Pet Passport - what is the process?
Discussion
Considering a road trip (motorhome) towards the end of the year.
We have travelled extensively with the dogs in the UK and they love it. We are thinking of jumping the channel and heading down to Spain.
We would be gone 10-14 days. Dogs are chipped and up to date on jabs.
What is the actual process incl vet visits and how long will it take for checks going out and coming back in?
We have travelled extensively with the dogs in the UK and they love it. We are thinking of jumping the channel and heading down to Spain.
We would be gone 10-14 days. Dogs are chipped and up to date on jabs.
What is the actual process incl vet visits and how long will it take for checks going out and coming back in?
it's pretty straightforward.
See your vet. They should be able to issue the passport, along with Rabies & tapeworm jabs & stamps for the passport. Check the score on tick collars/treatments too - not sure if that's compulsory. Also check your pet insurance cover for treatment abroad. If you aren't covered, temporary cover is available from third parties: the kind of people who provide cover for racehorses & show animals who regularly travel abroad. I think we paid £25 for 2 dogs for 2 weeks last year. Cost of injections & paperwork depends on the vet. Take the pet passport with you when you travel. You'll need to book an appointment with a foreign vet before you return to have the dogs checked for ticks, tapeworm etc. Seem to remember it had to be no more than 3 days before return, but check this with your vet. To me, this seemed like a bit of a wheeze, so that French vets could earn some money out of the process, but fair enough, I'd probably be doing the same if I was them. Again the cost of that will depend on the vet.
My top tip - we were caught out on the return Eurostar journey. We didn't spot the fact that there's a pet check-in just before the electronic check in lanes. If you miss that & try to check in as normal, you'll be rejected & have to try & worm your way out of the queue - fellow travellers may not appreciate the hold up...! The building is immediately right as you enter the main approach apron. Again you'll have to present your pets & all their paperwork, so allow time for that.
Insurance company we used - no affiilation with them: https://www.eandl.co.uk/
https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/pets/
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/pet-insurance/pet...
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/depart...
Hope that helps - have a great trip.
See your vet. They should be able to issue the passport, along with Rabies & tapeworm jabs & stamps for the passport. Check the score on tick collars/treatments too - not sure if that's compulsory. Also check your pet insurance cover for treatment abroad. If you aren't covered, temporary cover is available from third parties: the kind of people who provide cover for racehorses & show animals who regularly travel abroad. I think we paid £25 for 2 dogs for 2 weeks last year. Cost of injections & paperwork depends on the vet. Take the pet passport with you when you travel. You'll need to book an appointment with a foreign vet before you return to have the dogs checked for ticks, tapeworm etc. Seem to remember it had to be no more than 3 days before return, but check this with your vet. To me, this seemed like a bit of a wheeze, so that French vets could earn some money out of the process, but fair enough, I'd probably be doing the same if I was them. Again the cost of that will depend on the vet.
My top tip - we were caught out on the return Eurostar journey. We didn't spot the fact that there's a pet check-in just before the electronic check in lanes. If you miss that & try to check in as normal, you'll be rejected & have to try & worm your way out of the queue - fellow travellers may not appreciate the hold up...! The building is immediately right as you enter the main approach apron. Again you'll have to present your pets & all their paperwork, so allow time for that.
Insurance company we used - no affiilation with them: https://www.eandl.co.uk/
https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/pets/
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/pet-insurance/pet...
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/depart...
Hope that helps - have a great trip.
Thanks, we have 3 dogs so out of interest what is the time scale for them to check the dog / paperwork when you check in?
Insurance wise 2 of them are 13 years old so I guess might not be viable to insure? The other is just 7 so maybe not so bad.
Looking to take the trip over Christmas this year so got a bit of time to get it all sorted.
Insurance wise 2 of them are 13 years old so I guess might not be viable to insure? The other is just 7 so maybe not so bad.
Looking to take the trip over Christmas this year so got a bit of time to get it all sorted.
RESSE said:
A couple of days before we return from France/Spain a worming tablet costs 23 Euros.
Think ours was around 70euros (2 dogs though) as the vet did a check up: weight, temp, teeth, check for ticks etc. As I said, it felt a bit unecessary. As with UK vet side of it, prices may vary I guess.Edited by CardinalFang on Tuesday 12th September 13:24
red_slr said:
My vet tells me its £150 for the pet passport, does that sound about right?
