Flying dog from US to UK

[AYTCH]

Be Careful - Only Specific Routes and carriers are Accepted by DEFRA

Dear Chap,

I would check this page out before you book anything as only certain routes and air carriers are approved for entry to the UK under the PETS scheme. Non-compliance means the dreaded 6-month quarantine which whilst not only expensive, is quite frankly shiite for the animal. There seems to be a 100% compliance with this and if you arrive and have not followed the rules here, your pet will be taken off you at the point of entry and placed in quarantine at your expense.

http://archive.defra.gov.uk/wildlife...eu-air-sea.pdf

Full rules if you haven't read it yet are at:

Pet Travel Scheme « Defra

We know as have recently been going through the process of preparing our 2 dogs for possible re-entry to the UK from the Caribbean.

Hope this helps,

Aytch

[SassyPilotsWife]

Not to advertise for them but we used Air Animals located out of Florida. We brought 3 animals from the US to the UAE. It was WELL worth the cost to pay them to handle everything because of all the documentation that is required not only by the receiving country but by the USDA for export as well. Best of luck to you.

[dazdaz1]

You can do it the hard way, or easy way. Book the flight informing BA you have blind/visual issues, and you'll be travelling with your guide dog. Buy a hi-res coat for the dog and turn up at security then on to the gate. Not forgetting sun glasses and a white stick. The dog will then be allowed to travel with you in the cabin, as long as the dog is wearing the regulation harness, you'll have to sort that in the US.

Daz

[11Fan]

Buy a hi-res coat for the dog and turn up at security then on to the gate. Not forgetting sun glasses and a white stick.

And be sure to be in uniform.

[SassyPilotsWife]

And be sure to be in uniform.

Love it!!!

[bedsted]

I had this in Pax & SLF without any replies hopefully here someone can help:

Travelling with a dog in the hold on AF to Orlando MCO (not during the temperature embargo).
Anyone had experience of where the animal will be picked up after clearing immigration/customs? I seem to remember luggage going one way while pax take a transit train to the terminal, hopefully it won’t be the same procedure as ATL where the pets are rejoined by their owners for customs and split up again for the journey to the S. terminal.
Thanks.

[Nani]

bedsted,

I brought many dogs into US from UK and Turkey. You will collect your dog at the same area as you will be collecting your luggage. You may want to ask an attendant which door your dog will be arriving so you can sit closer and wait and wait..and wait....
My dogs hails from farming areas so I don't go through the normal customs process and usually end up being the only person at the USDA check point.

Good luck and you will find custom people much friendlier....to your dog..

[Slipper One]

No mates at BA/VS with a portion of their annual freight allowance unused?

[mastafreighter]

Get it right for the animals sake!

Nani
If these dogs are coming to the UK from the US, your information is completely wrong the dog will not appear with your baggage. At Heathrow, the animal will be taken by the carrier's handling agent to the Animal Holding Centre located a mile from T4. At Gatwick, it will be taken to the BAWC animal centre - either way will be held there pending formalities and subject to acceptance under the Pets Passport scheme, be available for collection 2-3 hrs after arrival of aircraft.

Slipperone
Regarding friends at BA/VS - free allowance excludes AVI/HUM/PER shipments

MF

[DX Wombat]

Masterfreighter I think Nani was replying to Bedsted's post where the dogs ARE going to the USA.

[bedsted]

Thanks Nani

[No longer ATC]

Don't forget there's always the Cunard option,by sea..... the Queen Mary 2 has a dog kennels onboard,and an exercise area....much more comfortable for all involved!

[Exascot]

Ensure the Flt Deck know that there is a dog in the hold so that they heat it. I know it should be on the manifest but it is sometimes missed. Just a polite word with the cabin crew would suffice.

Wasn't there an incident with BA a few years ago where there was a dog in the hold and the air-conditioning for the hold went u/s and the captain asked for votes to turn back or not? They did, and it was good (but expensive) PR.

[JliderPilot]

I am a RAF exchange guy in the States also, May 2010 I used American Airlines to transport my two wee pups out to DFW from LHR, BA were more expensive and AA have 4 flights a day to Dallas so that is one reason why I chose them. I contacted the Cargo dept directly in LHR, just google it (very helpful lady gave me all the details of the DFW contacts). Booked and paid over the phone after a few emails, dogs flew unaccompanied and I picked them up in Dallas. I would steer clear of these pet travel companies, some were quoting me £1400+ for my two dogs (22lbs each, Cairn Terriers). I paid just over £700 using my own pet carriers and the booking and paperwork were easy. Just make sure you follow all the instructions from DEFRA; your USA Vet should get you sorted regarding jabs and paperwork. Some airports have travel bans on animals at certain times of the year because of temperatures (DFW does and Vegas might also), airline can advise you. I was able to book a direct flight for them as well which I thought was better than changing planes and possibly involving an over night rest stop for them (which costs you more). Any more gen reqd PM me.

[nicolai]

If flying with BA, beware of them saying the animal crate is too small even though a vet says it's big enough. A good friend of mine had to accommodate herself and two cats in the US for a surprise extra night when moving countries because BA rejected one of the crates despite a vet specifying them as acceptable, because you can't buy another animal crate at 19:30 in the evening in Boston airport. To give BA credit, they did transport and deliver the animals in good condition, but to give them a brickbat, they were a right bunch of jobsworths about it.
Live freight prices for two cats was about the same as one economy human SLF.

[G&T ice n slice]

beware of them saying the animal crate is too small even though a vet says it's big enough

IATA LAR applies, not the opinion of a vet

they were a right bunch of jobsworths about it

I should hope that they were.

and no, I don't work for BA

[Ex Cargo Clown]

Ensure the Flt Deck know that there is a dog in the hold so that they heat it. I know it should be on the manifest but it is sometimes missed. Just a polite word with the cabin crew would suffice.

It won't just be on the manifest, it will be on the NOTOC as well, so no chance of the flightdeck not knowing there is AVI on board. (that said there are still certain imbeciles who try/do put AVI in the same hold as dry ice )

If flying with BA, beware of them saying the animal crate is too small even though a vet says it's big enough. A good friend of mine had to accommodate herself and two cats in the US for a surprise extra night when moving countries because BA rejected one of the crates despite a vet specifying them as acceptable,

As has been said below, just because a vet says it is OK doesn't mean it fits IATA regulations. It may be OK to carry a dog to/from a vet surgery, but not suitable for an eight hour flight. The regs are very specific and I know when I did AVI checks they were always always as thorough as a DG check for instance.