Hello All,

Just sharing our experience of flying with our French Bulldog from Houston to London with United airlines. First of all, we must say how grateful we were to find out this blog. Thanks to Django and Steph we are in UK with our Frenchie. 

We’ve completed all the required forms from United almost two months before the flight. Then we got the approval from United to fly in the cabin with our dog. However they requested approval from DEFRA. It took us sometime to figure out how to contact DEFRA. Then we found out that getting approval from HARC or DEFRA is actually the same thing. By the way, the 10 days rule for the health certificate is really important!

Our only disappointment was the confusion by the United airlines staff. They were quite rude with us. They didn’t want to allow us to do the check-in even with the approved documentation. We almost missed the flight because of this. But there is always someone willing to help. And thanks to those people we were finally able to do the check in. What was funny (not to say “sad”) was that after we struggled to do the check-in, when we passed the gate, some other people came to us stating that “pets could not fly in the cabin for international flights”. Again, same story. We showed them the documentation and after many calls they realized that everything was actually approved. Unfortunately it was clear that they had no experience with flying with pets.

What really make us sad is that flying with pets should not be so stressful. When are they going to realize that pets are family as well? It’s ok that there are people who are allergic to pets or even don’t like them. I totally respect everybody. However there should be an easier way of having our furry family members flying with us without exposing them to risks. Flying via cargo should not be an option unless the environment is safe to accommodate them and it’s monitored the whole trip. There are many solutions for sure. I bet the airlines that put them in place will attract even more customers.

Anyway, we are in UK! And again, thanks with all our heart to Django!  

KAYLIN Are you asking how to get a pre-approval letter in advance of your arrival at Manchester Airport? You need to contact Manchester Airport's animal reception centre (aka Pets on Jets). They will be able to issue your pre-approval letter several days in advance of your arrival into Manchester. I would email them sooner than later just to get on their radar! Their email is infopetsonjets.com and their website is http://www.petsonjets.com/. Best of luck to you and your pup, and safe travels!

Thank you so much for the info! I’ve read your blog several times and can not express the gratitude I have for it enough! I am flying into manchester and I was wondering how do I get pre-approval letter for that? It’s all so confusing.

Thank you for your time,
KayLin

@KAYLIN Hello! Nice to hear from you. In our experience, Delta, United and American are all good options when flying from the US to the UK with a small emotional support dog in cabin. I definitely recommend looking into those three for your Seattle-Manchester flight.

Regarding documentation, you are correct that Virgin Atlantic requires that all assistance dogs flying in cabin have been “trained to a standard that is determined as being acceptable for travel within an aircraft cabin”. This is certainly a stringent requirement. Virgin Atlantic enforces it to ensure there are no unruly dogs onboard that may disrupt the flight or bother other passengers.

Most major US cities have private companies that offer assistance dog training. We’ve not familiar with any specific companies in Seattle so unfortunately cannot recommend one. Best of luck with your upcoming travels!

Hi there! I am planning on flying with my small dog in cabin from Seattle,WA USA to Manchester,UK. I am so confused. I’ve done everything except his health certificate (because of the 10 days). Which airline would you recommend? I wanted to use Virgin Airlines but they must have “proof of training” since he is an ESA dog. He has never been formally trained.How do I go about his? Especially since It is March 10 and we want to leave April 3rd. So any airline recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

@CHARLOTTE Thanks for reaching out! Having UK pet passports for both of your dogs makes the process simpler for you. Assuming your dogs’ pet passports and rabies vaccinations are still valid, your dogs (1) DO NOT need a clinical examination by USDA certified vet, and (2) DO need to be treated for tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) 24 – 120 hours (1 – 5 days) prior to entry into the UK. Tapeworm treatment can be recorded in your dogs’ EU Pet Passport by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian.

Are your dogs emotional support animals? If yes, United, American Airlines, and Delta allow in-cabin pet travel to the United Kingdom. If not, your dogs will have to fly in the hold again. Your other option, as you mentioned, is to fly in-cabin with them to Charles de Gaulle and drive to the UK.

Hope this helps! Safe travels to you and your pups!

