Laws about taking dogs back to the UK

Hi, I am thinking of moving back to the UK in the new year. I have two dogs who are micro-chipped. What is the procedure for taking them back to the UK. I have heard I have to have blood tests for them both now and then again in 6 months before they are allowed to travel. Could anyone explain the procedure to me please. And what is the best way of getting them back?

Thanks,Jane

Hello Jane,

                   My son went back to the UK with his dog a while ago.

He took him back (the dog that is) under the Pet Travel Scheme. As I recall he had to have the dog microchipped. He went to the Vet had a blood test and a vaccination for rabies. Six months later a further test, that was all clear and he was issue with a certificate. Then obtained a 'Pet Passport'. The procedure was simple. He also had to have tick and tapeworm treatment. The Vet was very helpful and seemed to know exactly what the procedure was. I think it was quite expensive. I don't know where you live but I'm sure your local Vet would know.

The dog was taken back to the UK by air, again expensive I think, from Malaga. Not all airlines have this service. My son used a kennels by Malaga who arranged it all. It has to be booked well in advance.

On another occasion he travelled back to Spain and to the UK with the dog. This time by road via the Channel Tunnel. Apart from the long road journey it was simple enough. No hassle at all at the Tunnel.

Just make sure the microchip is working OK.

The Defra website will explain it all   http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/procedures/owners.htm

Good Luck

Thanks Mick, I will look into it.

Jane

Hello if you are going to use a company to move pet by road please be sure not use Pet taxi torre del mar, make sure company is licenced to carry animals over 65 km class 2, has handling cert. and will use the corect transport to carry. These people will tell you, van or car air cond, no,  stop in pet friendly hotels, no and will be walked at every stop at 3 hours interval, no. they do not give a dam about the pet only the money.

Thanks Esteban, we are thinking of using Easypet Costa del Sol.  Thanks anyway for your advice.

Jane

Hi amatista,

just going a little off thread, I would like to say what a caring person you are, as I have read of so many people who have just abandoned their pets and gone back to their own country without them, and I read in one of the free papers the other day of a person who has worked in one of the dog shelters in Spain for years but is now getting abuse because the shelter is so full and cannot take dogs from people who are repatriating to their country of origin. All the best, and to everyone who is doing the same.

Thanks very much. Both dogs were abandoned and housed by me and my partner, and although it is a massive expense to transport them back, plus jabs, blood tests etc., there is no way I could leave them behind. They are part of the family, and if I left them, I would be as bad as the people who originally abandoned them. Our trip may well be delayed while we save up for the transportation etc., If, however our earnings continue to improve slightly (as they have done over the past few months) we may not go back at all.

Again, thanks for your nice comments. Jane x

Your welcome, and keep us posted re. the eventual outcome.

Hi

We took our dog out to live in Spain in June 2006.  At that time we had him chipped and rabies injection and we had a passport for him.

When we returnded back to the UK in December 2007 all we had to do was take him to the Vet and make sure he was still immune to Rabies, make sure he was chipped and had tics injection.

We then were able to get him on a flight with us.  We flew Monarch to Manchester.  My husband and I paid £37.00 each and for my lovely dog it was £1100.00........Quite costly but we would not have gone home without him.  British people are OUT of ORDER for dumping their dogs.  We seen it done infront of our eyes, shameful !!!!

Good Luck to you

Marie

If you transport by road should cost 450 euro but be carefull you charck out the company that transport it.

Jane

You had best check with your vet but the way I understand it is you have to have your dogs microchipped first (if not already done) , then  vacinnated for rabies (if not already done)  - then a month after the vacinnation they have a blood test and if the rabies antibodies show up then six months after the date of the successful blood test you are free to travel with them.  To make sure rabies antibodies show up some vets say have another injection a month after the first one - this saves money I think because if your first test is false you have to pay for another one. If you dogs already have had an annual rabies injection I am not sure of the procedure - maybe just a blood test at any time. So it is is going to take at least six months and definitely in the scenario of never having a rabies shot up to eight months.    Then when you are ready to go you have to have them treated for flea and ticks -  this must be done no less than 24 hours and no more than 48 hours before travelling back.   Your vet will sort everything out - the paperwork and passports - obviously this all costs.

Best way to travel?   You have to decide what is best for you and your dogs - you can go back by road via the tunnel, or go from Santander on the long ferry crossing - you can get a cabin but your dogs will be in kennels on the boat. Or you can fly them back or you can pay someone to drive them back. 

For instance my dogs had never had a rabies injection but were chipped and it took 8 months from first injection to the day they were entitled to travel. 

Thanks very much. I suppose the bit I don´ t understand is that if they have been injected for rabies, then have their blood test taken which comes back clear of any disease (within 2 weeks apparently, you get the results), why do they then have to wait another 6 months to travel?

Yes it sounds strange but I guess there is a reason. The quarantine period is six months anyway - if you arrived with no paperwork the dogs would be put in quarantine for six months.   Also I believe if you were only for instance three months afer the successful blood test and had to return to the uk then the dogs could be kept in quarantine for only three months.

Your vet can fill in any gaps in knowledge for you. I am just recounting my experience and had my dogs done in November last year and we are now free to travel anytime.

Thanks

Just a note you could also use any ferry port north France, and only from as little as a 1 hr 30 mins crossing time and cost is cheap. maybe you could drive them back your self,

Yes that may be an option. Thanks, Jane

Check the ferry is approved by DEFRA

 Google  approved pet ferries for a list.

When we obtained the Pet Passport for our son's dog we enquired about the length of time, i.e. six months, between tests and other matters. Initially we were told "It's the law". Which of course it is under EU Regulations and DEFRA Regulations. Of course there is no point in trying to get around it or break the law.

However a kindly Vet told us that the 'incubation period' for Rabies is six months. I think something may have been slightly lost in translation but it does make sense. A test within six months might not necessarily show anything. So it's six months here or six months in quarantine in the UK.

Again don't forget the tick and tapeworm treatment and make sure the microchip is working.

The Britanny Ferries website gives some useful information. As does the DEFRA website.

I'm sure everything will be OK

Thanks Mick.