# Pet travel



## sally-chaps (Oct 24, 2012)

How do I get my cat n dog from uk to Spain for remotely sensible money


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

sally-chaps said:


> How do I get my cat n dog from uk to Spain for remotely sensible money


having just searched for this myself. I have decided that there is no such thing as transferring animals for sensible money,... we are going to have to either bite the bullet with air fares or they travel with us
!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

do it yourself - it's cheaper to drive yourself with them (either drive all the way or part ferry) than send them via a pet courier company or fly them. We had 6 dogs when we moved and drove them ourselves via the ferry where we could then get a nights sleep while the dogs were in a kennel for the night all safe and sound.

If you want any pet courier company recommendations let me know - I have used a few taking animals from our pet lodge for customers


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

It's what we did, by far the cheapest option and they are with you during the journey. And so much cheaper, and if you plan it right it can be quite an adventure with a lot of fun and discoveries along the way...


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We drove from our former home in Prague to our new home in Andalucia with our dog as we didn't want to put him through the stress of sir travel.

We planned the trip as a kind of holiday,took it easy, had regular coffee and lunch breaks and booked good hotels with recommended restaurants and of course dog-friendly for our overnight stays.

The trip took three days and made an excellent and most enjoyable start to our new life in Spain.


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## whitenoiz (Sep 18, 2012)

You can expect to pay anything from £550 to £850 per dog each way by air...
had a long discussion with the Air Cargo agents of Monarch And BA regarding these outrageous figures. 

My discussions were along the lines of... 

"So a 90Kg bloke with 20Kgs of baggage can go from Gatwick to Malaga for as little as say £70 but for a little 4kg dog, accompanied or unaccompanied, its up to £850" 

The responses were pretty much the same... " by charging high prices for pets in transit can we ensure that the 90Kgm man _can_ travel for £70..."


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Bring dog in car with you, use the tunnel. There are many inexpensive hotels in France and Spain where you can stay with a dog (Premiere Classe for one).

The whole thing becomes much less expensive if you treat the whole thing as an adventure.


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## cyclequeen (Oct 5, 2012)

I'm interested in this thread as we are thinking of doing the same with our cat, I can see how it can work with a dog, you can walk them on leads but wonder if it would work as well with a cat does anyone know please


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

cyclequeen said:


> I'm interested in this thread as we are thinking of doing the same with our cat, I can see how it can work with a dog, you can walk them on leads but wonder if it would work as well with a cat does anyone know please


We alway used to take two cats with us wherever we went. Advantage is they use a litter tray which dogs aren't very keen on.


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## angelu01 (Oct 21, 2012)

cyclequeen said:


> I'm interested in this thread as we are thinking of doing the same with our cat, I can see how it can work with a dog, you can walk them on leads but wonder if it would work as well with a cat does anyone know please


My husband and I have actually booked to travel by ferry with our dog from Plymouth to Bilbao. If you are lucky enough you can actually get a pet friendly cabin but these are limited. We have hired a one way luton and are looking forward to our travel adventure to Murcia.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I drove over here with all our possessions and 4 cats. The puncture didn't help, but it was an adventure


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

thrax said:


> I drove over here with all our possessions and 4 cats. The puncture didn't help, but it was an adventure


yes thats our plan..did you use any tranquilisers etc on them its such a long journey


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

I would suggest you don't use sedatives - they can make the experience worse believe it or not! Are your animals nervous or stressy?

You can use lavender oil (couple of drops on their bedding) or a DAP spray - these influence a more calming environment rather than sedating. Lavender oil is a very good one - I use it for grooming dogs that are nervous

Often what happens with sedation is the animal doesn't have full function but it's brain is still doing cartwheels and it makes them feel worse because they don't understand what has happened to their body and feel helpless.

You can also try putting a blanket over each crate/carrier - this helps reduce the scent influx and the movement visuals are also reduced which can cause sickness.

Try and feed minimally and not when no the move or just before you set off


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

many thanks


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

so what have you decided to do sally-chaps?


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## sally-chaps (Oct 24, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> so what have you decided to do sally-chaps?


Thanks for the advice, think I'm going to get my dad to bring them over on the ferry when we are settled !


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> Bring dog in car with you, use the tunnel. There are many inexpensive hotels in France and Spain where you can stay with a dog (Premiere Classe for one).
> 
> The whole thing becomes much less expensive if you treat the whole thing as an adventure.