My two cavalier x bichon dogs are from the UK and have EU and UK pet passports . Had rabies injection which was a 3 yr and will last till June 2021 . They were microchipped in the UK . What additional paperwork will I need ? an independent vet certificate 10 days prior to flying from Miami to UK or happy to go from USA to Charles de galle & drive to UK , they are around 22 lbs each . Thanks in advance . They flew out to USA in the hold in airline approved crates & were fine on arrival 9 hrs flight

THIS IS AN UPDATE TO OUR BELOW COMMENT FROM 12/18/19

Although representatives from both London Heathrow and Manchester Airport animal reception centres told us via email that CATS properly documented as emotional support animals could fly in cabin from the US to UK, we received the below answer today from Pets On Jets. And for further clarification, Pets on Jets is the licensed entity that accepts the arrival of pets over 6 months of age on a non-commercial basis at Manchester Airport in England.

We asked:
“We want to verify once more that cats are allowed to fly in-cabin from the US to the UK (LHR or Manchester Airport) so long as they are emotional support animals with proper documentation. Would you please confirm this is indeed correct?”

Pets on Jets responded (emphasis is theirs):
“NO, Unfortunately CATS have never been allowed or permitted to travel in the cabin as they are not considered for any assistance. Only Dogs can be accept as Emotional support!!”

Suffice it to say, CATS are NOT ALLOWED IN CABIN from the US to the UK under any circumstances and can only enter the UK on planes via cargo.

@ANNA Hello! Thank you so much for sharing your findings. We actually received completely different answers from both London Heathrow animal reception centre (HARC) and Manchester Airport just this week. After reviewing your comment, we reached out ourselves to both airport animal reception centers. Representatives from each airport stated that cats can travel in cabin from the US to the UK as emotional support animals with correct documentation. And just to be clear, you are correct that cats are not recognized as service animals (both here in the US and in the UK).

Here is the 12/16/19 response from Erin, an Animal Health Officer at Heathrow Animal Reception Centre:
“Cats can travel as emotional support animals with correct documentation. Information of which can be found on our website… https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-health-welfare/heathrow-animal-reception-centre/Pages/Assistance-Animals.aspx”
We replied to verify the information since the website above is titled ‘Assistance dogs’. Erin replied back confirming “The same requirements still apply” to emotional support cats.

Here is the 12/18/19 response from Anthony of Manchester Airport:
“Your airline are responsible for informing you with all the key information on how to bring your cat from the USA back to the UK. Cats are permitted like dogs so long as all the essential documentation is in order.”

We’ve separately reached out to petsonjets.com to reverify the Manchester Airport contact’s statement and will follow back up here once we get an answer.

Hey, if this helps anyone, I spoke to both London and Manchester (UK) airport animal service desks this week as I am transporting a cat back from the States to the UK. They both told me that cats are not recognized as service animals, ESA or allowed in cabin AT ALL when flying into the UK (from the States). Dogs would be allowed if registered service animals or ESA approved but not any other animal. Wanted to share as the airline told me the cat would be OK in cabin if ESA approved – which he is – but the airport won’t accept him on arrival if I were to be able to get him into the cabin even State side. I am now looking into cargo carriers instead and United airlines told me you have to pay a third party provider to arrange this for you. They won’t let you do this direct with the airline, they will only work through a third party provider (average cost $2.5K). United gave me this website to find a third party provider: https://www.ipata.org. Hope that helps anyone with a cat so they don’t try and go down the ESA route by mistake as I did! Good luck anyone travelling. I am hoping to go within the week. You sure need a lot of patience for this Kafka-esq process, and be prepared to lose your mind/cry a few times along the way. ;p Thank goodness for alcohol. :)

@CHINYERE OKORO Hello! Just to be clear, most dogs and cats CANNOT fly in cabin to London or other cities in the United Kingdom. The only exceptions are registered service animals and, in some cases, assistance animals. Emotional support animals at are considered assistance animals.

Unless your Maltese qualifies as a service animal or assistance animal, there is no way to bring him or her in the cabin with you. Additionally, even if your Maltese is an assistance animal, that does not necessarily mean there is an airline flying the Nigeria-UK route that acknowledges and allows ESAs onboard.

