days and didn't really like the idea of our pooch being alone in some kennel during the holidays (our first Xmas with him) and thought it kinda to bring him along. Seems its a case of finding the lesser of two evils...!

Guelder Rose

Yep, kennels would be the lesser of two evils, if you don't have a friend to take care of him/her while you are away.

The only upside is that in the US they do have five star hotels for dogs to stay in .... which is nicer than the concrete cells they tend to have in the UK.

rincewind

Can't you find a house sitter or a neighbour that would take the pooch in? Sticking him on a plane just for a 10 day trip seems a little too much to me.

I wouldn't put my dog on a plane or in kennel. I would leave him with my wife's family while we were gone.

Elvira

Okay, NOW is the time to make friends with other dog owners! Get yourself down to the local dog park every day (find out what's the best time, i.e. when do you find most people there), and START NETWORKING!

Dogowners love dogs, and most don't like the idea of a dog, any dog, having to go to a kennel more than you do. As long as you are prepared to reciprocate, you should be able to find someone who will either take in your dog, or will come and walk/feed him/her, twice a day.

Good luck!

Elvira

scrubbedexpat099

Our neighbour looks after our dog when we are away, she will happily sleep anywhere.

We do have problems when we get back, seems like the food is better there and it takes a week or so for her to get used to the gruel we feed her.

She is the ultimate Pub dog, shame she will never experience a real Pub.

Manc

my neighbour is the same. trollop.

WarriorLife

LOL.

Well I guess I could ask around. I was always brought up with that mentality of "A friend in need is a pest", and I know it would somewhat annoy me having to pop into my neighbours house twice a day everyday to feed their dog! I don't like to be a bother, I guess.

Some good feedback though guys...seems like 5* hotel is the biggest 'everbody wins' choice.