# Bringing dogs into England



## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Does Englanld still require a three month quarantine to bring dogs into the country? What about flying with a dog and needing to change planes at Heathrow?


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## kyleishere (Aug 1, 2007)

There is a lot of regulations in place when your bring a pet in. This is because your pet might bring an illness that the local dogs cannot handle. Maybe you could just get a new dog in England?


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## divaspice (Aug 2, 2007)

Here is the UK government's comprehensive site with all information on bringing pets into the UK. Quarantines are not always required depending on country of origin, etc. Pets must travel via approved airlines/routes, etc. 

defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm


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## zazis (Apr 8, 2010)

*does anybody know a veterinary in south florida experience in prepping animals for UK*

does anybody know a veterinary in south florida experience in prepping animals for travel into the UK?


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## Movin2UK (Oct 31, 2009)

zazis said:


> does anybody know a veterinary in south florida experience in prepping animals for travel into the UK?


Hi -

I used my vet in St Petersburg Florida. She told me about a company based out of Tampa that assists you with all the paperwork for getting dogs to the UK. I found the pricing to be absolutely ridiculous. So she and I just did it ourselves. It's a hassle to get the paperwork done, but any pet owner can do it. Even if your vet has never handled a situation like yours, they can call the USDA office for advise. If you have any questions, feel free to private message me. I got 2 dogs successfully to the UK in December 2009.


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## HavePassportWillTravel (Feb 27, 2009)

*Puppy Passport*

I live in Wellington, FL and Dr. Planco is handling my puppy passports for two dogs. He and I are plowing through all the requirements together, so I trust that he will be well versed in the process once we are done in September. You will need six months for the passport to be issued. The dogs will not be allowed to come into the UK until six months have passed since the blood was drawn. I got my visa in 3 weeks! For the dogs -- 6 months!


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## Guest (Jul 7, 2010)

synthia said:


> Does Englanld still require a three month quarantine to bring dogs into the country? What about flying with a dog and needing to change planes at Heathrow?


Please ignore the poster who said to get another dog, they obviously don't realise that dogs are part of the family.
I am moving our 2 cats and 2 dogs from Ontario to the UK next week. We are flying to Manchester and have to fly with Thomas Cook who are affiliated with Air Transat.
We started the whole "quarantine at home" process in December as the animals have to be tested for rabies and other diseases and this takes just a little less than 7 months, but it saves on huge quarantine fees in the UK and of course the heart ache of missing your pet. You need to look on the Defra website for the regulations. We are using "animal couriers" who quoted approx £600/cat and £600/small dog, we provide the crates, but they can do that at an extra charge.


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## unhappy pat (Apr 3, 2010)

*Re: Pet Travel...*

Hi, we recently came back to Britain to stay after living in Canada for 6 years, we have brought back 3 cats and 2 dogs, all of them did not have to be quarentined because of a thing called a' pet passport,' it took a little while to set up, but was well worth it, ask your vet, he should know about it, (if hes any good). Ours was brilliant and sorted it all out. It means that your animals will not have to be apart from you for any longer than possible. - less stress for you and your pet.


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## AmandainFlorida (May 1, 2011)

moved


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## AmandainFlorida (May 1, 2011)

Hello AmericanGirl, my name is Amanda. I know all about what you've been through because my husband and I have done it both ways more than once (he is from New York and I was born in London). I wonder whether -- if you have the time -- you wouldn't mind chatting with me briefly about your experience bringing dogs to England.

We are now in St Petersburg, having recently moved here, but the job is not right and we want to move some time next year. We've been thinking about returning to England, but we now have a Boxer (nearly 5 years old). 

She's very sensitive and I'm afraid that she would find the process distressing (including a boat cruise because I would not put her through a flight without sedation, which is now illegal). I thought it might be helpful to learn of other dog-people's experiences because procedural information doesn't help much with the emotional side of things. Also I wonder whether you can tell me about how long (or if) you were separated from your dogs once arrived in England. 

My e-mail is I'd love to hear from you. Thanks very much!


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## HavePassportWillTravel (Feb 27, 2009)

AmandainFlorida said:


> Hello AmericanGirl, my name is Amanda. I know all about what you've been through because my husband and I have done it both ways more than once (he is from New York and I was born in London). I wonder whether -- if you have the time -- you wouldn't mind chatting with me briefly about your experience bringing dogs to England.
> 
> We are now in St Petersburg, having recently moved here, but the job is not right and we want to move some time next year. We've been thinking about returning to England, but we now have a Boxer (nearly 5 years old).
> 
> ...


Hi there,
Your email address was deleted from your query so I am answering via the forum.
We, too, had a boxer and she went through the entire process, along with our Japanese Chin, and, unfortunately she passed away a month before we left Florida. She was two weeks shy of her 13th birthday and we wanted her to come back to Wales (she was born here) to chase one last sheep. So, soon we will scatter her ashes in the Brecon Beacons NEAR some sheep! We left the Chin with my daughter because my daughter has two dogs and we didn't want to traumatize our little dog any more. She needed a companion.

So, in the end, after the shots and paperwork, no dogs came to Wales with us! BUT, Continental airlines is the best carrier to work with. Our friends from Sarasota brought 4 dogs back to Wales via Continental. They used a service and it was very expensive. A friend of mine is moving over in two weeks, and she's put her two Papillons through the process and is doing the Florida work herself and hiring a service to do the pick up and delivery from Heathrow. 

Continental said that the animals fly in a darkened cabin and think it's night so they sleep. If they stop over in Newark, the Newark end will walk them and keep them company until they are loaded for the trans-ocean flight. There is a charge for this. But Continental is considered the best for animal transportation.

So, write me again in three weeks and I'll give you the follow up on the Papillons.
Good luck. Boxers are Wonderful!!!!
Jann


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## AmandainFlorida (May 1, 2011)

Hi Jann,
Thanks so much for replying, I appreciate it.
Sorry to hear about your Boxer, although I gather that she was quite long-lived, especially for the breed.
I don't think I could do a flight because my girl would hate the whole thing from start to finish (she's very intelligent and is also used to being with people most of the time because I work at home). 
Basically, I used to think that not having quarantine any more meant that we could take a dog abroad. Now I realize -- my dog being like a child -- that this process is not doable, either. I wouldn't put a toddler through that and I can't put my dog through it, either.
Thanks again,
Amanda


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## HavePassportWillTravel (Feb 27, 2009)

A friend just arrived in Wales yesterday with her two dogs. She followed the in-home quarantine procedure in Florida, then traveled to Heathrow with her two dogs and all their paperwork. Continental Airlines does a wonderful job with shipping animals. She is the second person who moved to the UK with animals that I know of, and all have arrived healthy and safe.


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## AmandainFlorida (May 1, 2011)

Thanks very much for sharing that success story. Unfortunately it doesn't assuage my concerns, particularly about separation and handling by other people (not me, the dog!). By the way, strange forum this -- I'm not allowed to edit my own profile, which is wrong: I'm originally from the UK and I'm in the USA, not the other way around. Cheers, Amanda


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