Dogs and Pet Passports

[Jabs]

I am planning a long stay on the boat, UK registered.

I just talked with DEFRA about bringing dogs back to UK.

The DEFRA website states:

Only transport companies that have been approved by Defra may be used to bring dogs, cats and ferrets into Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). These animals must also travel on an authorised route. Animals may not be imported into Great Britain on private boats or aircraft.

I asked how to bring the animals back and was told to go to Dover and let them come back with a foot passenger with an authorised travel company.

This seems absurd. Am I missing something.

Picture it, I'm coming down the channel, fourteen days at sea. Weather is obscene
and I have a problem so go into Falmouth. I can't land the dogs there???

Is this what is intended by the Pet Passport Scheme?

Anyone else had similar issues?

 

[Strolls]

That sounds right, from what I remember from previous threads.

Think there's a thread about this on Scuttlebutt once or twice a year.

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=pet+passport+site:ybw.com/forums

 

[maby]

You've got it in one, I'm afraid! The really stupid thing is that you can bring your beloved pet back quite legally on your privately owned boat if you stop off for a coffee (Guiness?) in Dublin on your way - all down to the vagaries of the common travel area!

 

[sailaboutvic]

It is a problem , it just encourages people to break the law .
When we go back which isn't offen with our pets we tend to go to holland first then pick up a car and drive then through the tunnel , one time they didn't even check their chip so we could had been bring in a different cat and dog .
The only two country's that bother with pets in Eupore is Malta and England , no where else is interested.
There a few sailors I know that just sail them in and out and so far have not had a problem and I sure there a lot more .
According to them , if caught they will be sent back to the last country they came from or there pets will be put in to kennels and checked and you have to stand the cost , as long as all paper work is in order .

 

[geem]

You cant bring your pet across the Channel as a foot passenger. You can sail from Hook of Holland to Harwich as a foot passenger. Thats what we do. We fly from Caribbean into Amsterdam. The rules are crazy

 

[maby]

It is a problem , it just encourages people to break the law .
When we go back which isn't offen with our pets we tend to go to holland first then pick up a car and drive then through the tunnel , one time they didn't even check their chip so we could had been bring in a different cat and dog .
The only two country's that bother with pets in Eupore is Malta and England , no where else is interested.
There a few sailors I know that just sail them in and out and so far have not had a problem and I sure there a lot more .
According to them , if caught they will be sent back to the last country they came from or there pets will be put in to kennels and checked and you have to stand the cost , as long as all paper work is in order .

It is a stupid situation which, probably, does make the country less secure against rabies, not more. Your chances of being caught are extremely low and the penalties if you are caught are also low. As I've said before, the government should allow marinas to equip and train to carry out the checks and charge for it. If we could sail into an MDL (for the sake of argument) marina and pay them £50 to check our cat's chip against his passport, I would gladly do so.

 

[dslittle]

I asked how to bring the animals back and was told to go to Dover and let them come back with a foot passenger with an authorised travel company.

Is this what is intended by the Pet Passport Scheme?

Anyone else had similar issues?

Tony. I hope that they gave you the correct advice. We are in the same boat as you (see what I did there?) and I was told that you CANNOT travel with a pet as a foot passenger from Dover. Earlier in the year we found out that you could from Dieppe to Newhaven but only last week I was told by another cruiser that the French Customs were now preventing this. There is at least one taxi in Dover whose sole work comes from taking a day trip over to Calais and returning (legitimately) with owners and their pets!

My current solution is to fly back to U.K., pick up my car and drive over to France.

If you find a better solution please let me know...

 

[maby]

Tony. I hope that they gave you the correct advice. We are in the same boat as you (see what I did there?) and I was told that you CANNOT travel with a pet as a foot passenger from Dover. Earlier in the year we found out that you could from Dieppe to Newhaven but only last week I was told by another cruiser that the French Customs were now preventing this. There is at least one taxi in Dover whose sole work comes from taking a day trip over to Calais and returning (legitimately) with owners and their pets!

My current solution is to fly back to U.K., pick up my car and drive over to France.

If you find a better solution please let me know...

I think you may need to distinguish between "cannot" in the legal sense and "cannot" in the sense that nobody provides the service. If you ask DEFRA, they will tell you that you can bring a pet in as a foot passenger - because there is nothing in the rules to prevent it. If you ask a travel agent, they may tell you that you cannot because no carrier will permit the pet in with a foot passenger.

 

[maby]

.....

If you find a better solution please let me know...

Depending on where you are, stop off in Dublin?

 

[dslittle]

I think you may need to distinguish between "cannot" in the legal sense and "cannot" in the sense that nobody provides the service. If you ask DEFRA, they will tell you that you can bring a pet in as a foot passenger - because there is nothing in the rules to prevent it. If you ask a travel agent, they may tell you that you cannot because no carrier will permit the pet in with a foot passenger.

You are absolutely correct but I think that it is wrong for DEFRA to offer a solution that is impossible (due to the carriers).

In relation to returning via Eire, we passed through on the way South and it was lovely - unfortunately it is now 400 miles in the wrong direction!!!

 

[pandos]

You are absolutely correct but I think that it is wrong for DEFRA to offer a solution that is impossible (due to the carriers).

In relation to returning via Eire, we passed through on the way South and it was lovely - unfortunately it is now 400 miles in the wrong direction!!!

[h=3]Travelling by Private Transport (Aircraft/Yacht)[/h]The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine may facilitate the landing of pets into Ireland by private transport, where possible. Cats, dogs and ferrets must comply with the rules for pet travel.
The official line on importing to Ireland.... (The name of the country is Ireland, unless speaking in the Irish language...)

 

[maxi77]

It is a stupid situation which, probably, does make the country less secure against rabies, not more. Your chances of being caught are extremely low and the penalties if you are caught are also low. As I've said before, the government should allow marinas to equip and train to carry out the checks and charge for it. If we could sail into an MDL (for the sake of argument) marina and pay them £50 to check our cat's chip against his passport, I would gladly do so.

Most of Europe is designated as rabies free without the DEFRA rules.

 

[[3889]]

Most of Europe is designated as rabies free without the DEFRA rules.

I don't think rabies is the issue, innoculations are applied in the UK prior to travel. AFAIK it is a tape worm that is not present in the UK and can prove fatal to dogs (IIRC 1 in 10000 returning from Europe will be affected). The pet passport is still a very clumsy means of control, though, but one that is very easy to circumvent when the inconvenience gets too much. And keep a clear conscience by medicating the dog appropriately.

 

[maby]

I don't think rabies is the issue, innoculations are applied in the UK prior to travel. AFAIK it is a tape worm that is not present in the UK and can prove fatal to dogs (IIRC 1 in 10000 returning from Europe will be affected). The pet passport is still a very clumsy means of control, though, but one that is very easy to circumvent when the inconvenience gets too much. And keep a clear conscience by medicating the dog appropriately.

that is not relevant to my cat, but he is still subject to the requirements of a pet passport!

 

[maxi77]

I don't think rabies is the issue, innoculations are applied in the UK prior to travel. AFAIK it is a tape worm that is not present in the UK and can prove fatal to dogs (IIRC 1 in 10000 returning from Europe will be affected). The pet passport is still a very clumsy means of control, though, but one that is very easy to circumvent when the inconvenience gets too much. And keep a clear conscience by medicating the dog appropriately.

Agree with complying, but I fear the 'neddies' have devised a system to appear to be super rigorous but which is so easy to get round, so in effect it just pisses off those who will always comply and is ignored by those who care not for animal welfare