If your Maltese is a a service animal, you can bring him or her in cabin. If your Maltese is an ESA, you should see which airline options you have and contact them to see if they allow ESAs onboard to the UK. Many major international airlines only allow ESAs onboard on flights to/from the USA (since ESAs are largely a US thing). If your dog is not a service or assistance animal, you cannot fly in cabin with your pet to the UK. In this case, you should read our article above for all other options of getting to the UK with your pup.

Below is a great resource with every major airline’s international pet policy. Hope this helps!

DJANGO DOG BLOG – INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE PET POLICIES FOR IN-CABIN TRAVEL:
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/international-airline-pet-policies-for-in-cabin-travel

This surely is a chest of vital information.
Just so I clearly understand
Can my Maltese travel in cabin with me from Nigeria to London?
Which airline has this provision

@LIZ DICKSON Thank you for the kind comment! We’re so glad to hear we could help you with your travel planning and answer some of your questions. Definitely reach back out if any questions arise! If we don’t hear from you, have a wonderful trip to London and Paris, and safe travels!



p.s. If you’re going to take Miss Sophie back to the EU again, I definitely recommend getting her an EU Pet Passport. We got Django his EU pet passport in Paris at Clinique Vétérinaire de l’Horloge (26 Rue Beaubourg) and highly recommend them. They were incredibly kind, gentle with Django, and reasonably priced.

You are Godsend!! Thank you for sharing this incredible info and answering all my questions even without asking! So grateful I found your website.
We are looking to take my ESA pooch Miss Sophie (Domestic Frequent flyer) to London for for Christmas and then Paris for New Years.(Two weeks Vacay) You’ve opened my eyes and fed me great information I didn’t know excited! I truly appreciate you for creating this website for people like us. I feel confident now that this is doable! Miss Sophie and I Thank Much!!!! Woof!!

@AMANDA Thanks for the question! Although the UK government doesn’t recognize ESAs as service animals, when departing the UK you simply need to book with an airline that does indeed recognize ESAs. Most major international airlines that fly from the UK to the USA will recognize and allow ESAs in cabin, especially US airlines like United, Delta, and American. And regarding size, if your dog has all of the proper ESA paperwork, it should not matter if he’s on the larger size.

@NICOLE Hi Nicole! I’m so glad to hear you found our other article “How to take your dog or cat to Europe” useful! Here’s the link for any others reading this >>>>> https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/how-to-take-your-dog-to-europe

Regarding your ‘To Do’ list for pet travel to the UK, you forgot one very important thing: microchipping. Dogs must be microchipped by an ISO compliant (11784 and 11785) microchip. If you need to get your pet microchipped, you also must give your dog a new rabies vaccine on the same day of microchip implantation or after. This vaccination must be given more than 21 days before entry into the UK.

Regarding blood testing (#2), it is our understanding that right now this only needs to be done if you are coming from an unlisted country. The USA is a listed country, so blood testing isn’t relevant. With that said, the rules will change after Brexit. For example, if there is a no-deal Brexit, dogs will indeed need to take a blood test and prove a successful rabies antibody blood test result.

When flying out of the UK/LHR, you must comply with the requirements of the destination country. For the US, this means having your International Health Certificate (or EU Pet Passport) and rabies vaccination certificate with you upon arrival for customs.

One last important thing to add re: Brexit. Our article doesn’t take into account Brexit. We’re waiting to see where all the pieces fall before publishing anything. If you are planning travel far in advance, here’s a very good guide published by the UK government on pet travel after Brexit >> https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-after-brexit

Hope this helps, Nicole. Best of luck with your travels!!

This is super helpful info!

However, how do you get an ESA from the UK back into the US if they are not recognized as ESAs? Are they allowed in cabin? I have a large dog ESA that typically would just sit at my feet on a flight, but is this permissible on a U.K.—> U.S. flight?

Thanks!

I’m so glad I came across this article because I’ve been trying to piece together different pieces of information from google and this post and “HOW TO TAKE YOUR DOG OR CAT TO EUROPE” seems to explain it quite clearly.

