# Pet recovery,..... or not



## 89342 (May 20, 2005)

Posit:- You are cruising through Spain. Van is insured, You are insured, Pet is passported...............& then you are taken seriously ill. 
Wife is too distraught to drive, --- which is what your Recovery service is insisting must happen, until the foreign doctor writes a letter saying she must fly home with you. 
(Yes, they expect her to drive 1200 miles whilst you are air lifted to a UK hospital!---'cos she is on the policy)
So now the Recovery service (the one with 3 letters to its name, & I expect they all have the same policy?) is sending a driver for your motorhome. You happen to mention the dog. "No, sorry, we don't do dogs" is the reply. 

That's right, they don't. & you can understand why. The beast could be a distraction to the driver at best, + the Pet Passport delays. So what do you do?

In the case that I am thinking of, the dog & camper are at our home in Portugal as we are friends of the couple..........but what would they have done otherwise? Pay for the dog to be freighted back I guess.... but they were in no state to arrange for that.

The dog is insured against vet bills, but I doubt if it's insured for recovery from a foreign land.

Sobering isn't it?... & the couple are sensible, cautious & always try to cover all situations, & thought they had.

Have they missed something that other pet owners know about?


Hedge (on a public pc in the sun, contemplating an unscheduled long drive to the UK)


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Interesting points but I have not a clue as to a solution


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## 88785 (May 9, 2005)

No same here, I have been thinking of a solution for a while and can't come up with anything. Apart from getting a relative to come out and collect your van and pet.
We are planning on taking our dog abroad next year but hadn't given this a thought, it's a bit worrying :roll:


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## 89154 (May 15, 2005)

*foot passengers*

Just to tell you some more

We are planning to winter in southern europe

we have a small cocker spaniel

our breakdown company will provide a car to return to port of sail to UK

We then go over to UK as foot passengers and have another car waiting in UK port to continue home

Our motorhome is recovered to home as in policy

Problem 1: Dog has to visit vets prior to ferry trip then wait 24 hours before we can transit and of course all has to be done within total of 48 hours or have to begin procedure again

Problem 2: Dogs are not allowed as foot passengers on ferries

Problem 3: Eurotunnels insurance is too damn expensive to offer an alternative way home even tho they provide a car in event of breakdown which can travel across the channel

Its a nitemare at moment

surely someone will have a solution out there

we have only one at moment and that is pay a lorry driver at the departure gate a backhander fee to allow dog to travel in their cab

anyone else know of a better way


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

It doesn't bear thinking about. I am the driver. My friend doesn't drive and we too have a dog.............. don't these recovery people help at all? Guess the dog would have to go back by plane but then that takes planning and getting the necessary treatment for return to uk for the dog and then getting dog to airport and meeting and collecting dog at uk airport. ..............brain can't take it all in :wink: Just have to hope I don't get sick


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## 88751 (May 9, 2005)

*Pets*

Can these guys help?

http://www.harnwickfreight.co.uk/Pages/Page1Pets.htm


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## Malc (May 9, 2005)

Hi Rita,
I`m not 100% sure but, I think you have to find a registered carrier to ship the dog back as well to complicate matters. Read last week somewhere that a dog was shipped in on a unregistered plane (carrier) had to return or go into quarintine and be rebooked via a registered company!
Malc


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## 89564 (May 28, 2005)

I switched my personal and travel insurance this year to the CCC Carefree travel policy which offers under Section 24 Petcare Cover a crumb of comfort.
Although we all know that the hopes we place in Insurance companies are often ill placed.

£2,500 for foreign vet's bills

Contribution of £100.00 for _One Person_ to travel and collect a sick or lost pet.

180 days in a year.Length of trip unlimited.Cheaper than Caravan Club's not designed for MHs(IMO)Policy


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## 88905 (May 10, 2005)

Pet owners who might end up in this situation might not like it but there are only a couple of solutions really.

1. Leave the pet at home.

2 Holiday in this country.

nobby


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## 89564 (May 28, 2005)

That would seem to be a somewhat callous and perhaps uncaring remark nobby.Whose barbecue smoke got up your nose????!

I see no reason why those with dogs should not use the Forum to try and assist each other to try and seek an insurance solution to a truly real problem.

Many, perhaps elderly or damaged by life, and living alone find great comfort in the presence of a trusting pet.So why should those owners willing to cover the risks outlined not seek to so do.

I am pretty sure that if the insurance market detected by reading these mails an insurable risk the underwriter would 'happily 'set terms.

So Safeguard its over to you.We wait with dog's breath.

Nick


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Is it worth writing to several insurance companies, explaining the problem, and asking them what they could do about it -ie could they adjust their policy (no doubt for a fee) to cover a reasonable service in the event of need ? They are in the business of making money so they should be quick to see a gap in the market that they could fill.

Just a thought....

G.


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Not the total answer I know but...........

I just bought a "Westie" from a dog shop down here in S Spain. They said solo dogs are not as unusual problem as you would think and one they deal with more than once or twice a year. In short, they arrange re-pat of pet...........Ok, not cheap but you wouldn't leave the little ### to fend for itself in a distant land?

Just need to find insurance cover.

PS, you will be pleased to know it's p###ing down with rain here. But it will be sunny tomorrow!


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## 89564 (May 28, 2005)

That thought was circling in the small portion of my mind still working Grizzly.....

I will use edits of the postings and compose a note to Safeguard/Comfort etc.
over the next few days to see if there is any likelyhood of cover being available.

So if any one wants to make a point....nows the time.

Will of course report back. 

Nick


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## 89564 (May 28, 2005)

A second thought circled my mind this afternoon as i sat in the sun on a river bank.Count Basie on the MP3, dog patiently waiting for the pursued rat to poke his snout out of the land drain into which he had been chased.

Pest has no health/vet bill insurance.''We no longer cover dogs of that age unless they have a specific breed history'' :xcensoredx: So we save £200. ayear to cover costs.(well in profit at the mo)
Could anyone who does have dog insurance,have a quick look at the policy and see if there is anything,however vague, that might cover the rescue of stranded animals?

Ta Nick


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

I put " Pet insurance repatriation" into Google and a whole stream of likely insurers came up including Virgin, Asda, Saga, Marks and Spencer and others. It looks like it is something that is done by the big insurers.


G.


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