French customs. Do they check the chip?

[BobDee]

Taking cats to france shortly. All have pet passports, chipped Vaccinated etc. We will be travelling Euro Tunnel who say they do not check chips UK to France. We would like to take all three cats in fenced off area at rear of car (MPV) but that would be difficult if cats chips had to be  read individually at Calais. I have visions of escaping cats at Calais docks. Ideal would be to load in UK and keep them together for the whole journey to southern France. 

[Renaud]

There was nobody checking anything at the French side of the Chunnel when we brought our lurcher over in early September. Was this just because we arrived during lunchtime?

[Christine Animal]

You mean they won't be in a travel box, but loose in their section of the car?

 

[BobDee]

Yes, That is the idea. It will take about 10 hours to get to Agen and the idea is we stop  every few hours, have a nap or what ever, feed the cats, Change their litter tray, all from within the car, through a hinged access flap constructed in the "Dog Guard" partition. The cats will have food/water bowl litter tray fixed to the car floor as well es individual  boxes they can  sit in as required. This seems to be the most comfotable solution for them. We will have a few UK/UK trials before we go to get them acclimatised. Any comments appreciated, but todate this seems the best method, but would be more difficult  if we had to get their chips read in Calais.

[Frank]

Hi Bob

From what I recall, our pooch was only checked when we returned to the UK. Her chip has never been checked by the UK authorities and she has never been checked when entering France.  I also think your idea for the rear of the car is an excellent one! Our pooch had an area in a transit van with a sofa and her bed!!! Better conditions than myself and hubby[:)]

Good luck with your move and I hope your cats settle in quickly

Kimberly

[P]

Bob

I used to have 3 cats and when any of them were taken to the vets they would howl their head of in the car. With 3 in the car I hope they do not do this - the noise will be amazing[:-))].

Paul

[Suandpete]

Our daughters cat travelled from Surrey to Switzerland in eactly that

way - loose in the back part of a big 4 wheel drive and was absolutely

fine - compared to when he was in a cat basket for even 10 minutes and

was sick and yowled!  He wasn't checked at Calais.

[Catalpa]

If you're travelling via the tunnel animals' chips are unlikely to be checked but I suppose there's always the possibility of a car check by tunnel security so it might be worth practicing how you'd accommodate that (ie, corral the cats) if security wanted access to check that area of the car - very unlikely, though. I do think transporting animals by the tunnel is probably the most stress-free - for the owners anyway as you're with them all the time.

One suggestion: give them a fairly dark box or travelling cage - draped with a blanket or something - to give them somewhere dark and cave-like to retreat in case they do feel a bit exposed and insecure in the back of the car for that length of time.

[Christine Animal]

The only thing with them being loose is that, in case of an accident or someone going into the back of you, there is the risk of the cats getting out.  There are the big pet travellers for large dogs (just a thought).

Or if you travel with them loose, what about having a small empty pet carrier so you can get into the car and put one in at a time if ever they want to check them.

As mentioned before, we used to stop at a Campanile for the night and let them out and feed them in the bathroom.  I doubt if they will want to eat much going along.

Bon voyage!   [:)]

 

[BobDee]

Many thanks to all those who have responded. Some useful suggestions here. Went out tonight to collect the Dog Guard (Ebay of course) and tomorrow I will start the modifications , i.e. the access hole in the top. I'll get some pics posted when the exercise is complete and also report on how the cats like their travelling quarters.

BobD