johnys

I import my own ok i have to have 12 montha supply but it works out with transport at 11 euro per 15 kg bag i am saving over 1500 euro as i have 4 Old English Sheepdogs John

we hope soon to be permanent resident in France on completion of the sale of our house in the uk so are looking for financial advice , so many advisors which are good trustworthy and dont charge an arm or a leg anyone had any experiences good or bad John

This is confusing for me as I regularly take my 4 Old English sheepdogs to france at least twice a year , according to my vet the rabies vaccination has to be done every year miss it by one day and the whole process has to start again blood test waiting for results then the 7 months before they can leave the country and return, which did happen to us due to a death in the family one day late , going out isn’t the problem its returning, while stating the vaccine last for two or three years it seems to vary would it be recognised by a vet as ok ours says not.               John

Acopy of a letter to myself about pet insurance Thanks for your query through the Animal Matters feedback form. In answer to your question, I can safely say that yes, pet insurance is available in France, but it is a relatively new market here and so you may have trouble finding the same sort of cover or choice that you can find in the UK.  There are two reasons for this, firstly, the French see insurance as a necessity rather than a competitive business arena and so products are fewer. Secondly, the pet insurance market in the UK and USA has had the unfortunate effect of driving up the price of veterinary services because it allows for procedures which are outside the financial scope of most pet owners to be developed and offered at relatively small vet practices. However in France, vet fees tend to have remained lower and specialist care for pets is something that you seek at distance with specialists in larger towns or vet hospitals connected to universites rather than being available from your local vet. Local vets offering standard services are therefore able to keep their costs as low as possible by expecting cash on the nail and not offering accounts or encouraging the use of insurance which forces them to endure a period of time between treatment and payment. It's not as easy to borrow to cover cashflow in France as elsewhere. Businesses try to avoid it. Most people pay their bills at the time of treatment and if they have pet insurance, will claim it back later as they do with human health care here. So you will find the system a little different and slightly less protective. If you look on line for 'Assurance Sante Animal de compagnie' you should find a number of French websites offering insurance policies for pets which you can compare. You can often also find insurance for your pets here the old fashioned way, in the office of an insurance company like Axa or Mae when you insure your french property or car. An example of a company offering pet insurance in France is Sante Vet. You can find their website at www.santevet.com which should give you some idea of the coverage and cost. Look out for the limitations as there are always caps on each claim and limits to the ages or breeds of dog they will cover but it should help get you started. Just one other thing. Here it is vital to have insurance covering your for 'responsibilitie civil'. This is personal liability insurance which protects you and it is useful to have a specific policy for the OES's  if they are likely to ever cause an accident or damage to someone else for which you might be liable. It is useful to add 'responsibilite civil' to any pet insurance you take out in France, or to your household insurance if you decide not to get vet cover for the dogs. Hope that helps. Don't hesitate to get back to me if I can help with anything else. Good luck with your move Regards Tiffany (ANIMAL MATTERS FRANCE)

Have been in touch with the French Triton club http://www.triton-france.com/ they dont see a problem so will  keep in touch with them for when the big day comes John

I built my Tribsa in 1968 and registered in the uk as a Tribsa , how would i go about registering the bike in France  obviously there would be no letter of conformity plus the bike is now over 40 years old John

Betty just re read your post  i'm afraid they dont ring, fax or communicate in any way with vets throughout europe if the date and time of treatment isnt on the dogs passport you dont get on the ferry its as simple and as blunt as that ,the onus is on you to make sure everything is in order or get it done again and wait the required time which is between 24 and 48 hours before you are allowed to board John

We take our 4 Old English Sheepdogs to France at least twice a year by ferry at a cost of £30 each, i have always been refused to go and check on the dogs during the voyage and to my knowledge no one else does, i scan the dogs, they only check the passport date and time of the treatment at the French vet, there is no seperate person doing the checks same person checks my passport, money for nothing but isnt that the way in the uk, my French vet says its a waste of time and money. John