Cat jabs etc

[Vivi]

Hi,this is my first time posting here and as we are hopefully moving to France in June it is good to read about other peoples successful  and happy cat moves. Please can anyone tell me what & when is required to do in terms of innoculations,chipping,flea/worm treatments etc to move cats into France. Is it the same as the pet passport which I believe is more about returning pets or is it the same? Any info much appreciated. With Thanks Vivi 

[Catalpa]

Assuming your cats are over 3 months old:

• Go to vet at least 21 days before travel.
• Cat needs to be microchipped.
• Cat needs to have rabies injection.
• Cat needs Pet Passport completed.
• Cat needs to wait 21 (or more) days.
• Cat can travel to France with it's paperwork.
• The blood test can be done by your French vet when you arrive in France and entered onto the passport.
• Check with your French vet when s/he will want to re-do the rabies jabs. Some vets say annually; some vets say annually after the due date on the passport which may be 2 or 3 years.

• Get your vet to register your cat's chip number on the French microchip database - details about how to do that are on a "sticky" at the top of the Pets forum.

Here are the basics on the Defra website for animals going from the UK to (most) EU countries, including France.

Then if you use the forum search function - box at top right of screen - and search on Feliway or alternatively Cat France you'll get lots of links which go through the answers to many of the questions you probably have. [:)]

[Anna]

Hi Vivi

Welcome to the Forum.

I suggest you contact Defra helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk to make sure of the requirements.

If you just want to bring your cat over to France and do not wish to obtain a Pet Passport for it, then tell Defra that you only want to export your cat (and do not want a Pet Passport ) and what the requirements are for an export only certificate.

We brought our old cat over to France in 2001 and only obtained an export certificate for it and one of our dogs. We obtained the form from our local Ministry of Agriculture (probably Defra will now issue) and the only requirement was that we had to have a vet sign the form to say that the pet had been checked and was found to be fit enough to travel. We did not have to have any documentation to show jabs, etc.

When we crossed over by ferry, no-one either side of the channel ever asked to see any documentation at all! We crossed over with our cat and dog (both with only export certificates) and my Mother's guide dog, which has her Pet Passport.

If you're leaving the UK for France, there's no problem. It's only if you want to return that you have to have all the Pet Passport hassle.

Hope this helps and best wishes for a smooth crossing in June.

Anna

[Catalpa]

Beware! EU regulations do not remain the same. [:)] I believe the export paperwork option was phased out in 2006. I think the requirements have changed at least twice since 2001. But you are right, Anna - an answer is to contact Defra... although Defra are concerned with movement of animals into the UK, they do understand the requirements for pets leaving the UK.

[cooperlola]

I agree with Catalpa. The best guide is the French one:

http://www.douane.gouv.fr/page.asp?id=46

Which says to me that the animal must be micro chipped and vaccinated.  Yes, the French customs seem very casual, but you would hate yourself if you turned up on the day when they were checking all the animals and you had to leave yours behind!

[Anna]

Hi

I'm the first to agree that my French is pretty abismal (yes, even after 7yrs!), however, I think this link is saying that it's for outside the EU. Maybe someone with better French will verify.

You're absolutely correct that things may well have changed since we came over in 2001 so you must check for up to date info. However, I do think that if you do not intend to take your pets back to the UK, you do not need to go to the expense of getting a Pet Passport. If you find you want this in the future, it can be done in France. Defra are, in my experience, very good at answering their e-mails so will, I hope, respond with good info.

[Anna]

Have a look at this link and let me know what you make of it....

http://www.douane.gouv.fr/page.asp?id=107

[Anna]

Sorry, don't mean to go on, but here is another link which may be useful:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth/about-us/contact-us/animal-health-offices.htm

You should be able to scroll down and find your local office here, which may seem more personal.

 

[Bernice]

Try this link ( its for "Vous arrivez en France ......  Carnivores domestiques en provenance d'un pays membre de l'Union européenne et circulation intracommunautaire d'animaux de compagnie" )

http://www.douane.gouv.fr/page.asp?id=83

Bernice

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Bernice"]

Try this link ( its for "Vous arrivez en France ......  Carnivores domestiques en provenance d'un pays membre de l'Union européenne et circulation intracommunautaire d'animaux de compagnie" )

http://www.douane.gouv.fr/page.asp?id=83

Bernice

[/quote]Yes, that's better - sorry about the mistake before.