# Returning to Uk from abroad with pets



## 103189 (Feb 27, 2007)

I've read lots of helpful posts about getting the rabies protection done/Pet Passport, etc. What was very useful is the caution about French site owners looking for annual vaccinations.

What I've seen a lot less of is any discussion about the ticks & tapeworm protection, finding a vet in Calais or wherever and a description of how P&O (especially) manage the return to the UK . Plus any reassurance that this is easily managed from those who have actually done it. My nearest and dearest values our dogs way above me and is very nervous about our first excursion to la belle France in the Spring.

Any war stories, good or bad, would be appreciated.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Vets*

Hi

I am overseas at present, our in bound trip is in June, and this (I think) is what happens....

You take your pooch to the vet in France, Belgium etc.

The vet scans the dog and ensures that the chip on the reader matches that written on the passport.

The vet needs to administer treatment for worms and ticks. Some vets will allow you to take your own medication, but they have to administer it. When this is done, the vet will stamp and sign the passport, also clearly dating it and showing the time of the treatments.

After the time of the treatment - for example 15.00 on Monday, you cannot check in for the ferry/tunnel until 24 hours after the treatment but you must be there before a 48 hour period has elapsed. (You must be checked in by 1500 on the Wednesday.

Check in time with a pet is a longer process, but I do'nt know what happens at the terminal. I suspect the dog will be scanned etc

On my return to the Uk, I am taking Oscar to a vets near Strasbourg on a Monday afternoon. I will then spend the night at the campsite in Strasbourg, before leaving early on Tuesday for the tunnel. Our tunnel crossing is 1900 so it is within 48 hours of the treatments but after 24 hours, with a generous element of slack.

For vets, look in the French yellow pages - www.pagesjaunes.fr - there is an English page.

Russell


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Hi tamase,

I was just about to reply when I see Russel has answered.

We have never used P&O as a ferry route only Sea France, Brittany Ferries, Norolkline and Euro Tunnel

Euro Tunnel has a special Pets Passport area for cecking pet before return.

Norolkline and Sea France do the checking of pets details and scan of dog at the same check in as us.

Brittany Ferries at Roscoff and Caen you have to go into terminal building and get pets passport checked and pet scanned.

We have several vets we use now depending on where we are or which port we use etc. But we have also researched vets on www.pagesjaune.fr and you can often get a map of the area where the vet is to print off.

We prefer to get our dog done at a vets within a days drive of the crossing we are using to save hanging around say Calais.

We take our own Frontline but vet administers it as he does the worm treatment which can be by injection or tablets depending on the vet.
We also buy our Frontline etc in France as it is cheaper than in UK.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Also the cheapest vet we came across was in Belgium at Ieper/Ypres. there is a municipal campsite near Menin Gate and its a 10 min walk to the vets. We went there last June and he charged 26+€ mostly in France we pay between 34-44€ .

The return time btween 24 and 48 hrs after treatment is the time you book in for the pet check and not the time of travel.


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## LandCruiser (Feb 12, 2006)

The first time with cherished pet/s can seem very daunting, but it easily turns into "habit"; just remember one thing and laugh - inbound, Port officials are more interested in your pets than they are in you; what a Country !!

From my recent experiences travelling with Toby I still don't find that many French sites are actually interested in your Pet documentation; some of the municipal ones do, many, many don't - and, of course, if your paperwork's in good order there's nowt to worry about anyway ! I just keep a photocopy of the relevant pages of the Pet Passport to hand in the cab - so far, I've only used it twice !

Coming back across the pond just needs organising. Sort out a vet on arrival - pick one, visit and then you'll know where to go on your return; IF you have a set return date and time you'll keep to, make an appointment at the beginning, one less thing to worry about.

There are loads of vets mentioned on here, if you search, but the simplest solution is to type into Google "Pages Jaunes" which is French Yellow Pages. A yellow card comes up, enter "Veterinaire" in the top box and "Calais" (or Boulogne, or wherever) in the third box down; click on "Rechercher" at the bottom and up comes your list of vets !!

It then gets easier ! Pick one and click on "Plan" - up comes your location map for you to print off; go back to the list and click on "Vue Aerienne" and up comes your aerial photo of the locale. Wonderful, no excuse for getting lost then ! Sorted ! 

