Hi

I am moving from UK to Costa Blanca and taking 4 cats with me.  i checked out air travel and the price is now out of the question.  Cats can no longer be carried in the cabin and have to be sent as cargo.

I have been recommended a company called EASYPET that takes them overland in specially converted van.  They  travel via the Eurotunnel, through France with one overnight stop and then animals delivered to your door the following day.  The cost per cat is  £229.Anyone have any recommendations or comments??

Thanks

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Look at this link. http://www.eyeonspain.com/Secure/ForumPosts.aspx?thread=1214&dev=FB22&name=Taking%20pets%20to%20Spain

Suzi says "I phoned GB Airlines Pet Line (affiliated to British Airways) 01293 579546 and spoke to a very helpful man called Pete.  He suggested that my cat could fly as 'excess baggage' on any BA flight and I would only have to pay £4.65 per kilo (wieght of cat plus carrying box) plus £20 handling fee.  So working on the basis that a carrier weighs about 5 kilos and my cat weighs 4 kilos = 9 x £4.65 = £41.85 + £20 handling fee = TOTAL of £61.85 (not forgetting the cost of an approved carrier".

I believe these carriers cost around £40 so just over £100 each cat. Suzi was wanting her cat to travel to Malaga from UK

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Hi

When I spoke o British Airways, they told me that cats can no longer be carried in the cabin and have to be taken as cargo.  They have to be transported via a pet travel agent, I called airpets at heathrow airport.  Bearing in mind that my cats would be travelling as 'unaccompanied' ( I am driving down through France) the cost I was quoted was £1800 - £2000 to include all the carrying boxes.  The boxes have to be special and not just normal cat carriers.  I can think of a lot of other ways of spending £2000.

Cheers

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Hi Roberto, I know!! but these 4 cats hate travelling in the car and the thought of all that driving with them creating all the way is a nightmare. I know a lot of people drug their cats but I don't agree with it.  Cheers.

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Thanks, a few 100 miles in the Uk is a little different to 48 hours through Europe.  It is illegal to have a pet loose in the car - imagine 4 cats jumping about  ?? I am going to try Easypet couriers and let you know what my experiences are with them.

Cheers

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Yes, I certainly agree with what you say, Anders. It's a concern, isn't it ? I would never dope a pet of mine again & I know, as I'm sure all animal lovers feel the same, we all only want to do what's best for our pets. We shall be needing to transport a cat sometime to the CB & that's why I've been following these posts in the hope I learn what best to do ourselves.

Good luck,

Rosemary

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Hi Rosemary.  Friends of mine have taken cats overland to CB.  1 takes 5 in a van which has a large pen inside, room for litter trays etc but she dopes them.  another friend recently transported 12 cats, again in pens in a van.  Luckily for her they don't howl.  Mine create like mad on a 15 minutet trip to the vet so hubby won't even consider taking them in the back of our VW golf.

Easypet seem to know what they are talking about, nobody has posted anything bad about them so I am going with them.  Check out their website.  They are based in maidstone Kent. We leave on the 23rd June.  Once I get laptop up and running I'll post a report.

Cheers

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Anders, I hope I didn't offend you by my post. I know every cat is different, and every owner of course! It didn't occur to me that your cat doesn't like travelling by car. Our cat hates going to the vet in his carrying box, although it's literally only a couple of blocks walk away. He goes mental. So one day we tried taking him (still in his box) in the car. Loves it! It's nightmare trying to park, but of course we'll do anything just to keep him happy!

Best of luck with your move.

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Roberto-I never knew you were such a softy!  Anyway, at some stage I shall have to transport my two pusscats to Spain so I shall be interested in everyone's ideas and experiences.  I could never contemplate putting them in cargo (have all airlines stopped carrying pets in the cabin?) so it will have to be overland.  One of my cats - the male moggy (of course) sadly becomes quietly terrified as soon as he enters the cat cage and he loses bladder control.  Not nice for him or his sister who shares the cage.  They do seem to be happier travelling in the same cage, so the latest idea, which worked quite well was - wait for it - a small rabbit hutch on the back seat!  The hutch, being bigger than a standard cat box or cage, can be split in two, so one half  holds a litter tray and the other half their blanket.  They can also have their biscuits in the hutch, and a friend has suggested training them to suck water from one of those water carrier thingys that you can fix to the front grill!  Nothing will be ideal, but I never drive with a cat loose in the car. They may be spooked by something and distract me, and I would be worried that they might somehow accidentally escape - how do you open a car door with a cat loose?  I also have to have the ordinary cat cgae with me as I won't leave them alone in the car, so if I'm travelling on my own and need to stop at motorway services, they come in with me!

Look forward to more ideas!

Cheers,

Dixie

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Dixie,

as far as I know animals cannot be transported in the aircraft cabin from the Uk,  whether it is different throughout other countries in Europe I'm not sure.  All animals now have to travel as cargo in special pens. 

It is also illegal to carry any animal loose in your car and very dangerous.  You are right, what happens if they become spooked and get under your acceleralor?? Worse still, go barmy and attack you!

I have booked my 4 cats to be transported  by a company called Easypet - check out their website - based in Maidstone. They are transported overland through the tunnel, France with one overnight stop there.  Delivered to you the next day.  Cost is £229 per cat which is cheaper than the £500 hundred for air cargo.  I am moving to CB, leave on the 24th June.  Once i get settled I'll report on the experiences.

The removal company I am using is Premier Movers - anyone had any experiences with them.

Cheers

Anders

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Hi, the price to transport all 4 cats by Easypet overland has worked out at GBP842 as opposed to GBP500 for 1 cat air cargo = 4 cats GBP2000 

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OK, I did misunderstand.  I did not know about Monarch airline price and already booked after  I enquired through Airpets (pet transporters) who use British Airways from Heathrow.  The price they were quoting included all cages etc, cats had to be delivered to Cargo and collected at the other end.  We are driving down so it was convenient to have the cats collected, driven and delivered to our door at the other end - I guess that is what I have paid the extra for.

Oh well, it's too late now but I will remember if anyone else needs to know.  Thanks

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HI

I have a numner to ring but thought i would ask here first.

Cats are all ready to go with passports. Rabies vaccination is valid untill 2009. However someone told me that Spain may require this vaccination to be updated every year in which case they would need to be re-done. does anyone know if this is correct or if the passport says valid untill 2009 then it should be valid whatever country they go to.

Anyone know?

Tina

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Hi there,

You wont have a problem going into Spain nor returning back to the UK as long as DEFRA have confirmed that it is an approved treatment. However if you are going to travel to another destination in Europe please check with their state vetinary services prior to leaving.

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