How long is the PP valid for?
Also, they tell me that the rabies jab has to be 21 days before travel, is that right?
Cheers!
That was what I was charged last week with the rabies jab. Rabies jab lasts 3 years iirc, can check certificate when home. Think PP is valid for life as long as you keep up to dates with jab. Yes 21 days from jab to travel.How long is the PP valid for?
Also, they tell me that the rabies jab has to be 21 days before travel, is that right?
Cheers!
djsmith74 said:
Interesting and informative information, as we might be doing the same thing soon!.
Quick question if I may - how easy is it to book an appointment with a foreign vet? I assume the main ports will have a vet nearby, that you can easily pre-book an appointment before departure?
Thanks.
We've never had a problem with booking foreign vets, except this summer when the vet we'd booked was closed at our appointment time for some reason and we ended up having to use a different vet. Easy enough though - quick phone call, explain situation, "no problem, bring the dogs over in half an hour and we'll sort you out". Quick question if I may - how easy is it to book an appointment with a foreign vet? I assume the main ports will have a vet nearby, that you can easily pre-book an appointment before departure?
Thanks.
You can't really use a vet near the port though, unless you're staying over - you have to wait 24 hours after the treatment before you can return to the UK.
PLEASE check the dates in the rabies vaccination part.
We just had a tough time when returning.
We have 2 dogs, both PP issued at the same time and rabies vacs done the same. Vet had made an error on one, and put expiry date as 1 year from valid date, instead of 3 years. Of course, Eurotunnel refused travel, saying we had to get her vaccinated and wait 21 days. Despite showing her the DEFRA website that says only the valid from date is required (and all Nobivac rabies shots being valid for 3 years) she was having non of it.
We were lucky in that it was a Sat morning. We called our vet, he sent over (direct to Eurotunnel) an e mail with a certificate attached to say that she was indeed covered until 2019.
We then had to go into Calais, wait 2 hours for that vet to open, hand over 50€ in cash (no cards accepted, and that meant I had to drive miles to a cash point), who then slipped the 50 into her pocket and handded the now ammended passport back.
There were 7 other english folks there, 2 for the same reason as us and the rest because they hadnt given their dogs the worming tablets more than 24 hours before. They were all re booking crossings and hotels for the night.
I dont want to worry you, every other trip has been flawless.
We just had a tough time when returning.
We have 2 dogs, both PP issued at the same time and rabies vacs done the same. Vet had made an error on one, and put expiry date as 1 year from valid date, instead of 3 years. Of course, Eurotunnel refused travel, saying we had to get her vaccinated and wait 21 days. Despite showing her the DEFRA website that says only the valid from date is required (and all Nobivac rabies shots being valid for 3 years) she was having non of it.
We were lucky in that it was a Sat morning. We called our vet, he sent over (direct to Eurotunnel) an e mail with a certificate attached to say that she was indeed covered until 2019.
We then had to go into Calais, wait 2 hours for that vet to open, hand over 50€ in cash (no cards accepted, and that meant I had to drive miles to a cash point), who then slipped the 50 into her pocket and handded the now ammended passport back.
There were 7 other english folks there, 2 for the same reason as us and the rest because they hadnt given their dogs the worming tablets more than 24 hours before. They were all re booking crossings and hotels for the night.
I dont want to worry you, every other trip has been flawless.
Edited by Steviesam on Wednesday 13th September 09:39
djsmith74 said:
Interesting and informative information, as we might be doing the same thing soon!.
Quick question if I may - how easy is it to book an appointment with a foreign vet? I assume the main ports will have a vet nearby, that you can easily pre-book an appointment before departure?
Thanks.
Language aside, all fine. Yes the ports are full of vets but as other's say, you have to get the timings right. If your french is like my "failed O level 40 years ago but will have a bash because I think it's the right thing to do", then just have a couple of phrases handy. We just googled "vets near me", shortly after arrival at our gite & walked in to the surgery. Made an appointment with the receptionist for the right day. Sorting it all out before you leave blighty is a good idea - by all means give it a go, but it was no hassle to just turn up, even in a fairly small town c2000 pop.Quick question if I may - how easy is it to book an appointment with a foreign vet? I assume the main ports will have a vet nearby, that you can easily pre-book an appointment before departure?
