Chloe2005 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Hi there - I'm a total novice at this forum lark, also relatively new to motorhoming but loving it. I would appreciate your views on taking a dog abroad - probably to France for starters. Do you think the ferry is better than the tunnel, or vice versa? I know a lot depends on the dog, but I'm interested in your experiences, and keen to hear from anyone with any comments whatsoever, about the whole travelling abroad with a furry friend (the dog, not the other half). Many thanks and look forward to hearing from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Hi chloe :-D we took our little chihuahua last year for the first time and had no problems at all!! except for me getting bit by a big dog that took a jump at him!! We travel through the tunnel as its much better you dont leave your vehicle unlike the ferry where you have to leave the dog in the van on his own! Were going again for 4 weeks to Germany. I was worried about finding a Vet and making appointments but it all went smoothly, we found a Vet at Marquis and arrived at 9.00am we were back out at 9.15 all done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Hi Chloe and welcome to the forum. If you do a search you will find several threads on this theme as lots of motorhomers have dogs and want to take them abroad. I have been travelling with my Sheltie since she was a few months old and we have covered thousands of miles. We left England in January 2001 and had to stay abroad until June of that year in order to enter England without restrictions. Since then it has become much easier with the Pet Passport Scheme (most foreign vets are familiar with the system now) and the anti-rabies vaccine lasts for 3 years now instead of only one (so it's cheaper too). If your dog is chipped and vaccinated you can go as soon as the test results are back but you cannot enter GB until 6 months later. The ferries and tunnel charges are usually £30 and then you have to pay the French vet before you return (roughly €36 if you have your own Frontline and this is advisable as some years ticks are a real menace and you need to protect your dog monthly if not more often). You can find a vet easily through the French Yellow Pages (www.pagesjaunes.fr) which usually supplies a map too. If you intend to go to the south of France or Spain it is advisable to protect against heartworm and there are nasty caterpillars in Spain in the spring, otherwise there are few other problems. I sometimes travel on the short ferry crossing or the tunnel but I also use the longer crossings up to 6 hours. The dog seems very content even when it has been stormy as she is in her own familiar surroundings and I leave her treats, food and water. I am sure she sleeps most of the time. French vets have advised me to keep her on the lead most of the time as from a distance she resembles a fox and they fear she might become a target. I find mine wonderful company and she has a lovely docile nature so travelling is a pleasure. However, if necessary she barks quite loudly so she is also a deterent to would be intruders. I hope you have the same experience with your dog but of course a lot will depend on his/her temperament. I hope you have a wonderful time if you decide to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Hi, Biggest problem is the cost. You pay extra to carry a dog on ferry or chunnel. You pay to have your dog vaccinated against rabies, and repeat every 3 (2?) years. You pay to have your dog treated by French vet before returning to UK. Note, dog must be treated between 24 and 48 hours before LEAVING France. Do not roll up to ferry, THEN start looking for a vet. We visited our German Shepherd half way across to St Malo. He seemed to be narked that we had disturbed his kip. On the other hand, our Rescue Mutt got very agitated on a 2 hour crossing with Norfolklines. We travel from Swansea to Dinan. It takes less time, and costs less to take the tunnel, than to go by Britanny Ferries. But we do travel at unsocial hours. Cross at 6AM-ish, which means leaving home at midnight. But then, BF would also be unsocial hours one way. We have considered using a mid-way ferry (Newhaven - Dieppe, for instance), which would shorten travel time/distance on the road (50 miles in UK, 100 miles in France ???). But as that would upset the dog, we haven't investigated fully. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Hi Chloe We have been taking our dog(s) abroad ever since the Pets Passport came in. It is much easier and cheaper now - we find it just as cheap to take her as leave her in good kennels where she would fret as she suffers badly from separation anxiety - a legacy from her pre rescue days I suspect. In these last few years we have used the tunnel as it is again better to be with her all the time and we have usually saved enough Tesco vouchers to get it just about free. Generally dogs love camping - wherever you end up. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapido-lass Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 I haven't yet taken my dogs abroad, but when we do so, I think I would use the tunnel as you stay with your dogs rather than leave them in the motorhome on the car deck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Hi and welcome to the 'dog' house! (lol) We've been taking our dogs away since 2005 without a hitch. We've used both ferries and the tunnel - the ferry crossings are cheaper for the motorhome but, as David says, if you have Tesco vouchers, you can use these for the motorhome fare (4 x face value!). You still have to pay for the dog(s) though whichever mode of transport you choose (usually £30 each). We prefer the tunnel as it's quicker and we can stay with the dogs, but if we had to use the ferry again it wouldn't be a major problem as our dogs just settle themselves down and have a nice kip. Vet - avoid using vets near the ports - they really do hike the prices, try to get one a day or so travel from the ports so that you don't end up kicking your heals and wasting a day's holiday somewhere you don't want to be! We don't bother to take our own Frontline as we've found it doesn't make much difference price wise. There are quite a lot of threads on the forum from previous forumites asking basically the same question so you should be able to find loads of stuff (server permitting!). If you need any specific help, just ask. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Hi, Don't book to return to UK on a Monday, cos that means visiting the vet on a Sunday. Didn't cause us any problems....just an extra €20, which we could have avoided without difficulty. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 W3526602 - 2009-05-20 8:29 AM Hi, Don't book to return to UK on a Monday, cos that means visiting the vet on a Sunday. Didn't cause us any problems....just an extra €20, which we could have avoided without difficulty. 602 Not quite true John as you could book the vets at say 11am Saturday and take the crossing before 11am on the Monday. You have a maximum of 48 hours. Also some vets are open on Sundays - mine is in the Auvergne - whereas the one I often use near Rouen is closed on a Tuesday. The availability of the vet is crucial to planning though as you rightly point out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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