Pet Export

[Colinenfrance]

My wife and I moved to France in Jan 2003. At that time we had been put off bringing our pet dog with us by the horror stories regarding tics and flesh eating microbes etc. Having met a number of ex-pats who brought pets with them we now feel we should bring our pet with us when we return from the UK the next time we visit. We have contacted DEFRA who advise we need pet passport, rabies vaccination and blood tests but we have heard there is a way we can bring our pet over and then get the vaccination etc completed by a French vet. Unfortunately our enquiries here have not given us exact requirements and wonder if there is anyone "out there" who can provide a definitive answer. 

[Deimos]

There are actually two sets of requirements; those to enter France and those to enter the UK. France is easy, UK a bit more stringent.

To enter France your pet(s) need a pet passport – which requires they are microchipped (in practice anyway) and have rabies vaccinations/boosters in accordance with the “valid from” and “valid to” dates the vet writes in the passport. I have a feeling that the “valid from” must be at least one month after the 1st rabies vaccination (but not boosters provided they are done on time). The ferry companies I have used don’t even look at the paperwork, let alone check anything when travelling UK to France.

To enter the UK is as determined by DEFRA. Your pet(s) need to be microchipped, rabies vaccinated (some vets recommend a booster one month later), then a month after that (vaccination or booster) a blood sample is taken and tested for antibodies. Once your pet has “passed” the blood test, return to UK is possible 6 months following when the successful blood test was taken. Provided boosters are kept up to date, blood test is a “once off”. If you are late on a booster, then its another blood test and another 6 month wait. Also, between 24 and 48 hours of check-in at the French side for return to UK your pet needs to be treated for ticks and tapeworms by a vet.

Ferry companies for France to UK do check everything carefully, every time.

Everything is recorded in the Pet Passport. Everything can be done either in the UK or France (i.e. French vets can do the blood tests, etc.) and there is nothing requiring a British/UK vet.

If what I have written conflicts with what DEFRA say (http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm) – DEFRA are the ones who determine the procedures and not me so go with what they say.

If you are worried about piroplasmose or lymes disease you can have your pet vaccinated. However, I have not and I am told that in practice normally only “chasseurs” are vaccinated for these. Just keep tick treatments up-to-date (e.g. Frontline monthly for ticks not every 3 months) and check your pets for ticks regularly. Loads of people have pets and they live long and happy lives.

(If I’ve missed anything do correct me but the DEFRA site http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm is the best place to check).

Ian

[Robbie34]

If you are resident in France then your pet should come under the regulations pertaining to animals domiciled in France.

There seems to be no reason why you shouldn't start the process in the UK - depending how long you are staying there.  If it's for more than a couple of months then do it in the UK.  If you are only there for a couple of weeks then have the whole thing done in France as it will be a lot cheaper.

As far as ticks etc. are concerned, get your dog a Scalibor flea collar.  These are effective for six months and are far better than Frontline.  For a medium sized dog they cost 16 Euros.  I never found a tick on my dog when he had this, and I think this collar was recommended by someone on either this forum or Total France.  It was an excellent recommendation.

[Afy]

Actually you also need a blood test (rabies etc) by a Schengen approved lab... on a sample that is taken at least 3 months before the planned date of travel. I have had to do this, but then again my baby came from India. Which actually involved the sample being taken, frozen and couriered to a lab in Germany.

[Deimos]

[quote]Actually you also need a blood test (rabies etc) by a Schengen approved lab... on a sample that is taken at least 3 months before the planned date of travel. I have had to do this, but then again my b...[/quote]

I believe that India is not included in the EU Pet Passport scheme and as such will have different requirements and procedures (for non-EU countries included in the scheme see http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/support-info/other.htm).

My own experience is that a local French lab can do the blood test – which is al arranged by the vet anyway. In my case the lab sent me the result directly (and the bill).

