Sailing with a dog to France and back

davethedog

davethedog

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Morning all,

Been looking at the minefield that is the web to try to get the definitive answer to a simple question, that being what exactly do we need to do to ensure we can sail from Yarmouth to Cherbourg, stay there a day, then return whilst taking our dog?

Now he has an up to date pet passport and rabies vaccination as well as all the others, however it is the tapeworm part that is confusing. Could we get him tapeworm treated in the UK and then as long as we return within 120 hours we would not have to visit a vet in france? Have I understood that correctly?

Regards
 
Simple answer is you can't. You can only take a dog to and from the continent by an approved carrier, which means a ferry - and not all ferries are approved. You can, however take it to the CIs.
 
davethedog said:
what exactly do we need to do to ensure we can sail from Yarmouth to Cherbourg, stay there a day, then return whilst taking our dog?
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Sadly, you will need to get a ferry that is authorised to carry dogs. I know Brittany Ferries do so from Plymouth so they should do so from their other ports of departure.
 
Dave
I am afraid that the dogist attitude continues however I believe there is nothing to stop you sailing to Cherbourg and subject to having suitable checks of your friends health returning by car in some fashion by tunnel or commercial ferry unless you carefully select your ferry company as I recall most now ban canine passengers unless they are accompanied by a fare paying four wheeled vehicle. I am sure someone will be along soon to say that there are a few ferries from say Holland who carry foot passenger dogs though but Holland is hardly suitable for your plans . On your return by car scant regard is paid I gather to checking your canine credentials I believe to ensure all is order based on accounts from those who travel regularly to Brittany home with spaniels by four wheel drive.

I believe that usual approach therefore is to hire a car or taxi (would Uber cross the channel?) and have a dog walker who can drive on board to accompany your four legged crew home. I am afraid no experience of car hire in Cherbourgh bur have sailed to St. Malo and hired from Sixt for trips around Brittany . Maybe your local vets nurse would fancy a cross channel cruise with you to accompany your friend home in this fashion if your existing crew won't oblige. There are accounts of all this process in usual magazines but little appetite to change .
 
We travel from abroad with our dogs back from the Caribbean each year.
You cannot get from France to England by ferry as afoot passenger with a dog. You need to have the dog in a car. You can use the tunnel but again dog must be in a car.
We now fly to Amsterdam, train to Hook Of Holland and Ferry to Harwich. One way car hire home. The Stena ferries have dog kennels.
The UK is one of the worst places in the world to bring dogs in to. Crazy red tape and huge costs if you fly dogs in. I think these stupid rules increase the likelihood of people doing it illegally. When you think that our dogs are pet passported, rabies injected, titre tested, micro chipped, etc, they are safer than any human being crossing our borders.
 
geem said:
You cannot get from France to England by ferry as afoot passenger with a dog. You need to have the dog in a car.
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I don't believe that's the case, although many ferry companies do indeed prohibit it.

Indeed I've just made a return booking, Newhaven-Dieppe with DFDS, for myself and my mythical dog, by the way), both as foot passengers. (Needless to say, I didn't proceed to payment.)

I chose that route as it's regularly been touted on here as dog-friendly for foot passengers.

P.S. Just checked on DFDS conditions, to find the following: Foot passenger are NOT allowed to take pets on holiday. Pets must be kept in the owners' cars and or in kennels, and are not allowed around the ship or in cabins.

So perhaps you're right, after all.
 
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Been there, done that. It's an incredible PITA.

As others have said, you are not allowed to do what you propose.

I know many who simply smuggle their pooches. I wouldn't fancy getting caught, but the odds are probably reasonably good that you won't be.

I did not choose to take that risk, and instead sent the pooch with a crewman by Bla Bla Car -- the ridesharing service. That's the cheapest way to do it by far.

If you take the dog (by whatever means of transport), be extremely careful to have the right stamps and notes in the pet passport. Between France and the UK I believe you have to have worm treatments in a narrow date range before travel, which may be impossible to fulfill for a short trip.

Or leave the dog in a kennel.

Sorry we can't give you better news than that.
 
Sandy said:
Sorry I took that as a given, hence "you will need to get a ferry", not you will need to put the dog on the ferry. Sorry if I confused anybody.
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I didn't imagine for a moment that you meant putting the dog, unaccompanied, on a ferry. Nor did I expect a dog to drive itself onto the ferry (although some breeds do drive very well). I was simply distinguishing between the accompanying human being with, or without, car.

Certainly many ferry companies do accept dogs with foot passengers. But no longer, perhaps, across the Channel.
 
macd said:
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Certainly many ferry companies do accept dogs with foot passengers. But no longer, perhaps, across the Channel.
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I don't think the law has anything to say on that subject - it's more a case of the ferry companies setting rules to make their lives simpler.
 
macd said:
I don't believe that's the case, although many ferry companies do indeed prohibit it.

Indeed I've just made a return booking, Newhaven-Dieppe with DFDS, for myself and my mythical dog, by the way), both as foot passengers. (Needless to say, I didn't proceed to payment.)

I chose that route as it's regularly been touted on here as dog-friendly for foot passengers.

P.S. Just checked on DFDS conditions, to find the following: Foot passenger are NOT allowed to take pets on holiday. Pets must be kept in the owners' cars and or in kennels, and are not allowed around the ship or in cabins.

So perhaps you're right, after all.
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It is definately true at the moment and has been foe the last four years at least. We check it out with ferry companies on a regular basis to see if the situation has changed. We also have friends with dogs who travel back from Caribbean via Paris and they also keep abreast of the situation to see if there is any relaxation to rules. If it changes in the future I will post if on this forum. At the moment the only ferry from Europe that allows foot passengers with dogs is Stena Hook of Holland to Harwich. It cost £17/ dog for the vet check and kennel each way
 
Tranona said:
Simple answer is you can't. You can only take a dog to and from the continent by an approved carrier, which means a ferry - and not all ferries are approved. You can, however take it to the CIs.
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But not in Victoria Marina .?
 
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