We were amazed at how little the trip cost.....two vehicles, one a Mercedes, the other a LandRover, conveying four adults and one large dog.

We did stay in 'good' but small hotels - I think they're called 'bijou' or 'boutique' or some such- with recommended restaurants but even so the costs weren't high.

Imo the most important factor is comfort for you and your pet. Don't cut corners with costs unless it's imperative. Take breaks, don't drive for two many hours at a stretch, stop early at your chosen overnight accommodation and dine well.

We started at 09.00 after a good breakfast and stopped at 17.00 for the night. That way we were refreshed and alert for the day's drive.
We made a photographic record of our journey to add to the 'holiday adventure' flavour of the journey.

We crossed four EU state borders and travelled through the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain....from snow to sun to snow to sun.

We had no need to sedate Our Little Azor...the thought never crossed our mind.
He had ample opportunity to obey the call of nature and stretch his legs on our regular and frquent stops and spent the journey apparently gazing at the scenery. His bed and favourite toys occupied the entire rear of the LR Discovery so he travelled with space and comfort secured in his harness.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

sally-chaps said:


> Thanks for the advice, think I'm going to get my dad to bring them over on the ferry when we are settled !


that would make sense


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## Cazzy (Nov 23, 2008)

I know someone who transports animals for 200 euro for a cat and 250 euro for a dog if you PM me I will send his details.


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## Gia (Sep 25, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> We were amazed at how little the trip cost.....two vehicles, one a Mercedes, the other a LandRover, conveying four adults and one large dog.
> 
> We did stay in 'good' but small hotels - I think they're called 'bijou' or 'boutique' or some such- with recommended restaurants but even so the costs weren't high.
> 
> ...


We did the same route, but drove more per day. Did about 2 days of driving in total (3 since we left at 14.00 and arrived the 3rd day in the afternoon, at around 17:00) and drove each day from morning (8-9) till evening (10-11). I know it sounds a bit crazy, but we did lots of stops so our dog can stretch and also for me, since I was the only one driving (with not much experience and a car full of luggage). We had absolutely nothing planned, drove until I knew it was enough for me and just searched over the internet the closest hotel that accepts dogs and has parking. We spent one night in Stuttgart and one in France in a small village (don't remember the name, but it was small, nice and had a nice hill/mountain with some lights on it). It was a nice adventure 
We choose to drive for our dog mainly, since she was never on a plane and would not risk it at her age and temperament. The trip was fine for her, she was considering the car as her home ) all the back seats were hers so she could stretch, sleep, watch outside (she likes it) and she was not sick at all. Normally she gets sick in a car, but during this long trip she was fine, no problems, ate and drank water normally. We did do a couple of other trips, a couple of months before which were 1 full day of driving and probably she got more used to it.


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## sally-chaps (Oct 24, 2012)

Cazzy said:


> I know someone who transports animals for 200 euro for a cat and 250 euro for a dog if you PM me I will send his details.


That sounds reasonable thanks


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Gia said:


> We did the same route, but drove more per day. Did about 2 days of driving in total (3 since we left at 14.00 and arrived the 3rd day in the afternoon, at around 17:00) and drove each day from morning (8-9) till evening (10-11). I know it sounds a bit crazy, but we did lots of stops so our dog can stretch and also for me, since I was the only one driving (with not much experience and a car full of luggage). We had absolutely nothing planned, drove until I knew it was enough for me and just searched over the internet the closest hotel that accepts dogs and has parking. We spent one night in Stuttgart and one in France in a small village (don't remember the name, but it was small, nice and had a nice hill/mountain with some lights on it). It was a nice adventure
> We choose to drive for our dog mainly, since she was never on a plane and would not risk it at her age and temperament. The trip was fine for her, she was considering the car as her home ) all the back seats were hers so she could stretch, sleep, watch outside (she likes it) and she was not sick at all. Normally she gets sick in a car, but during this long trip she was fine, no problems, ate and drank water normally. We did do a couple of other trips, a couple of months before which were 1 full day of driving and probably she got more used to it.


I like to have everything planned in advance and my daughter-in-law, who did the logistics of the trip, is a great planner, so she booked the hotels and planned the stops each day. We had those two-way radios you use when skiing so we were able to communicate between the two cars.

The small hotel we stayed in in France had a Michelin starred restaurant. After three years of Czech food it was like manna. We could take more breaks and stop driving early as we used toll roads for most of the journey and kept up a speed well over 100kmp.