Ian

[Mustang sally]

We moved here in Aug bringing with us our 13year old "sophie" woofley. If you have no intention of taking your pet back to uk you will need to get them chipped & a rabies jab but you do not need blood tests & booster etc . I got a certificate of fitness to travel from our uk vet. Sophie loves it here so I would say no problem bring woofers over it cost me £25 for rabies jab plus £25 for passport it is the blood tests etc that cost but as sophie is elderly we knew that we wouldn't be taking her back to uk

I hope this helps.

[WJT]

[quote]If you are resident in France then your pet should come under the regulations pertaining to animals domiciled in France. There seems to be no reason why you shouldn't start the process in the UK - de...[/quote]

Hi Robbie34, I found your post very interesting. I have never heard about the Scalibor flea collar you mention. Can you buy the collar in the UK or would I need to wait until we arrive in France? If so would you know where I could buy it? We have two dogs and have a terrible problem with Ticks in the Dordogne, in fact one of my dogs came down with the tick disease but luckily had him treated in time otherwise would have lost him. On the advise of our Vet in the UK, I have been using Advantix and it does appear to be more effective than Fronline and also protects against sand fleas that can be deadly. We were using Frontline when my dog contracted the disease but I didn't realise at the time he needed it every month. I would be very interested to learn more about the Scalibor flea collar.

[Deimos]

[quote]We moved here in Aug bringing with us our 13year old "sophie" woofley. If you have no intention of taking your pet back to uk you will need to get them chipped & a rabies jab but you do not need b...[/quote]

I always encourage people who make the “one way trip” (i.e. never returning to the UK) to still have the blood test done as soon as convenient (e.g. in France). Plans can unexpectedly change, circumstances force moves (maybe even just temporarily). It is always disappointing when you see on these forums about people having to re-home their pets because they have to return and do not have time to wait the 6 months. There are several on this forum and also on other French forums. It does not cost much (as once off cost as well) and it does mean that should anything happen to change circumstances you do not have the additional upset and difficulties having to find a new home for your pet. It is the 6 month delay that causes people the problems – rabies vaccinations, etc. really need to be kept up-to-date in France anyway.

Not pointed any anybody as “sophie” is 13 years old. Just repeating me general personal recommendation (I can get a bit dull repeating it all the time – sorry).

Ian

[Robbie34]

I had to order my Scalibor collar from a pharmacy in Gourdon.  I couldn't get it at my vets in the UK. 

My dog used to plagued by ticks, albeit dead, even with Frontline.  With his Scalibor collar I never found a tick on him.

Here's the URL. http://www.scalibor.co.uk/key-benefits-scalibor.asp

[WJT]

Thank you very much for the information. I will definitely look into this and see if our Vet offers it here if not check with ours in France. Thank you again.

[Georgina]

[quote]We moved here in Aug bringing with us our 13year old "sophie" woofley. If you have no intention of taking your pet back to uk you will need to get them chipped & a rabies jab but you do not need b...[/quote]

Quackers , hope you don't mind my not sending you a private message as it does not appear to work, but I was interested that you only paid £25 for your rabies jab.  I paid E50 and then was told I needed a blood test and they were asking me E70 for that. Do you think this is right? 

As they only have to send it off, can I go directly to a lab for this but the price was never mentioned when I had the rabies jab and when I asked for information with prices on, guess what, they did not have any.  And then they want E30 for the passport.  It's a nightmare expense.

Cheers

Georgina

[Deimos]

[quote]Quackers , hope you don't mind my not sending you a private message as it does not appear to work, but I was interested that you only paid £25 for your rabies jab. I paid E50 and then was told I need...[/quote]

That sounds quite expensive. I paid €65 to the laboratory for the blood test (analysis + certificate). €28 for a rabies vaccination, €22 for the vet to take the blood sample and send it to the lab, Pet Passport was free (including 4 hours of checks for one British dog as they were unsure of his UK rabies vaccination history and faxed it and went through it with some veterinary authority somewhere in France).