I am trying to bring my corgi mix from JFK to LHR beginning of Jan 2020. From what I gathered in your post and other online sources, it seems the following is needed:
1) Vaccinated for Rabies
2) I read that 30 days after vaccination, a blood test is needed. Is this true?
3) Have an accredited vet in issue an International Health Certificate (must be done within 10 days of traveling to London)
4) Have APHIS endorse the International Health Certificate
5) Tapeworm treatment done no more than 5 days before enterting the UK.
6) Contact Heathrow’s Animal Reception Centre for pre-approval letter, compliant with the Pet Travel Scheme, and arriving on an approved airline. (at least 72 hours notice).
Am I missing anything from my list?

I have my dog’s ESA papers and have flown within the states with him often. Having that said, I usually just submit these papers to the airline 2-3 days prior travel by email.

If I were traveling to LHR from LAX, apart from submitted ESA papers to my airline, who am I submitting the documents (outlined in 1-5 on this post) to? Is it also to Heathrow HARC by email or do I just need the documents (rabies vaccination proof, International health certificate, tape worm proof, etc) at hand to present to customs upon arrival?

Thank you for your help with my questions above. I just want to make absolutely sure I have everything I need to make sure my baby is not quarantined.

Nicole

@YI ZHANG Thanks for your question! You ask a great question about the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre’s checking fee. Emotional Support Animals are indeed subject to the checking fee of £390 UNLESS the dog has been specifically trained for air travel assistance. Below is a statement from Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC):

“Only animals which have been trained by an organisation that is a member of International Guide Dog Federation or Assistance dogs International are considered recognised service animals and are therefore not applicable to the fee. Dogs which have received equivalent training or testing specifically in regards to air travel may be recognised on a case by case basis however we would need to see the certification before clarifying. If your emotional support dog has not had the equivalent training and has been prescribed by your doctor/therapist then the fee will be applicable.” – HARC

Thank you for all the information you listed! It helps me a lot while I am preparing to move to London and take my ESA dog in cabin. I am so glad that you mention that we need to contact the appropriate ‘Animal Reception Centre’ at the destination U.K. airport prior to departure. I did some research on this part, and I found on the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre page, they only mention assistance dogs but not ESA. I wonder if they will charge a checking fee for an ESA?

@JACLYN O’MARRA Hi Jaclyn! Thanks for your questions.

We referred to the International Health Certificate several times in our article “How to Take Your Dog or Cat to Europe”. This is the same thing as a Third-Party Official Veterinary Certificate (what the UK calls it) and a Canadian International Health Certificate (what the Canadian government calls it).

As you mentioned, APHIS endorsement is required for US health certificates. Since you are in Canada, you will need your health certificate similarly endorsed by an official government veterinarian.

You do not need an EU Pet Passport to bring your pup from France to UK; the endorsed health certificate is all you need. With that said, you may want to get an EU Pet Passport while you’re abroad if you will be traveling back and forth to Europe with your Shih Tzu mix. Mike and I (Steph) got our dachshund Django an EU Pet Passport while we were staying in Paris. We have plans to bring him back to Europe and wanted to save money down the road (getting an International Health Certificate in the US is expensive and time consuming).

Here’s one other article you may find useful!
DJANGO Dog Blog: DOES MY DOG NEED A PASSPORT?
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/does-my-dog-need-a-passport

Thank you so much for this article!! I am travelling to London from Toronto with my Shih Tzu mix. I refuse to fly him over cargo given that he is a snubbed nose dog and has crate anxiety. I would like to fly to CDG and take the Eurotunnel from Calais.

I am still a little lost on the paperwork, hoping you can clarify/confirm the following:
(1) International Health Certificate – based on your “How to take your dog to Europe”, this is needed to bring him into France and can be obtained from an accredited vet in Toronto ( APHIS approval shouldn’t be applicable given that I am Canadian).
(2) Third-Country Official Veterinary Certificate – based on DEFRA, this is needed to bring him into the UK. Is this the same thing as an International Health Certificate above?

Do I also need to get a pet passport to bring him from France to UK? Or is having the above paperwork reviewed and approved at Pet Reception in Calais sufficient?

Your help is very much appreciated! Thank you, Jaclyn

@BEN TAYLOR Hi Ben! Thanks for your question. And yes, that’s exactly right. Although the UK government doesn’t technically recognize ESAs (ESAs and Therapy Dogs are definitely a United States thing…), ESAs are still allowed to enter the UK in-cabin via select US airlines.

