Dog to Channel Islands

davethedog

davethedog

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 Feb 2016
Messages
847
Visit site
Evening,

Can anyone guide me to the current rules and regulations regarding taking a dog to the channel islands and back, as we want to cross the Channel in September and take our dog with us. Now I know we can't take him to France (well we can, but can't bring him back) and he has a pet passport etc

Regards

DTD
 
We have taken our dog to Alderney and Guernsey - not yet tried Jersey, but have taken him to Jersey by light aircraft very recently. None were a problem (also Sark and Herm). All the regulations I have seen also indicate it is not an issue, although there have been occasional reports about the harbour authority being "difficult" but I dont recall recently. There is certainly nothing in law that appears to prevent you doing so. As ever I would call the harbour before if in any doubt. I recall there was a form to complete in Alderney for some reason, but no where else. Jersey we flew into the airport, and cleared straight through the GA terminal without any issues at all, have confirmed with them before that dogs were welcome. No dog passport is required. Of course the consequences of an unplanned diversion to France are far more problematical, as if this was the last port of call the CIs and the UK are prohibited.
 
No problem at all. We have done it a number of times. Time your arrival into Braye and complete landing card from Harbour Master (we have always had one brought to us before disembarking the dog). Fill it in and then your dog is cleared for the CIs. We went onwards to Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Jersey. Moored at St Peter Port, Beaucette and St Helier (but had to go into Elizabeth Marina as she was not allowed into St Helier Marina!!!). Coming back from CIs to South Coast was equally straightforward. Real life example which I believe was totally legal (I did look into it before our first trip). Hope this helps
 
When we collected Boadicea from St Helier in 2015 we took the 'Mother in Law' (inherited Papillon !) with us (by Condor from Poole). No problems except for some strange reason I could not fathom we were not allowed to take the dog into the marina, so instead I had to rush down and take the boat out to the waiting pontoon before the cill flap was lifted on the falling tide. Something to do with French dogs not being landed. "MiL' is a French breed born in the UK ! Crazy.

Be aware the pubs and restaurants in St Helier are very dog unfriendly - we were not even allowed to have a drink outside with the dog present let alone eat, except where the chairs were on public pavements. No where would let dogs in.
 
Thanks all and going to have a think of what to do, as only concern i have is if we have to divert to France for any reason then we are stuffed!
 
For clarification, the CI's are part of the British Isles not the U.K. I suspect superheated issue with taking the dog to a marina was to do with not having dogs on leads or wandering about free with the risk of fouling. I believe you are permitted to take your dog into a marina if you carry it to your boat.
 
Keith-i said:
For clarification, the CI's are part of the British Isles not the U.K. I suspect superheated issue with taking the dog to a marina was to do with not having dogs on leads or wandering about free with the risk of fouling. I believe you are permitted to take your dog into a marina if you carry it to your boat.
Click to expand...

You need to be cautious. Some marinas refuse pets. I believe you'll also find that pets from the UK that come to the CIs must return on a ferry to prove landing back in the UK.

Good info from the UK gov is here: https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad

Beaucette in Guernsey (to the best of my knowledge) is the only pet friendly marina in the CIs.
 
Piers said:
I believe you'll also find that pets from the UK that come to the CIs must return on a ferry to prove landing back in the UK.
Click to expand...

I don't believe that's correct if you come back direct from CI without touching France. The paperwork filled in at the first port of arrival in the CI provides a record.

We stayed on the pontoons in the pool at St Peter Port with our dog. It got a lot of interest from the Harbour Master who seemed a bit short of things to worry about but otherwise not a problem.
 
dslittle said:
No problem at all. We have done it a number of times. Time your arrival into Braye and complete landing card from Harbour Master (we have always had one brought to us before disembarking the dog). Fill it in and then your dog is cleared for the CIs. We went onwards to Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Jersey. Moored at St Peter Port, Beaucette and St Helier (but had to go into Elizabeth Marina as she was not allowed into St Helier Marina!!!). Coming back from CIs to South Coast was equally straightforward. Real life example which I believe was totally legal (I did look into it before our first trip). Hope this helps
Click to expand...

+1
 
Poey50 said:
I don't believe that's correct if you come back direct from CI without touching France. The paperwork filled in at the first port of arrival in the CI provides a record.

We stayed on the pontoons in the pool at St Peter Port with our dog. It got a lot of interest from the Harbour Master who seemed a bit short of things to worry about but otherwise not a problem.
Click to expand...

I think that's a fairly typical attitude in Guernsey - declare one thing yet turn a blind eye. Rather like the French.
 
dslittle said:
No problem at all. We have done it a number of times. Time your arrival into Braye and complete landing card from Harbour Master (we have always had one brought to us before disembarking the dog). Fill it in and then your dog is cleared for the CIs. We went onwards to Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Jersey. Moored at St Peter Port, Beaucette and St Helier (but had to go into Elizabeth Marina as she was not allowed into St Helier Marina!!!). Coming back from CIs to South Coast was equally straightforward. Real life example which I believe was totally legal (I did look into it before our first trip). Hope this helps
Click to expand...
It does, many thanks.
 
I had no problems with the marinas anywhere in Guernsey.

I also had no problem sitting outside resteraunts.

There is an interesting technical argument I seem to recall that if you make port in France, but the dog remains aboard, you may be ok. How well received that might be, I dont know.
 
We used to be banished to the outside pontoon at St Peter Port because we had a dog on board. However, we arrived a couple of weeks ago to be told that we could now go into the marina. Very civilised. Having cleared the dog in at Braye, the customs officer was content just to see the form - no problems at all.

On the subject of diverting to France, ip485 is correct. Providing the dog is not landed, you may return to the UK. That said, the CI's may have different rules. You may need to cross the channel twice to satisfy their rules...
 
SimonD said:
We used to be banished to the outside pontoon at St Peter Port because we had a dog on board. However, we arrived a couple of weeks ago to be told that we could now go into the marina. Very civilised. Having cleared the dog in at Braye, the customs officer was content just to see the form - no problems at all.
.
Click to expand...

That's interesting, we too have always been kept outside the marina for the same reason, which is why we normally end up in Beaucette which is most definitely dog friendly and a lovely place to spend a few days.

I do wonder if you were just lucky or whether there's been a change of policy. I will make a phone call to SPP HM.
 
SimonD said:
...

On the subject of diverting to France, ip485 is correct. Providing the dog is not landed, you may return to the UK. That said, the CI's may have different rules. You may need to cross the channel twice to satisfy their rules...
Click to expand...
That's interesting. I wondered if I had fallen foul of the rules for dogs by entering French Waters as I passed closer to the French side through the Alderney Race.

Not a chance to take off the coast of Belgium presently it would seem, regardless of IMO rules of unrestricted passage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

T
Notices to Mariners - Week 50
Replies
2
Views
726
tillergirl
T

Share this page

Top