Dogs

[applepip]

We have got our Betsie(Golden retriever) her passport.
Any tips for us as we are taking her sailing with us.
She has not sailed before. She shall have her own Jacket and Harness.
Do dogs get sea sick. Any other tips would be appreciated.
She loves to Swim.

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[BlueSkyNick]

Funnily enough, I asked the same questions some months ago - see <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/forums/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=ym&Number=421469&part=1> this thread </A> for responses. You will find that you can't take the dog abroad even with a passport, I'm afraid.

Good luck - I would be pleased to hear how you get on!

<hr width=100% size=1>I'm average size, Its just that everybody else is short.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Sorry, I should have said that you can take the dog abroad, you just can't bring him/her back into the UK by boat.

<hr width=100% size=1>I'm average size, Its just that everybody else is short.

 

[applepip]

I was in touch with DEFRA and there are new regulations coming in July I believe
we will be allowed more "freedom" whatever that means.

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[snowleopard]

correct. if you want to take the dog out and back, someone will have to bring the dog on a ferry while the others sail home. additionally you need to take the dog to a vet for a shot no more than 24 hours before boarding the ferry. if the ferry is delayed you have to go to the vet again. fun. not.

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[DistantDrum]

We are going through the same thing at the moment and I will try to articulate what we have gleaned from our vet.

Compliance is almost impossible to comply with if you are sailing from country to country. Sailing from and returning to the UK is "more simpler.

· The prerequisites are:
· ID Chip
· Rabies shoot
· Blood test (after one month)
· Passport

After that it depends on the country you go to as each have their own import and export regulations. Some are peculiar to the country of exit (France to Spain has one set of regulations but Spain the France has another set. As we understand it there are some countries that you can’t import directly from at all.

France you can get a Defra export licence to a nominated port or you can get a French multi point import licence.

Currently the return journey to the UK requires that the animal is vetted in France (examination, de-flea and de-tick) within 24hrs of the journey. Then import can only be made through one of a few nominated ports using specified carriers such as P&O etc.

Ps We have also learned that there is a particular fly in Spain that can make dogs blind. A vaccination should be obtained annually from a local Spanish vet on arrival.

I’m off to the vet on Wednesday so if I can get anymore info I will.

Peter Hill – distant Drum


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[mocruising]

We have an English and American cocker the American bitch (11) has sailed with us for years both in the Middle East and UK and has never suffered however the Dog one of the litter that we kept suffers all the time. He is never actually sick (Like me) when its rough he just goes down below looking very sorry for himself and sleeps, as soon as the motion stops he is OK.

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[charles_reed]

Dogs certainly suffer from motion sickness amd the larger they are the more prone they are to it.
My experience is that dogs make sorry crew, unlike cats they don't really "fit" on boats.

If your dog is young she may adapt to your new way of life but the greater likelihood is that she'll be thoroughly unhappy.

I did meet a couple in Gelves who had rescued 2 pooches on one of the Greek islands and had, for about 8 years, travelled the length of the mediterranean with them. In their case the regulations were notable in their breach rather than their observation. Mike, however, had the role of "Stupid Englishman" off to a fine art (to bamboozle bureaucracy) and Diana was definitely dog-crazy to make up for the extreme discomfort caused by dogs on board. Their cruising life was definitely sedentary and populated marinas notable by their exception.

You'll find the biggest hurdles are in the UK, but conforming to the law is a nightmare so most continentals don't bother. Having the dog aboard for the summer cruise is a far smaller challenge than living aboard with a dog.

Even if you decide to turn a blind eye to the various regulations, your dog at best will prove an unacceptable bureaucratic and cost burden; at worst you'll rue the day you ever thought of taking her with you. What her feeling might be are probably unprintable.

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[temptress]

For what it's worth I've met lots of people sailing with dogs. They all seem to say that the paperwork is a nightmare band their bigest problem is getting the animal back into the UK once you have left. Spain and Portugal seem to not care too much as long as the animal is kept under control. Don't know about France.

Lots of people seem to do this. I've met several boats with cats as well.

I've heard (although i can't confirm this) that it is a problem brining an animal into the EU from outside. So if you go to Africa on your MED trip you will need to be carefull.

Most of these regulations are open to interpritation and are aplied differently by different officials eben in the same port.


<hr width=100% size=1>Temptress of Down
Southsea Marina
Hants
UK

 

[Melody]

We have two black Lab cross bitches, aged 9 and 7. They've both sailed all their lives and three years ago we brought them out to Greece.

Neither has ever been seasick (Labs were fisherman's dogs after all) but mother dog likes to go below as soon as it gets rough. The daughter will stay in the cockpit come what may. We lock them below if it is really bad weather to avoid falling over them.

They can go for up to 30 hours without a toilet-stop, but I wouldn't do this often. Useful to know if you are stormbound somewhere where you can't get ashore though.

Our dogs swim daily in summer, but have been trained NOT to go in the water until they are told. Very important to have this control. Big advantange having a boat with a swimming platform. We've improvised a 'dog ladder' to let them get back on board.

Rabies is not a problem if they've been vaccinated, but keep it up to date. You should find out about other diseases though as there are some in the Med that are incurable - carried by ticks, sandflies, mossies etc. British dogs have no immunity.

In Greece we also carry antidote for poisoning, as unfortunately dogs do get poisoned here from time to time.

We haven't taken them outwith the EU but, despite having a moutain of paperwork, we've never been asked for any of it since leaving the UK. We had to get a Livestock Export Licence as we didn't have a return date - you can then take them out any way you please.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact me.

Cheers


<hr width=100% size=1>Melody McKay Burton
Yacht Valentine, Greece