Regarding your question “What happens when you arrive in the UK and go the the animal reception centre with a non service animal (ESA) that has travelled in cabin with you? They just let you in?”… if you scroll up to our section on ESAs, you’ll see that you must contact the ‘Animal Reception Centre’ at your destination U.K. airport prior to departure. They need to know you are coming AND get all paperwork in order so when you arrive at the UK airport there are no issues and/or surprises. Since you are very concerned about booking travel with your pup, I definitely think it’s wise to call your destination airport ‘Animal Reception Centre’ today to re-confirm their procedures. This should give you peace of mind.

And to be clear, we (Mike and Steph) have not yet traveled to the UK with our dachshund Django. Rather, we have done a ton of research around the subject since Mike (Django’s Dad) works for a UK company and travels to/from London throughout the year.. We’ve spoken to reps from Delta, American and United on MANY occasions to confirm that all of the above information is accurate. The last time we contacted all three airlines was June 2019.

Also, thank you very much for this article. It is extremely helpful! I just really need to clarify this particular point

So, I’m confused…UK doesn’t allow any dogs to fly in cabin to the UK, but some airlines will allow you to fly with an ESA to the UK, BUT… the UK doesn’t recognize ESA’s as service animals… So… What happens when you arrive in the UK and go the the animal reception centre with a non service animal (ESA) that has travelled in cabin with you? They just let you in? Is this something that you have actually done? I ask because this is exactly what I am attempting to do, but I am terrified of being denied entry to the UK with my ESA dog because he travelled in the cabin with me, and not in cargo. Can you give me any clarity on this paradoxical information?

@ANGELA Hello and thanks for the comment! I’m so glad our article is helping you plan your trip over to the UK!

Regarding high quality airline pet carriers, I wish I could tell you what the best one is! My husband Mike and I (Steph) have used Sherpa’s standard airline carrier in size large (Django is 16" from neck to base of tail and 14.5 lbs). Do I love it? No… It is durable (and well rated as a result), but it is not comfortable for humans. The shoulder strap is hard and digs into my and Mike’s shoulder. It’s so uncomfortable that we usually take Django out of the carrier once we’re through security. The interior base could also have nicer padding for Django’s comfort.

We are actually in the process of designing a higher quality pet airline carrier now for DJANGO (djangobrand.com) and Amazon (link to our storefront below)…something a lot more comfy than what’s currently out there :) Our Sherpa carrier and experience with a other low cost/quality travel bags was the inspiration for our new product. We wanted something a LOT more comfortable for us as well as Django. We travel too much with him to be uncomfortable!

DJANGO on Amazon (storefront): https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/D653CD60-9D4F-4EE5-9918-BFBF790A084D

This is amazing info – thank you for taking the time to research and share this here! Do you recommend any particular carrier for the in-cabin flights? We will be flying Air France and know we need to stick to their dimensions but do you recommend any particular brand of carrier? What do you use?

You are a wealth of information! Thank you! This is much appreciated. I have been reading so many articles online about the right way to bring over a Frenchie and it’s been very confusing. I’m so happy I found you. You’ve made it very clear.

@MICHELE BLUMENTHAL Hey Michele! No, you don’t need a pet passport to bring Domingo to Europe. Rather, you need to get an International Health Certificate from an Accredited veterinarian. Our article “How to take your dog to Europe” explains all of this as well as a few other steps you need to take before the trip.

Correct, Le Shuttle is from Calais only, not CDG; you need to arrange transportation from CDG to Calais separately. There are both train and buses that run between CDG and Calais. The trains are definitely pet friendly – you can find their pet policy info and book tickets at en.oui.sncf.

Is Domingo microchipped? If no, he’ll need to be microchipped and then receive another rabies vaccination. If yes, it sounds like his recent rabies vaccination should be fine – but reconfirm with your Accredited Vet, they’ll be able to confirm with full confidence!

Thank you for your reply. You have provided me with so much info. I have a couple more questions. Do I need to obtain a pet passport in Los Angeles in order to bring my dog from LAX to CDG? And what do you recommend as transport from CDG to Calais? I’m assuming Le Shuttle is just from Calais to Dover? Or does Le Shuttle go from CDG to Dover?

