Moving...again

[Julia951]

My husband and I just moved to the Dallas, Texas area two months ago. We bought a home here and he was laid off two weeks later. As luck would have it, he has been offered a job in Aberdeen, Scotland.

I am at a loss. We have 4 cats and one dog. Three cats are declawed and have never been outside the house. I understand that there is a 6 month quarantine for pets from the U.S. Help!!!

Also, we will only be there for 2 years. They will be moving us.

Has anyone been in this type of situation? We have to decide right away, and we really want to go to Aberdeen.

Advice anyone?

Thanks, Julia

[Stevan]

Originally Posted by Julia951

My husband and I just moved to the Dallas, Texas area two months ago. We bought a home here and he was laid off two weeks later. As luck would have it, he has been offered a job in Aberdeen, Scotland.

I am at a loss. We have 4 cats and one dog. Three cats are declawed and have never been outside the house. I understand that there is a 6 month quarantine for pets from the U.S. Help!!!

Also, we will only be there for 2 years. They will be moving us.

Has anyone been in this type of situation? We have to decide right away, and we really want to go to Aberdeen.

Advice anyone?

Thanks, Julia

Hi Julia

Go to Defra, UK - Animal health and welfare - Pet Travel Scheme - Dogs, cats and ferrets

your cats may be able to come on the pet travel scheme and avoid quarantine.

Good luck with your move.


steve

[Minuvweyna]

Both cats and dogs can travel to the UK without quarantine, but it is a 6 month process to prepare them for travel and it is relatively expensive. For 5 animals, between medical preparations and travel costs, it will set you back thousands of dollars.

Shipping a dog (a small alsatian, probably about 50 pounds) cost my friend about $2500; I don't know how much a cat would cost. I brought my cat a cheaper and more circuitous route, through France and then by ferry to the UK, but I have been informed by another friend that it this route is no longer allowed. You could call Defra and find out for sure.

If it is still allowed, Air France allows cats to travel in cabin as excess baggage for about $150 per cat, but bringing 4 cats would probably be impossible for 2 passengers, since I believe each passenger is only allowed to transport 1 animal, you'd need to check. It would be a minimum of $600 airfare for the cats alone, and that doesn't count any of the other costs that are involved with travel (trains, ferry, more trains... or car hire). Of course getting the animals microchipped, vaccinated, blood tested, and all the paperwork to prepare them for travel is expensive as well. It cost me more than $200 for one cat. Dogs I think require a further vaccine and test that the cats don't need, but I can't remember what it was.

You might also find contacting your local USDA informative, I found them very helpful, as were the folks at Defra.

You may not have much of an option, since it's unlikely that you have more than 6 months before your move at this point. You could of course allow the animals to go into quarantine. It is for 6 months (possibly you can start the process and it would only be the remainder of that 6 month period, but again I do not know for sure) and you must pay the quarantine costs. I can't imagine it would be cheap. It would also be very hard on your pets to be separated from you (and possibly each other) for so long.

You should also consider how difficult an international move is for animals. Flying from Dallas to Aberdeen will take about 13 hours perhaps more. Some animals do not travel well, and sedating them is very unsafe. If you are only going to be in the UK for 2 years, you might be better to see if a friend or relative would keep them for the duration of your stay.

Sorry I don't have happier news for you.


Best regards,
Elizabeth

[Stevan]

Originally Posted by Minuvweyna

Both cats and dogs can travel to the UK without quarantine, but it is a 6 month process to prepare them for travel and it is relatively expensive. For 5 animals, between medical preparations and travel costs, it will set you back thousands of dollars.

Shipping a dog (a small alsatian, probably about 50 pounds) cost my friend about $2500; I don't know how much a cat would cost. I brought my cat a cheaper and more circuitous route, through France and then by ferry to the UK, but I have been informed by another friend that it this route is no longer allowed. You could call Defra and find out for sure.

If it is still allowed, Air France allows cats to travel in cabin as excess baggage for about $150 per cat, but bringing 4 cats would probably be impossible for 2 passengers, since I believe each passenger is only allowed to transport 1 animal, you'd need to check. It would be a minimum of $600 airfare for the cats alone, and that doesn't count any of the other costs that are involved with travel (trains, ferry, more trains... or car hire). Of course getting the animals microchipped, vaccinated, blood tested, and all the paperwork to prepare them for travel is expensive as well. It cost me more than $200 for one cat. Dogs I think require a further vaccine and test that the cats don't need, but I can't remember what it was.

You might also find contacting your local USDA informative, I found them very helpful, as were the folks at Defra.

You may not have much of an option, since it's unlikely that you have more than 6 months before your move at this point. You could of course allow the animals to go into quarantine. It is for 6 months (possibly you can start the process and it would only be the remainder of that 6 month period, but again I do not know for sure) and you must pay the quarantine costs. I can't imagine it would be cheap. It would also be very hard on your pets to be separated from you (and possibly each other) for so long.

You should also consider how difficult an international move is for animals. Flying from Dallas to Aberdeen will take about 13 hours perhaps more. Some animals do not travel well, and sedating them is very unsafe. If you are only going to be in the UK for 2 years, you might be better to see if a friend or relative would keep them for the duration of your stay.

Sorry I don't have happier news for you.


Best regards,
Elizabeth

I think this route will be closed . Import rules under the pet passport scheme are now unified across europe so the regulations would still be the same. this would still take the six months as far as i can see.

[Minuvweyna]

Originally Posted by Stevan

I think this route will be closed . Import rules under the pet passport scheme are now unified across europe so the regulations would still be the same. this would still take the six months as far as i can see.

I think you have misunderstood me, Stevan. I was not suggesting that there was a way around the 6 month preparation time. There is not, and there shouldn't be. UK rabies quarantine rules are a very very good thing.

I was merely offering a possibly cheaper travel plan, which may or may not still be a valid option. The other route allowed me to carry my cat with me in cabin (which cost $150) rather than shipping her as cargo which seems to cost somewhere around $2,000. She had to undergo the full 6 month preparation program to move the UK, naturally. However, the UK does not allow any animals (with the exception of guide dogs) to fly in the passenger cabin of an aircraft. That means no animals in cabin when flying to or inside the UK. This means all animals coming to the UK by air must be shipped as cargo, which is expensive. Being able to carry my cat as excess hand baggage saved me a lot of money and made the move economically sensible (I love my cat, but I'd have sent her to live with a family member if I'd been required to spend over $2,000 on airfare for her). I flew with my cat in cabin to France and then used trains and the ferry to immigrate to the UK. This was much cheaper for me. However, the rumour is that you are no longer allowed to use this multi-stop route.

Please do not misunderstand, ALL animals will undergo either 6 months in quarantine or a 6 month "self quarantine" where the animal's identity is confirmed as well as their vaccination status, they must then wait 6 months, just to be sure they are not infected. Only then can they be imported to the UK.

You are correct, rules for importation to France used to be much less stringent (and by meeting UK requirements I automatically met the French requirements). They may now be standardized, but even if they were not you must meet the importation rules of each country where you travel, so lack of standardization only made things more complicated, not easier!

Best regards,
Elizabeth

[Bevdeforges]

Based on the replies so far, things don't sound promising. I did look into quarantining (?) my cats when I went to the UK for an assignment. Luckily, I decided against it, as I wound up returning to the US sooner than I had expected. The quarantine is basically a matter of boarding them for six months - at an expensive kennel at that.

One possibility might be to attempt to find either a house-sitter or someone to do a house exchange or fixed term rental where they would take care of the animals while you're away. That does make life somewhat easier for the cats, at least. They get to stay in familiar surroundings.

I wound up doing pretty much that during my assignment to the UK. I had problems with the woman renting my place during that time (and the one time I went back to visit, the cats were clearly mad at me over the whole situation). But when I moved back in, oh boy, were the cats happy to see me again!
Cheers,
Bev

[Stevan]

Originally Posted by Minuvweyna

I think you have misunderstood me, Stevan. I was not suggesting that there was a way around the 6 month preparation time. There is not, and there shouldn't be. UK rabies quarantine rules are a very very good thing.

I was merely offering a possibly cheaper travel plan, which may or may not still be a valid option. The other route allowed me to carry my cat with me in cabin (which cost $150) rather than shipping her as cargo which seems to cost somewhere around $2,000. She had to undergo the full 6 month preparation program to move the UK, naturally. However, the UK does not allow any animals (with the exception of guide dogs) to fly in the passenger cabin of an aircraft. That means no animals in cabin when flying to or inside the UK. This means all animals coming to the UK by air must be shipped as cargo, which is expensive. Being able to carry my cat as excess hand baggage saved me a lot of money and made the move economically sensible (I love my cat, but I'd have sent her to live with a family member if I'd been required to spend over $2,000 on airfare for her). I flew with my cat in cabin to France and then used trains and the ferry to immigrate to the UK. This was much cheaper for me. However, the rumour is that you are no longer allowed to use this multi-stop route.

Please do not misunderstand, ALL animals will undergo either 6 months in quarantine or a 6 month "self quarantine" where the animal's identity is confirmed as well as their vaccination status, they must then wait 6 months, just to be sure they are not infected. Only then can they be imported to the UK.

You are correct, rules for importation to France used to be much less stringent (and by meeting UK requirements I automatically met the French requirements). They may now be standardized, but even if they were not you must meet the importation rules of each country where you travel, so lack of standardization only made things more complicated, not easier!

Best regards,
Elizabeth

Elizabeth

My apoligese missunderstood.

From a personal point it is costing us £1500 to take two westies to south africa.

wife says the dogs are going but she dont mind leaving me behind.


steve

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

Based on the replies so far, things don't sound promising. I did look into quarantining (?) my cats when I went to the UK for an assignment. Luckily, I decided against it, as I wound up returning to the US sooner than I had expected. The quarantine is basically a matter of boarding them for six months - at an expensive kennel at that.

One possibility might be to attempt to find either a house-sitter or someone to do a house exchange or fixed term rental where they would take care of the animals while you're away. That does make life somewhat easier for the cats, at least. They get to stay in familiar surroundings.

I wound up doing pretty much that during my assignment to the UK. I had problems with the woman renting my place during that time (and the one time I went back to visit, the cats were clearly mad at me over the whole situation). But when I moved back in, oh boy, were the cats happy to see me again!
Cheers,
Bev

Hi, We are in the process of moving back to UK. Dogs/cats are allowed to stay in there own homes for six months before being shipped to UK. Defra definately helped us with what we needed to do before shipping. We are shipping from Halifax Canada and for a 8lb ****s Zu will be $300.00 for plane fare and $689.00 for company to meet them at Heathrow and take them through the process which will take about 3 hrs. You cannot do this by yourself and whatever company you choose make sure that the Company flying the pets is on the list of qualified carriers that DEFRA has approved. Also there is a process of Rabies shots, Internation chips, blood tests and Flea and tape worm medication that has to be done in a certain order. Good Luck

[Garf]

Moving animals is a money making racket how can it be that it costs more to move the animals than it does to move your belongings...
you will have to try and find the numbers out but I would try a company in Leeds uk called Golden Arrow or company in Heathrow London uk called Air Pets both companies deal with what you require and I'm pretty sure they can give you a quote...