The only caution - borne out of reading other threads on here - is perhaps to use a vet a little away from the port, the Calais vets seem to have sprung a reputation for charging what the market can take !

The main thing with the return is to get the timing right - you have to have your tick/tapeworm treatment at the vets NO MORE THAN 48 HOURS BEFORE you CHECK-IN at the Port and NO LESS THAN 24 HOURS before check-in - NOT the sailing times. French vets seem to use all of the standard treatments we have in the UK so there's nothing to worry about there.

The vet has to sign, time, date and stamp the Passport certifying the two treatments and similarly has to complete the Fit for Travel page. Check all before you leave the vets surgery, it's too late at the Port !

At the Port the check-in person will inspect all of this in the Pet Passport to make sure it's in good order and will want to read the microchip to verify the registration details in the passport - if you're dogs are anything like my Yorkie (who hates toll and pay kiosks !!), the barking performance he puts up means they hand you the microchip reader to do the work for them, anyway !! If you're lucky, your own passports get a cursory glance, but they are really more interested in the pets than the humans !!!

Back at Blighty, you'll be displaying a sticker on the windscreen identifying a pet on board (handed to you at check-in, outbound from France) and the odds are that you'll be stopped for the Pet Passport details to be checked - it's a Ministry thing, apparently !! Welcome Home !!

Plan, relax and.... ENJOY... - your dogs will !!

Brian.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Frontline*

Hi Rita

There is an interesting comment - how much is Frontline in France?

I can't remember how much it was in the Uk, but it is 24 Euros in Italy.

Russell


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## LandCruiser (Feb 12, 2006)

Hi Russell,

How much ?!?!
I seem to remember paying much less than that in France - the French vet suggested we bought our supplies in Spain, as that has the cheapest VAT rate of the three countries - he was right, too ! 

Like Zulurita, we buy our Advantix and Milbemax abroad now - in Spain if we're down that way, or in France if not.

Brian.


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## LandCruiser (Feb 12, 2006)

Just found the last bill for the vets in Saint Omer (November 2006) - 30.50 Euros including the treatments and 19.6% VAT ! 

Brian.


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

This is an older topic, but I wanted to relay a war story of our first time crossing with Precious from Calais to Dover and how wonderful the representative at P&O Ferries was in our dilemma.

We had the weekend coming up, so we stopped in Germany at a vet with Precious. Total cost was Euro 22 in Germany (Euro 60 in France).

We then arrived at check in two hours after Precious' 48-hour deadline expired. And without a clue what to do next.

Happily, Sean-Michele was the main P&O Ferry person managing the office that evening and while I needed to cross with our coach, Sean-Michele printed the address of the vet for the next morning and called and made two nights reservations at the IBIS hotel. He also organised one of his team to drive Dian and Precious to the hotel at that late in the evening.

An exceptional manager, Sean-Michele. Thanks!

Meanwhile, I turned on Lenny Kravitz on the coach sound system and kicked back with a cranberry juice in waiting lane number 200.


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

Never allow the Vet to use Stronghold

our sad story below

We have 3 Parson Jack Russells 4, 8 and 16

We live IOM. 4 year old is congenitally deaf and 16 year old has cataracts

We have visted

all 4 countries of UK

Ireland
France
Belgium
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Denmark
Sweden
Germany
Czech 
Slovak
Poland
Andorra
Spain
portugal

They love travelling, hate being locked in the van for longer ferry trips love the Brittany ferries kennels on the most recent ships ....and the little one hates vets

We use a vet at our start point for return home, which we usually do at speed and somtimes as an unbroken journey.

Last 6 trips this has been Sitges Spain. Its about 24 hours including a sleep break through Andorra to St Malo or Caen or 14 hours non stop.

Our vet speaks English and said he was familiar with the regulations

All six times he administered Pfizer Stronghold against ticks. Each time we were allowed to travel until last time. Stronghold is not on the approved list, never has been. We were told this at 22.00 checking in for the 23.30. No vet in Oustehamm at tat time of nght for non emergency.

had to overnight and then find a vet 08.00 on Saturday morning so we could travel 09.00 Sunday. Brittany ferries allowed late check in so we were 24 hours!

By then we had missed three ferries home and a fourth was full so instaed of arriving back 18.00 Friday it was o7.00 Monday, work straight away, no time to unpack!

We stayed wild so lost nothing except vet fees, which our regular has agreed to refund.


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