suein56 Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 Please can someone reassure me I am doing things right?My OH and I need to go back to the UK to visit, there seem to be no catteries around us in southern 56 so we plan to take the cats with us.The cats came with us in March 05 from the UK with full passports, complete with entries for having passed the serological blood test in December 04, so they would seem to be OK for going back - they just need the tick and worm treatment - yes? Question 2: being French resident now the cats need to have a booster for their rabies as the French system requires this to be done annually - this is now almost due,can any French vet do this, or does it have be a special one, as the UK?Q 3: is there anything else I should have thought of?ThanksSue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athene Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 [quote]Please can someone reassure me I am doing things right? My OH and I need to go back to the UK to visit, there seem to be no catteries around us in southern 56 so we plan to take the cats with us. Th...[/quote]Hi!I do hope this is not too late for you as I have only just read your questions. As your cats have been in France more than 3 months without a return visit, they are now classed as French mogs! They will need French passports and yes, yearly rabies boosters! All French vets are empowered to do these! Also the usual ticks and worms! If you are lucky and the UK authorities do not check their passports thoroughly against your travel documents, you may get away with the original English ones but if you have time, I would change them now. Bonne Chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 30, 2005 Author Share Posted October 30, 2005 Hi AtheneThanks for your reply - but I must admit that I am a little confused as to why the cats should need to have new French passports to travel back to the UK. I know that the cats are now French residents - they have been registered with SIEV (the papers came yesterday) - and they have had their rabies boosters with French vaccine - but they are still UK cats - just like I am British with a British passport, although now a French resident. No one has suggested in all this that the cats would need new passports - I have spoken to Defra re one or two queries I had and they did not say that the cats would need French passports.Also my vet did not think it a problem - we just talked about adding our French address to the cats' passports.Have I missed some vital info in all this?Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athene Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 [quote]Hi Athene Thanks for your reply - but I must admit that I am a little confused as to why the cats should need to have new French passports to travel back to the UK. I know that the cats are now Fre...[/quote]Hi!cat passports are not the same as people passports! They are not about where the cat was born but about where it lives currently. In the eyes of DEFRA, if a cat has lived in France for over three months, it invalidates the conditions of an English pet passport! Three months is the cut off, after that the cat has to have French passport. I had this explained to me by the woman who vets in cats before catching the ferry to England! They will look at the passport and the stamps therein will tell them when you last crossed the Channel. We would have liked to spend 6 months in the UK and then 6 months in France, this is impossible for a whole lot of reasons and this pet passport business is just one of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 31, 2005 Author Share Posted October 31, 2005 ***Three months is the cut off, after that the cat has to have French passport. I had this explained to me by the woman who vets in cats before catching the ferry to England! They will look at the passport and the stamps therein will tell them when you last crossed the Channel.***Hi AtheneNow you are really confusing me. The cats did not receive any stamps in their passports when we came over here - should they have? There is no inducation of travel date at all.I thought that a pet passport was just that - a passport to travel backwards and forwards with your pet. The passports say on the front - European Union - UK passport, but only because it originates from the UK. I did not think now that we all live in France it would invalidate the cats' UK passports.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie34 Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 They will look at the passport and the stamps therein will tell them when you last crossed the Channel. The only stamps that are entered in the passport are those by the vet administering the tick and tapeworm treatment, and previous crossing dates are of no consequence.The Pet's Passport is a scheme to facilitate the movement of pets throughout the EU, and there is no such a thing as a "British Passport." It is a Pet's Passport issued in the UK. The only thing is that you have to adhere to the conditions of the various countries. A pet that is domiciled in France is required to have a rabies booster annually, whereas a pet from the UK only has to have a booster according to the vaccine validity: currently two years for Nobivac. For entering the UK the pet has to have the tick and tapeworm treatment at the specified time, but for entering France this is not necessary.There is a lot of nonsense promulgated about the movement of pets and the various requirements. The Pet's Passport was designed to simplify travel with domestic animals and this has been achieved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted October 31, 2005 Author Share Posted October 31, 2005 ***The Pet's Passport was designed to simplify travel with domestic animals and this has been achieved.***Thanks Robbie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Contrary to what some may say, do take all your pets paperwork. True that in theory the Pet Passport is all that is needed. However, there may be errors or questions and that is when the rest of the paperwork can make the difference between travelling or not.Travelling France to UK is stricter and more thorough than UK to France. It is really easy but, if this is the first time with your current passports France to UK I would take all the papers (e.g. blood test results, etc.) just in case.(I know that I would not have travelled 1st time had I not taken all the paperwork). Generally on ferries with a car the additional papers are not a big deal and I cannot understand why people should suggest leaving them at home 1st time.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie34 Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 The whole purpose of the new blue passport is to simplify travel. If you have checked that your passport has been completed correctly then there is simply no need to take any other documentation. I outlined in another post those sections which have to be completed. If these are correct then why do you need to take more pieces of paper? Apart from the tick and tapeworm treatment, the vital sections are the vaccinations and the results of the serological test. Indeed, I have no documentation other than my dog's passport, and we have now travelled twice with just that. My worst nightmare is if the microchip should fail, but you can't take a spare with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 [quote]The whole purpose of the new blue passport is to simplify travel. If you have checked that your passport has been completed correctly then there is simply no need to take any other documentation. ...[/quote]If French vets make errors then what chance do use non-professionals have to double check. Actually, had I taken your advice I would have missed seeing my family in the UK last Christmas. When both dogs Pet Passports were rejected at the ferry port, I asked if this was unusual and was told NO. I also asked what the main problem areas were and the specific sections you mention to check were not those that have most errors (according to the Brittany Ferries check-in desk) (although to do say “check all sections”It is quite true that if there are no errors in your Pet Passport you need nothing else. If you have travelled France to UK on the Pet Passport then in effect your Pet Passports have been checked. However, if it is your first time France to UK on the documentation I can see no earthly reason why you would risk not being able to travel for taking a couple of bits of extra paper !!I’m giving up on this topic now as its getting quite stupid. Until my Pet Passports have successfully taken me France to UK I will continue to take all the paperwork as my travel, etc. is more important than having to carry a few extra sheets of paper.Like Spg’s vet, my own told me to take all the paperwork I have and also issued me with French PETS paperwork and hence I could travel.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athene Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 [quote]If French vets make errors then what chance do use non-professionals have to double check. Actually, had I taken your advice I would have missed seeing my family in the UK last Christmas. When both ...[/quote]I agree with you Ian and I take all the papers every time. It was our English vet who said we must do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athene Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 [quote]I agree with you Ian and I take all the papers every time. It was our English vet who said we must do it.[/quote]Should have added to this that Speedferries will ask for them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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