We just flew with Domingo (Frenchie) to Maui and have the rabies titer good for UK entry as well, so I’m assuming the only new test he’ll need is the tapeworm test?

Ugh! This is such a hassle to bring him over to the UK.

Thank you for your help.
Michele

@NAOMI Hey there! Thanks for reaching out to us! That’s great you’re visiting London with your Jack Russell this summer! Regarding dog food, here’s a great resource for you:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/personal-food-plant-and-animal-product-imports#food-from-outside-the-eu-details-of-restrictions

Assuming your pup has no dietary restrictions or medical issues, I recommend bringing a small sealed bag or 2 of dry dog food on the plane with you (i.e. enough for 2-3 meals a.k.a. just enough to last until you arrive at your hotel). Then simply purchase a bag of dog food upon your arrival in London from a local pet store. Assuming you’re staying downtown, you shouldn’t have any issues finding a pet store in your neighborhood. This will save you the hassle of dragging a bag of dog food across the pond! This is what we (Mike and Steph) did when we flew with our dachshund Django to France.

Hi. We are excited to visit London with our Jack Russell this summer. Are we allowed to bring dog food from US to the UK?

@ANA S. Hello and nice to hear from you! UK pet travel is definitely a tricky issue, especially compared to other international pet travel. As we highlight above, the main reason for this is the UK Pet Travel Scheme which limits all pets except service animals from entering the UK via in-cabin airline travel.

Regarding pet travel TO the USA from the UK, the great news is that there is no UK policy prohibiting in-cabin travel. With that said, some airlines like Delta still do not allow in-cabin pet travel from the UK. I can’t explain why they do this… perhaps it’s simply easier for them internally to have one UK pet policy that extends for all travel routes.

In any case, you can definitely fly your kitten in-cabin to Boston Logan assuming you book with the right airline. I know for a fact that Lufthansa and United allow in-cabin pet travel from the UK to the US. While I can’t tell you every other airline that will work, we have a great resource that will help your search:

DJANGO: International Airline Pet Policies for In-Cabin Travel
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/international-airline-pet-policies-for-in-cabin-travel

We also link to the article above under “Additional Resources”!

You can see that several airlines do not permit in-cabin travel at all regardless of destination (i.e. British Airways), so you can at least cross these off your list! I’d recommend seeing what airlines have flights that meet your timeline and budget, checking the article I linked to to see if they allow in-cabin travel, then giving them a call to confirm your kitten can fly in-cabin.

One last thing to keep in mind… how old is your kitten? Many airlines have minimum age requirements. You can also see those on the article I linked to above!

Hope this helps! Let us know which airline you ultimately go with!

Hi! I have been looking all over for an answer to what I thought was a simple question and Google pointed me to your website—it’s great!

I would like to travel from London Heathrow to Boston Logan with a kitten in cabin with me and was given mixed answers to whether or not this is possible. Would you know whether we can travel from Heathrow with a pet in the passenger cabin to Boston? And if that is indeed possible, which airlines allow this? I contacted Air France and they said no pets in cabin as this is a general UK rule and not an airline limit, while United said yes. So I am really confused. Thank you so much for any help you can give!

Sincerely,
Ana

@MICHELE BLUMENTHAL Hello and thanks for your question! When your husband and your dog arrive in Calais, France, and before getting on Le Shuttle, he and your pup MUST stop by Pet Reception so your dog’s health certificate (or EU Pet Passport) can be reviewed and approved before boarding. This is mandatory. It is our understanding that Pet Reception in Calais, France can review and approve of your pup’s paperwork so you do not have to be slowed down once you arrive in the UK.

And yes, all dogs traveling to the UK must have mandatory tapeworm treatment administered by a vet between 24–120 hours before arrival in the UK. Customs officials can refuse travel if your dog’s tapeworm treatment is not administered in time or correctly documented by a vet.

Here are two additional articles that will help you out in advance of your travels:
HOW TO TAKE YOUR DOG TO EUROPE: https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/how-to-take-your-dog-to-europe
DOES MY DOG NEED A PASSPORT: https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/does-my-dog-need-a-passport
EUROTUNNEL LE SHUTTLE – PETS: https://help.eurotunnel.com/hc/en-gb/sections/201913709-Pets

Safe travels to your husband and your frenchie Domingo!

