Drive dog to South Africa?!

[cuda]

Need to get my French Bulldog to South Africa but no airlines will fly snub nose dogs due to risk of overheating.

So thinking maybe to drive him down...

Has anyone driven to SA recently - is it even feasible or safe? Let alone trying to take a dog through all those countries...

Mad idea but no other option...

Appreciate any sensible suggestions.

Thanks

[strain]

Some carriers will accept snub nosed dogs at certain times of the year, we flew our stzu from the UK to Abu Dhabi in October.

if theres no rush can you wait for the cooler temperatures?

[cuda]

strain said:

Some carriers will accept snub nosed dogs at certain times of the year, we flew our stzu from the UK to Abu Dhabi in October.

if theres no rush can you wait for the cooler temperatures?

thank you - was that on Etihad?

[Stuart70]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Worlds-Most-Dangerous...

A chap that used to work for me, left to do something a bit more interesting...

Don’t think he would suggest dog carrying for the holidays though...

Edited by Stuart70 on Monday 22 March 07:31

[p1stonhead]

I mean it’ll be a hell of a story if you manage it.

But I reckon it’s near enough impossible surely.

Even watching something like Long Way Down from 15 years ago - they were stuck at some borders for days I think. And that was with a full organised crew etc and no animals.

Go for it and record the trip

[sociopath]

I suppose if you drive all that distance with a dog, at least you can eat the dog when you get kidnapped

[wisbech]

Probably no less safe or feasible than has ever been. But with a dog?? Presumably you would need to have import documents for each country en route, or be faced with large 'fines' at each border.

Utterly insane idea!

from here

https://www.petrelocation.com/blog/post/flying-wit...

Lufthansa, Etihad, Gulf Air, and Copa also fly snub-nosed breeds in the winter months or under certain temperature conditions only.

So via Frankfurt or Abu Dhabi may work

[cuda]

wisbech said:

Probably no less safe or feasible than has ever been. But with a dog?? Presumably you would need to have import documents for each country en route, or be faced with large 'fines' at each border.

Utterly insane idea!

from here

https://www.petrelocation.com/blog/post/flying-wit...

Lufthansa, Etihad, Gulf Air, and Copa also fly snub-nosed breeds in the winter months or under certain temperature conditions only.

So via Frankfurt or Abu Dhabi may work

Thank you - will give them a shout.

[craigjm]

Trans Saharan from Morocco down is one hell of an adventure in normal times. Virtually impossible right now and a quite a few visa requirements never mind animal requirements.

[Bill]

I'm sure it could be done, but if temperature may be a problem then the 40+°c you are likely to get en route is an issue.

[craigjm]

Bill said:

I'm sure it could be done, but if temperature may be a problem then the 40+°c you are likely to get en route is an issue.

That depends on time of year of course. If he is going now or within the next couple of months will be fine

[Bill]

I'm not sure you've thought that through. Whenever he goes he's going to have to cross the full width of the tropics and at some point will meet the sun at its peak.

[wisbech]

Geography - how does that work?

[Rumblestripe]

How about by sea?

These people might help: https://www.cargoshipvoyages.com/

[samoht]

An ex-colleague drove from Kenya down to South Africa about three years ago, so about half way. That was in a Landcruiser or similar.

Last I remember hearing, there are conflicts ongoing in Libya, Mali, South Sudan and Ethiopia/Somalia, but haven't heard much recently so may have calmed down (or maybe our media just stopped reporting on them).

[RizzoTheRat]

Take a look at Horizons Unlimited https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ Mainly focused on travel by motorbike but there' are loads of people doing these kinds of trips on 4x4's too and thier forum will have people who've crossed all the relevant borders recently

https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/

[peterperkins]

Sea or sell and buy one down there look like the best options.

[thebraketester]

8100miles from London to Cape Town....... do it.

[Bill]

samoht said:

An ex-colleague drove from Kenya down to South Africa about three years ago, so about half way. That was in a Landcruiser or similar.

Last I remember hearing, there are conflicts ongoing in Libya, Mali, South Sudan and Ethiopia/Somalia, but haven't heard much recently so may have calmed down (or maybe our media just stopped reporting on them).

Yep, the western route is pretty full on, so most go down the east. The usual route was ferry to Tunisia and through Libya, or through Syria. IIRC there is (or was - we did it 16 years ago...) a ferry from Greece to Egypt. But then you have a 2-3 day ferry trip down lake Nasser to Sudan and like you say need to skirt the conflicts in South Sudan and north-east Ethiopia both which should be possible. And then it depends how volatile northern Kenya is.

Once you're in Nairobi it's plain sailing!

[craigjm]

You would be crazy to do that route. Far more sensible to take the trans Saharan highway from Morocco down the west through nigeria etc.