I did think of driving to the UK with our dog but tbh I can't be bothered...I'm too comfortable here and so is our dog.


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## boxergirl (Nov 27, 2010)

I would love to take our little pack home to Scotland for a month so they could experience running in the hills and swimming in the lochs without any worries about it being too hot!!! One day maybe..


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Absolutely do not use any form of sedatives. The problem with that is that if a cat or dog became ill during the journey you would never know as they are sedated. And as you will stop regularly and say hello to them, they get used to the idea very quickly and should be fine.


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## Gia (Sep 25, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> I like to have everything planned in advance and my daughter-in-law, who did the logistics of the trip, is a great planner, so she booked the hotels and planned the stops each day. We had those two-way radios you use when skiing so we were able to communicate between the two cars.
> 
> The small hotel we stayed in in France had a Michelin starred restaurant. After three years of Czech food it was like manna. We could take more breaks and stop driving early as we used toll roads for most of the journey and kept up a speed well over 100kmp.
> 
> I did think of driving to the UK with our dog but tbh I can't be bothered...I'm too comfortable here and so is our dog.


Normally I like to have everything organised too, but we had no time to do this then, so it ended up as an adventure too. Nice idea with the radios 
I understand you with the food, that's one thing among others that I love here 

You were lucky to go steady over 100 kmh. I couldn't. I had some nice portions (took the toll roads also and paid a lot for them) where I could go 120-130kmh, not more since the car was full with a luggage box on top and also there was some very powerful wind in France. But the rest it was terrible, couldn't go more then 80kmh, because they were repairing so many highways portions and it was always just one lane, extremely narrow or 2 narrow lanes or some diversion on the opposite lane for a while and it kept going like that on many highways. You came in the winter, I came during the end of summer so probably that's why it was like that. If I wouldn't have had these portions I would have arrived a lotttt faster. But still it was fun and our dog was happy on the road.

Regarding sedatives, I agree with thrax: it's very dangerous to try on the road the first time and should be used unless there is absolutely no other alternative (in this case, maybe it should be tried before, when a vet is available easily and the dog/cat should be supervised all the time when the sedative takes effect). During flight, from what I read they are dangerous, because the body does not function so well anymore.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Gia said:


> Normally I like to have everything organised too, but we had no time to do this then, so it ended up as an adventure too. Nice idea with the radios
> I understand you with the food, that's one thing among others that I love here
> 
> You were lucky to go steady over 100 kmh. I couldn't. I had some nice portions (took the toll roads also and paid a lot for them) where I could go 120-130kmh, not more since the car was full with a luggage box on top and also there was some very powerful wind in France. But the rest it was terrible, couldn't go more then 80kmh, because they were repairing so many highways portions and it was always just one lane, extremely narrow or 2 narrow lanes or some diversion on the opposite lane for a while and it kept going like that on many highways. You came in the winter, I came during the end of summer so probably that's why it was like that. If I wouldn't have had these portions I would have arrived a lotttt faster. But still it was fun and our dog was happy on the road.
> ...


On sedatives...

When we take dogs to the airport for their flights to their new homes in Holland, Germany, the UK etc. we meet up with other rescue organisations. All of them including ADANA have been given sedatives by their vets to adminoster to dogs during the flight if they seem anxious or over-agitated. If administered, they are given according to the vet's instructions.
The noise and vibration of the aircraft hold can be unsettling for some dogs.

Incidentally, I was reading a piece in the Mail on Sunday about Titchmarsh v Millan... Some 'dog psychology expert' referred to 'the science of dog training'
What tosh. It is arrogant and wrong to think that human and other animal behaviour can be explained in purely scientific terms.

Dogs, like humans, are never entrely predictable. We are all capable of acting irrationally and on impulses which cannot be foreseen. If it were that easy to predict such behaviour, we'd be able to pick out all the psychopaths, rapists and murderers before they got a chance to harm anyone, wouldn't we....


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I disagree there Mary. I am entirely predictable. My OH says so, so it must be true.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

thrax said:


> I disagree there Mary. I am entirely predictable. My OH says so, so it must be true.


Brave of you to disagree with Mary.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> Brave of you to disagree with Mary.


Naughty Baldy!!


I always think there is something wrong with my view if everyone agrees with me...

Whilst I have always seen achieving compromise as the art of true politics, I do enjoy a good argument on the way to its achievemment.

Being agreed with is not a state I enjoy. My mother used to say I was born contrary....As a child I was known in the family as 'Matilda'.