Hi! I have a question regarding the travel of Frenchie from Paris to UK. My husband will bring the dog from LAX to Paris on Air France and then do the shuttle service over to Folkstone. Will there be a customs check of the dog when he arrives in Folkestone from France? Or, does he just hop on the train directly from shuttle service (Folkestone Taxi). Will we be needing the tapeworm certificate, etc?

Thank you in advance for your help. Your website is most helpful.
Thanks,
Michele and Frenchie (Domingo)

@PAT BOON Hello! We’re so glad you found our article useful. When you ask if there will be a “problem with British immigration”, do you mean once you arrive in the UK via Option 1 above (Eurotunnel)? Assuming you completed all the proper documentation and assuming your pet is healthy (i.e. not displaying any signs of illness or disease at the time of travel), there is no risk that your pet is quarantined. Regarding Pet Reception, it is our understanding that they can review and approve of your papers while you are still in France so you do not have to be slowed down once you arrive in the UK.

And no, you do not have to be an EU citizen in order to travel via these options!

Thank you so much for posting this. It’s like a light at the end of a dark tunnel! :) I was wondering if it is going to be a problem with the British immigration? Or will the Pet Reception take care and approve of everything? The last thing I want is for my dog to go into quarantine :( Also, do you have to be an EU citizen in order to be able to travel via those options? Please let me know as it would help me so much! XX

Hi Cary! Thanks for your comment and question. Yes, you’re right that driving a left-hand drive vehicle in a right-hand drive country is not easy or even enjoyable. And you’ll have to ultimately return the car to its rental company in France. As for whether you should stay in the UK with the car for a little while or instead head back to Europe immediately… that is entirely up to you! We don’t have personal experience driving in the UK with a left-hand drive vehicle so unfortunately can’t tell you how easy or difficult it is!

One more option you have is to drop off your sister and her cats in the UK, immediately return the vehicle to France on your own, then go BACK into the UK via EuroTunnel (and pet free) so you can meet back up with your sister and spend time with her there before ultimately flying home. Obviously this option isn’t ideal, but it’s one way to give you more time with your sister in the UK without the headache of a left-hand drive vehicle!

Please let us know what you ultimately end up doing! We’d love to hear how your experience goes.

Hey! Thank you for posting this! I’m helping my sister move to the UK and she has two cats and we were desperate for info on what to do. We’ll be taking the eurotunnel from France, I guess, but we’ll have to have a rental car since no companies seem to be able to ferry with pets and passenger only. I was wondering if you would have any advice on what to do with your car after taking the eurotunnel? I wouldn’t really be too interested in driving a left sided car on a right sided road (you know what I mean), should I just drop my sister off with the cats and immediately turn around and take the eurotunnel back to drop the car off in France? Thank you!

@CAROL Hello! So long as the UK is still part of the European Union, the paperwork requirements for going to France and England are largely the same. Your cat will (1) need microchip identification (2) a new rabies vaccination after microchip implantation, if applicable (3) wait 21 days after rabies vaccination, if applicable (4) Get an International Health Certificate from an Accredited Vet (5) Get the International Health Certificate endorsed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

Our article “How to Take Your Dog (or Cat) To Europe” outlines the whole process. Please know that Step 6 (Tapeworm Treatment) only applies to dogs traveling to the UK, not cats.

DJANGO: How to Take Your Dog (or Cat) To Europe:
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/how-to-take-your-dog-to-europe

Trying to find a way to get my cat from USA to UK ship was my first choice but a 2 year waiting list for a kennel. I’m getting all the paperwork together for the UK requirements, will the same paperwork get us into France and also into the UK if we tried to fly from Paris to England?

Good luck renting a car that you can drive from France to England! I have yet to find a rental company that will allow you to do that. The insurance is different, and Brexit will not facilitate the process.

However, you can lease a TT car. Look at ttcar.com. You have to take a Renault, a Citroen or a Peugeot. The prices are good, however.

Michelle, hello! Thanks so much for reaching out. Although we are not experienced with the travel requirements for rabbits when flying to/from the UK, I have a few ideas you may or may not have considered… First, have you looked into flights from London to Boston, MA? These flights are typically slightly shorter in duration than flights departing from Edinburgh; or flights heading to NYC’s JFK. I see several London-Boston flights under the 8 hour duration limit. Obviously your daughter would have to break up her trip in two flights (first to London, then to the US), but this may be the only option to successfully circumvent the 8 hour flight duration max.

Second, has your daughter looked into making her rabbit an emotional support animal (ESA)? From what I understand, all domesticated animals may qualify as an ESA. Although certain airlines may limit ESA allowances to dogs and cats, this definitely is still worth looking into. If you can find an airline that welcomes rabbit ESAs, the 8 hour flight duration limit should no longer apply to your daughter’s rabbit.

Hope this helps! Good luck to your daughter, and congrats on her move back to the US!

Do you have any advice for flying a rabbit out of the UK. My daughter lives in Scotland, is moving back to the USA and has a 9 year old floppy earred bunny. She is adamant about not putting her in cargo. I have researched airlines that allow rabbits in cabin and it seems the flights must be 8 hours or less, which precludes most flights from Europe to USA.

@SARAH WRIGHT I’m so glad you found this useful! Please let me know if any questions arise as you’re planning your move abroad! I’m happy to help in any way I can. And a huge congrats on your upcoming move to London! So exciting :)

Thank you so much for this info! We’re moving to London with two kitties and I was so anxious, specifically about bringing one of my kitties with a heart condition, on Cargo. This is such a HUGE relief! I am definitely going the through-Paris option. Thanks!

Hi Eric! Thanks for your question. It sounds like you have the most difficult and confusing parts of your travel plans sorted – specifically departing China with the correct paperwork and arranging transportation to the UK. That’s great news.

Regarding your arrival in France, I can only let you know what my experience was last summer. My husband I traveled to Paris from New York with Django, our long-haired dachshund. Surprisingly, we did not need to visit any animal/vegetation/agriculture customs specialist upon our arrival. We simply went through passport control as usual and made our way out of Charles de Gaulle airport. No one asked to see Django’s paperwork at any stage (including passport control). When we arrived back in New York a few weeks later, I had to show Django’s paperwork to a special JFK customs employee in the baggage claim before leaving.

Interesting enough, I did a quick google search and found another person saying the same thing – that no one at CDG checked the dogs before airport departure. With that said, I would definitely keep your cats’ up-to-date health papers in hand just in case protocol has changed.

I am bringing my three cats to the UK from China, with Air France via Paris Charles de Gaulle in November.

So far I have sorted, at great expense an agent to handle all the paperwork and procedures required to depart China and enter France.

I am also going to book transport to the UK with one of the pet transport companies, which is pretty straightforward.

However, I am quite confused about the process of arrival in France and clearing customs/immigration with the cats.

My Chinese agent informs me that I should use an agent to handle all this, but I have read stories that suggest it is a very simple process, which as long as you have the correct paperwork.

Any feedback on this would be appreciated.

Eric

Hi Kylee! Thanks for your question and congrats on your upcoming move overseas! Unless your dog is a registered service animal, it will be difficult finding an airline that allows him in the cabin given his size. Most international airlines have weight restrictions for in-cabin pets; these usually max out at 20lbs. Even emotional support animals are required to be “seated in the floor space below your seat” and cannot take up space in the aisle.

You bring up a great alternative route – sea travel. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is the only ship that allows the transatlantic transportation of dogs from NYC to Southhampton, England. There are 24 kennels that are overseen by a “Kennel Master” who walks, feeds and cleans the pet area. From what I understand, the kennels are open throughout the day so pet owners can visit and walk their dogs as often as they’d like. You can find more about the kennel arrangements by calling Cunard at (800) 728-6273.

The downside to sea travel is the time commitment (7 days at sea). The price will also be higher than economy air travel, especially once you account for your pet’s care.All that said, this may be a really great option for you and your larger dog – and the only way to avoid putting him in cargo.

Let me know what you end up doing and good luck to you guys!

Link to the Queen Mary 2: https://www.cunard.com/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/