Cat to the UK

[jerusalemjen]

I am traveling from Israel to the the UK and I am not getting clear answers from anyone at the moment.

1. Cat is microchipped and rabbies vaccinated
2. I am not traveling for a while so I don't have the vet approvals for the 10 day prior paperwork.

I want to go into Manchester but there is a mix of information as in:

1. The cat cannot go on the plane with me but as cargo?
2. We cannot go into Manchester if she is traveling as cargo that we would have to go to Gatwick or Heathrow.
3. I checked with a pet transport here in Israel that wants to charge me 2,400 USD to send the pet (seems an outrageous amount to me)

Does ANYONE have experience taking their cat to the UK and can get me some good advice. PLEASE!!

Thank you

[johnexplo]

Re: Cat to the UK

If you do decide to travel with your pet, these are the things you need to know. I’m concentrating here on travel for cats, dogs and ferrets to continental Europe under the EU Pet Travel Scheme; different rules apply for most other countries. For more information on this,

[admin]

Re: Cat to the UK

Hello Jerusalemjen - your cat will need a rabies titer test to enter the UK and it will take 90 days to complete the process. You can find requirements to import your cat to the UK here with links to further instructions and forms if you need them: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/UnitedKingdom.cfm.

Your cat must enter the UK as air cargo at London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester (if you are accompanying it), Edinburg or Glasgow (if you are accompanying it). Your cat can fly into Manchester if your airline is approved to carry live animals to that airport.

The reason why it is so expensive to import a live animal to the United Kingdom is because commercial airlines will only fly them in as air cargo which is more expensive than checked baggage or in-cabin. An agent must collect your pet from the aircraft and take it to the reception center where you will pick it up.

To avoid these expenses, some pet owners will fly to Paris with their pet in the cabin, then take the train to Calais and take Le Shuttle to Dover. The only downside to this plan is that you and your pet must ride on Le Shuttle in a car. There are services that will pick you up and take you through the Chunnel (Folkestown Taxi, Pet Movers, etc.) or a friend or relative can pick you up on the France side.

You can also fly to AMS, take the train to Rotterdam and take a ferry to Hull. Longer option but pleasant ride, we hear.
Susan