Never found out why


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Is it safe to travel with cats? My partner keep saying cats are not like dogs and they don´t like being moved, we want to go to Pamplona to see my family but can´t leave them on their own, they are 3 cats and it could be ok for 2 days or so, but can´t be bothered to go that far for 2 days. 

Plus we don´t own a car, so that makes it more complicated as some travel companies won´t admit pets. 

It looks like we´ll stay here forever not being able to travel anywhere!


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Lolito said:


> Is it safe to travel with cats? My partner keep saying cats are not like dogs and they don´t like being moved, we want to go to Pamplona to see my family but can´t leave them on their own, they are 3 cats and it could be ok for 2 days or so, but can´t be bothered to go that far for 2 days.
> 
> Plus we don´t own a car, so that makes it more complicated as some travel companies won´t admit pets.
> 
> It looks like we´ll stay here forever not being able to travel anywhere!


If I lived near i would offer to pop in and check in on them..however Sussex is such a long way:eyebrows::eyebrows::eyebrows: Do you not have neighbors or friends who would check in on them?


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## Cazzy (Nov 23, 2008)

Lolito said:


> Is it safe to travel with cats? My partner keep saying cats are not like dogs and they don´t like being moved, we want to go to Pamplona to see my family but can´t leave them on their own, they are 3 cats and it could be ok for 2 days or so, but can´t be bothered to go that far for 2 days.
> 
> Plus we don´t own a car, so that makes it more complicated as some travel companies won´t admit pets.
> 
> It looks like we´ll stay here forever not being able to travel anywhere!


Where are you in Sussex, we moved to Spain from Sussex, I might know someone who could pop in and feed them.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Nope, the neighbours at the back said that if they ever see our cats in their garden, they will kill them or poison them, but as they are at the back of our house, they don´t really bother us.

There is a park on the left of our house and the house on the right is empty, the owners live in Alcoy, so they only come once every 3 months or so. Although they are really nice, just a pity they don´t live here permanently. 

The rest of the houses here, 4 o 5 more, we don´t really know them. 

We do get on very well with the girl in the Chemist, but to give her our keys to feed them is a bit too much. 

We´ll keep looking tho.... you never know! 

Besides, it is too cold in Pamplona now, at least we have an excuse with the cats. Lol!


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Cazzy, we don´t live in Sussex... lol! we live in Gandia, Valencia, Spain.

It is Cambio who lives in Sussex... not for long.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

It is entirely safe to travel with cats. We have friends who summer in Santander and winter in Frigiliana and thay travel with their three cats always. No ill effects, and the cats travel with two dogs...


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

:focus::focus:

Don't forget that in Spain, by law, your pets will have to be properly secured so that they cannot interfere with the driver nor fly forward into the front seats in the event of heavy braking/collision. You must also have their pet-passports showing up to date vaccination status, etc.

:focus::focus:


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> :focus::focus:
> 
> Don't forget that in Spain, by law, your pets will have to be properly secured so that they cannot interfere with the driver nor fly forward into the front seats in the event of heavy braking/collision. You must also have their pet-passports showing up to date vaccination status, etc.
> 
> :focus::focus:


:focus::focus::focus: sorry

Actually I had not realised that... its going on the list... thanks:clap2::clap2:


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

:focus::focus::focus:

Mods can we have a new thread for the benefit of all these girls and their reminiscences? Then perhaps one for all of us boring old f*rts and our wartime experiences?

:focus::focus:


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> :focus::focus::focus:
> 
> Mods can we have a new thread for the benefit of all these girls and their reminiscences? Then perhaps one for all of us boring old f*rts and our wartime experiences?
> 
> :focus::focus:


Spoilsport...

I'd be interested in your wartime experiences, Baldy


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

baldilocks said:


> :focus::focus::focus:
> 
> Mods can we have a new thread for the benefit of all these girls and their reminiscences? Then perhaps one for all of us boring old f*rts and our wartime experiences?
> 
> :focus::focus:



xabiachica is the expert on splitting threads lol!! Meanwhile you start up a wartime reminiscence thread!!! 

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

the 'where we are from ' posts are now here http://www.expatforum.com/expats/la-tasca/130520-where-we-ramblings.html#post938725


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

jojo said:


> xabiachica is the expert on splitting threads lol!! Meanwhile you start up a wartime reminiscence thread!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


It's done! Under La Tasca.


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