Getting a puppy in France and then moving back to the UK?

[Fiona]

Hi, we are really keen to get a puppy here (have promised the kids for ages!), but there is a strong possibility we may have to move back to the UK - at least for a while. The puppy we may take has not been microchipped yet. Can someone please let me know what I would need to do fully register and vaccinate a puppy and to enable us to take her back to the UK??

thanks

[Chrissie]

There are all sorts of posts about what you need to do to meet the UK requirements. 

But please do consider how stressful it would be for a new puppy to be homed and then moved from one country to another, with loads of stress, vaccinations, worm and tick checks - I'm not even sure how soon you can give a young dog the right vaccinations and then there would be a long wait for the 6-month blood test, the problem of non-conformity of micro-chipping between France and the UK etc etc.  Not to mention the fact that your children will be so excited by the move and new friends that a puppy may get overlooked.

I know I sound boring and nanny-ish, but why not wait until you have a settled home to give a young dog?

Chrissie (81)

[Polly]

Your puppy  will love you wherever you go with him/her, but to go back to the UK please don't listen to any old piece of advice, go to the  DEFRA website http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/index.htm

For advice in English from a French vet contact the lovely Diana James at http://www.vet2u.eu/

[Fiona]

Thanks Polly, if we do go back into would be for at least 6 months. So essentially the pet passport applies and we would have to get the necessry vaccinations and micro-chipping (which we would have to do regardless).

thank you

[Merlin]

Please reckon on at least 7 months to get the puppy ready to leave this country - he/she will NOT be able to leave before this time has elapsed.  From the time you have the rabies injection it takes minimally 2 to three weeks to see if it has taken (if not it has to be done again as happened to us).  The date for entry into the UK starts from the date of the rabies injection (if it takes) BUT to be sure I would take the date of entry as the date the blood test was confirmed to be on the safe side.  Having done this several times with our animals and helped other members of the family sort their animals also, it pays to get a vet who knows the procedure (our dear country vet was hopeless and we nearly came a cropper because of it) and I would agree with what has been said here - go to the DEFRA site and download the correct information and follow it to a T and then even call them to check you have understood it properly.  This all sounds pedantic I know but the consequences of not getting it right will be traumatic as so many people find out when they get to the port and it's too late...........!!

[Panda]

[quote user="Fiona"]Thanks Polly, if we do go back into would be for at least 6 months. So essentially the pet passport applies and we would have to get the necessry vaccinations and micro-chipping (which we would have to do regardless). thank you[/quote]

Hi

Im not sure you are clear on the requirements as how long you are going back for makes no difference.  The important bit is as above you need 7 months to get the all of the vaccinations/tests/paperwork in place BEFORE you can take the pup to the UK from France.  Make sure you read the requirements France to the UK not the other way around as of course they are very different.

P