Thanks.
It's definitely worth it - French bars & restaurants seem to be much more dog friendly than UK & they also seem to show their typical healthy disregard for regulations when it comes to beaches/parks & leads. We didn't have a single issue, regardless of the grade of venue or size of town. Autoroute stop areas are all excellent for dog loo breaks & there's also a loo area at the Eurostar pet check in building.
CardinalFang said:
Language aside, all fine. Yes the ports are full of vets but as other's say, you have to get the timings right. If your french is like my "failed O level 40 years ago but will have a bash because I think it's the right thing to do", then just have a couple of phrases handy. We just googled "vets near me", shortly after arrival at our gite & walked in to the surgery. Made an appointment with the receptionist for the right day. Sorting it all out before you leave blighty is a good idea - by all means give it a go, but it was no hassle to just turn up, even in a fairly small town c2000 pop.
It's definitely worth it - French bars & restaurants seem to be much more dog friendly than UK & they also seem to show their typical healthy disregard for regulations when it comes to beaches/parks & leads. We didn't have a single issue, regardless of the grade of venue or size of town. Autoroute stop areas are all excellent for dog loo breaks & there's also a loo area at the Eurostar pet check in building.
It's definitely worth it - French bars & restaurants seem to be much more dog friendly than UK & they also seem to show their typical healthy disregard for regulations when it comes to beaches/parks & leads. We didn't have a single issue, regardless of the grade of venue or size of town. Autoroute stop areas are all excellent for dog loo breaks & there's also a loo area at the Eurostar pet check in building.
SGirl said:
We've never had a problem with booking foreign vets, except this summer when the vet we'd booked was closed at our appointment time for some reason and we ended up having to use a different vet. Easy enough though - quick phone call, explain situation, "no problem, bring the dogs over in half an hour and we'll sort you out".
You can't really use a vet near the port though, unless you're staying over - you have to wait 24 hours after the treatment before you can return to the UK.
Many thanks for the responses - much appreciated!You can't really use a vet near the port though, unless you're staying over - you have to wait 24 hours after the treatment before you can return to the UK.
red_slr said:
One more question from me, does the rabies shot have any side effects?
2 are 13 years old and a bit fragile now when it comes to medications.
No side effects with either of my 2.2 are 13 years old and a bit fragile now when it comes to medications.
One of mine seems to feel a bit queasy a few hours after the worming pill on the way back, and a bit constipated, but nothing that has caused any concern.
red_slr said:
One more question from me, does the rabies shot have any side effects?
2 are 13 years old and a bit fragile now when it comes to medications.
No side effects with either of my 2.2 are 13 years old and a bit fragile now when it comes to medications.
One of mine seems to feel a bit queasy a few hours after the worming pill on the way back, and a bit constipated, but nothing that has caused any concern.
All good info given.
From a more care to your dogs health point of view, things to be aware of.
Difference in temperature from what they are used to to where you are visiting.
Ensure you can check on dogs during travel on ferries etc, some companies won't allow it.
Be aware of local diseases that your dogs may be susceptible to, local dogs may be immune but your dogs won't be.
Remember Pet passport is all about keeping us humans safe, they are not concerned about non zoonotic diseases that your dog could pick up abroad.
Be aware of the above and you should have it all covered
From a more care to your dogs health point of view, things to be aware of.
Difference in temperature from what they are used to to where you are visiting.
Ensure you can check on dogs during travel on ferries etc, some companies won't allow it.
Be aware of local diseases that your dogs may be susceptible to, local dogs may be immune but your dogs won't be.
Remember Pet passport is all about keeping us humans safe, they are not concerned about non zoonotic diseases that your dog could pick up abroad.
Be aware of the above and you should have it all covered
red_slr said:
Never ended up getting PP for mine. One died couple of months after my OP then another 6 months later and the last one this year. Shame as they would have loved it.
I'm not sure animals enjoy foreign travel. Sure they'd rather be with you than kennels, sure running about on the beach is great, but they can do that in the UK. Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff