[ezzy66]

hello one and all

can anyone shed any light on the pet passport scheme?!!! am up to date with vaccinations, microchip done, rabies jab given awaiting blood test, its from then on i get confused! How do i find a vet in france do they need to be PP approved? 24/48 hour rule how does that work and with ferry bookings - also are dogs aloud in ferry cabins? Heard some ferries allow you to remain in your MH is this true? how does the dog relieve himself and eat/drink? any other info re risks etc

thanks in advance

 

[Tinyk]

I can answer a little bit but im sure someone knowledgable will answer the rest since i've never done it (yet).

You go abroad, before you return (at least 24 hours) you find a vet on the return journey, from what i understand they dont need to be anything special just a vet that can adminsiter the tick and flee dosage or even watch while you do it, they then stamp your pets passport with the date and time.

You must cross after 24 hours after treatment and before 48 hours after treatment, thats to give the stuff time to work and not to long to wear off.

The problem with going over to often is pets are only meant to be treated every so many weeks (we do ours 6 weeks) so if you went over every couple weeks they would be getting to much of the chemical used and this could be harmful.

Cant tell you any more i'm afraid and im happy to be corrected if i got anything incorrect just trying to help out.

Kevin

 

[Briarose]

Hi there is quite a lot of info in the pets forum of MHF if you have a scan through...........I notice that you said you are awaiting the blood test results and I just wanted to check that you are aware that you cannot return to the UK until 6 months have elapsed since the date of the blood test and it being clear.

We use the vet at Forges (again lots of info in the pet bit) and that is about a 2ish hour drive to Calais and he is very reasonable too.

I am not too sure ref ferries but we use the tunnel that way you are with your pets all the time, and 45 minutes later in France.

 

[olley]

Hi generally speaking on the ferries the pet must stay in the vehicle. Not sure if thats different on the Portsmouth to Spain routes.

Olley

 

[thieawin]

Once you have the passport you can take your pet abroad

You normally have to have the passport 6 months before you cvan bring pooch back as the passport is normally only issued after the serum rabies test is positive, a month after injections, and then you have to wait 6 months to import back, but not to leave

Remember annual or biennial top ups, if you miss you start againl The french require annula, the Brits now biennial, so i go annual as I normally pass through France

You can only take your dog on some shiping lines in and out UK and Ireland to and from the continent (no problems between UK and Ireland excpet for crossing length)

Most shipping lines have a no dogs in cabins condition and dogs only alowed in specified deck areas, if they allow dogs in the passengers areas at all.

So dog either stays in car or you book kennels

Only a few of the longer routes have boats with kennels Santander UK, but not Bilbao UK, for example. Not all of the 12 hour plus western channel or Irish or North sea vessels have kennels. You may be able to take your dog, but it must stay in car. You may or may not be allowed down onto car deck to visit. Generally on a short sea crossing not. maybe on a longer crossing. So you have to put out water and put down paper to absorb waste product

That is why dogs not a good idea on the long sea routes from Rosyth or Newcastle or Hull or Harwich or Normandy if there are no kennels

The kennels are normally top deck and either small or large and they are stainless steel with no blankets a so take soft dogs basket and blankets. You can visit any time and feed and take for walkies in a restricted area

Returning you will find most vets will see you as a drop in. You can stop off at a town en route or arrive at return port and then wait. I have never booked ahead and never waited more than 20 minutes

the 24 hours and 48 hours is specifically before embarkation, not sailing time or arrival in UK time. Do not fall foul of this.

Once our Spanish vet administered the wrong anti flea and we did not notice. We tried to board an evening sailing from St Malo but were refused. We stoped outside the vets overnight so we could be first in the morning at 08.00 so we could board the 09.00 the following day. An 09.00 appointment would have meant the following day evening!

How to find the vet; tourist information, telephone book, internet, this site

Last question, no you will not find any stay on the van boats in northern europe, it is against the regs however in Greece in particular in winter on less well used crossings they may allow it. Do not depend on it and it will be dependant upon the level of bookings. If the boat is full no go.

 

[Briarose]

Once you have the passport you can take your pet abroad

You normally have to have the passport 6 months before you cvan bring pooch back as the passport is normally only issued after the serum rabies test is positive, a month after injections, and then you have to wait 6 months to import back, but not to leave

Remember annual or biennial top ups, if you miss you start againl The french require annula, the Brits now biennial, so i go annual as I normally pass through France

You can only take your dog on some shiping lines in and out UK and Ireland to and from the continent (no problems between UK and Ireland excpet for crossing length)

Most shipping lines have a no dogs in cabins condition and dogs only alowed in specified deck areas, if they allow dogs in the passengers areas at all.

So dog either stays in car or you book kennels

Only a few of the longer routes have boats with kennels Santander UK, but not Bilbao UK, for example. Not all of the 12 hour plus western channel or Irish or North sea vessels have kennels. You may be able to take your dog, but it must stay in car. You may or may not be allowed down onto car deck to visit. Generally on a short sea crossing not. maybe on a longer crossing. So you have to put out water and put down paper to absorb waste product

That is why dogs not a good idea on the long sea routes from Rosyth or Newcastle or Hull or Harwich or Normandy if there are no kennels

The kennels are normally top deck and either small or large and they are stainless steel with no blankets a so take soft dogs basket and blankets. You can visit any time and feed and take for walkies in a restricted area

Returning you will find most vets will see you as a drop in. You can stop off at a town en route or arrive at return port and then wait. I have never booked ahead and never waited more than 20 minutes

the 24 hours and 48 hours is specifically before embarkation, not sailing time or arrival in UK time. Do not fall foul of this.

Once our Spanish vet administered the wrong anti flea and we did not notice. We tried to board an evening sailing from St Malo but were refused. We stoped outside the vets overnight so we could be first in the morning at 08.00 so we could board the 09.00 the following day. An 09.00 appointment would have meant the following day evening!

How to find the vet; tourist information, telephone book, internet, this site

Last question, no you will not find any stay on the van boats in northern europe, it is against the regs however in Greece in particular in winter on less well used crossings they may allow it. Do not depend on it and it will be dependant upon the level of bookings. If the boat is full no go.

Hi I have checked ref the annual if you are passing through France with both Vets and also DEFRA and you only need annual if you are residing in France for three months or more.

I have also contacted both the manufacturer and DEFRA regarding my dogs vaccinations as they are now dated three yearly, both have told me that you go by the 'expiry date on the passport' so in effect my dogs vaccinations are now needed three yearly, you have to be careful to use manufacturers recommendations in order to avoid overdosing a dog.

We met a couple in Portugal last year who had friends that could not travel with them as the dog had been really ill, and they had on ongoing case with the vet for giving a booster when it wasn't needed.

 

[derek500]

the 24 hours and 48 hours is specifically before embarkation, not sailing time or arrival in UK time. Do not fall foul of this.

According to DEFRA it's checking-in time.

DEFRA

 

[Briarose]

For info here are the copies of emails that I recieved .

Dear

Thank you for your e-mail received on the 7th April 2009.

For pets to be eligible for the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) they must have a valid rabies vaccination. Booster vaccinations are given as per the manufacturers data sheet provided with the vaccine. This can be between 1 to 3 years depending on the vaccine administered. Booster vaccinations are valid for entry to the UK and other EU countries from the date given provided they are given on time (according to the instructions in the vaccine manufacturer's data sheet where the previous vaccination was given). Please note that it is the "valid until" date written in the passport which is taken into account when travelling under the Pet Travel Scheme. If the revaccination date is missed the pet will not meet the conditions of the scheme and will have to be vaccinated and, for entry to the UK, blood tested again. The 6 month rule will then apply from the date the new blood sample is taken assuming the blood test result is satisfactory. If your pet always has the booster on time, it will not need a further blood test, or be subject to a further 6 months wait, provided your pet does not enter an unlisted country.

And the second

Dear

Thankyou for your email.

The duration of immunity for Nobivac Rabies vaccination is 3 years, therefore a booster vaccination is required every three years. This has been the case since 25th October 2005. The rabies vaccinations your dog has received on 10/4/07 and 27/4/07 will expire 3 years after the date they were given. You have written that this is recorded on your passport as 9/4/10 and 26/4/10.

We would suggest that you contact DEFRA and your veterinary surgeon to ensure that your animal is correctly vaccinated with regards to regulations and requirements of the Pet Travel scheme.
The contact details for DEFRA are www.defra.gov.uk and click on Pet Travel scheme or there is a helpline number 0870 241 1710.

Yours sincerely

Nadine Anderson BSc BVetMed MRCVS
Companion Animal Veterinary Adviser

*Edit to add the post by Pete may also help on the following link as I know he too has recently rung Defra and they couldn't understand why his local vet had told him he needed an annual booster.
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-607585-.html#607585

Defra themsleves told me a couple of years ago that you do not need an annual booster just for travelling through France, and we have travelled twice now with no probs (on the original two year booster).

 

[Briarose]

Just as a matter of interest some of you might find the info on the following thread useful as it gives info on new three yearly vaccines etc and again mentions that you do not need annual boosters unless you will be away for more than three months.
http://agilityforum.agilityaddicts....sid=35d51c38f8cad99918c4bd1308d2283b&start=15

Just spoken to Sonesta and her dogs have also been given the Nobivac which is valid for three years.

From Defra website

Booster vaccinations
After an animal has been vaccinated, it must be given booster vaccinations to remain qualified for PETS. This must be done by the "Valid until" date on the animal's EU pet passport, third country veterinary certificate or PETS certificate and recorded in section IV of the passport or third country official veterinary certificate and on the animal's vaccination record. The revaccination interval for cats may be different to that for dogs (refer to the vaccine manufacturer's data sheet). Read the microchip before revaccination. Booster vaccinations are valid for entry to the UK and other EU countries from the date given provided they are given on time (according to the instructions in the vaccine manufacturer's data sheet where the previous vaccination was given).