Also, its quite a lot cheaper to get the combined vaccination (the standard ones and rabies). Can’t find the bill for that but I was surprised that it was little more than just the standard set (i.e. the rabies did not add much to the cost).

All prices I quoted above are TTC and I got them of bills in 2005 (i.e. fairly recent).

I have seen other posts where people quote prices and they do seem to vary a fair amount arounf the country.

Ian

[Georgina]

[quote]That sounds quite expensive. I paid €65 to the laboratory for the blood test (analysis + certificate). €28 for a rabies vaccination, €22 for the vet to take the blood sample and send it to the lab, P...[/quote]

Yes, I got the impression it's Oh Les Anglais, pockets full of money.

I particularly got that impression when I looked at the price somewhere in the waiting room and I had been charged more and never given a receipt or a bill.

Georgina

[Deimos]

Not sure about “Les Anglais” with loads of money. I once had to call my vet out in an emergency on Sunday lunchtime. My dog needed local aesthetic, loads of stitches, several injections (anti-biotics, etc.), loads of bandages, etc. all at Sunday lunchtime and taking more than an hour and the total bill for everything €60 TTC (and I am very definitely British).

I think it might be that prices just vary between vets or regions. I’ve only used one other vet (than my local one) on one occasion and his prices were pretty reasonable as well.

Ian

[Deimos]

One other thought, not relevant to the title but about my experience as to how my local vets treated me. When I first arrived and needed to go to the vet (actually for “tick & tapeworm” treatment for a visit to the UK), they were very pleasant. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing really noticeable.

After having been here 4 months or so (and having needed several visits to the vet when they were nice enough each time), I purchased a pup in France (my 2nd dog). Visited the vet for the 2nd set of vaccinations, nice enough, but there was a real change in their attitude the moment they scanned the pup’s microchip and saw the France prefix on the number (which the mentioned), when they became a “good laugh”. Started teaching me French words, really friendly, 110% co-operative, etc. They remember my name whenever I visit (even after a 9 month gap with no visits). A couple of months ago one dog tore a dew claw so I visited and bumped into one vet on the way in. Despite a full waiting room and that my dog was showing no signs of discomfort, no pain, no bleeding, etc. he quietly whisked me off into a waiting room and treated her. When I said I could wait as there were others already waiting he said no worry with a “dismissing wave” towards those in the waiting room.

My theory is that on seeing the French micro-chip they realised I really was living here and not just visiting for an extended holiday.

Ian

[Georgina]

[quote]One other thought, not relevant to the title but about my experience as to how my local vets treated me. When I first arrived and needed to go to the vet (actually for “tick & tapeworm” treatment for...[/quote]

Sounds like you have found a good vet, Deimos, where are you?  We have got a french microchipped dog too, sso they know I am resident.

Actually dew claws are a good idea to get sorted as the boys are getting scratched to shreds, Do they cut them?

Georgina

[Maddie]

I too have found a great vet.  My dogs are not French but they have been tattooed since we've been here so the vet knows we are resident.  He's been super helpful and very tolerant of me as I take my dogs if there is the slightest thing wrong, primarily as one had piroplasmosis and you can never be too careful.  He charges are extremely reasonable too - €35 for annual booster including rabies.  I had to take my lab in several times for gastro problems and at the last time she had an ultrasound, two injections and three lots of oral meds and it only cost €40. 

 

Have you tried clipping the dew claws so they are not so scratchy?  I think removal is a general anaesthetic job but I could be wrong.

[Colinenfrance]

Hi everybody and Bonne Annee a tous.

Just to let you all know that Buck is now safely in France and , once the weather improves , will start to enjoy himself.  Comments regarding costs have been raised; our costs for Buck were as follows, Rabies Nobivac £35.57 + VAT, Microchip£24.00 + VAT and Pet Passport £26.27 + VAT.

Thanks to all who contributed.

Colin.