PET EXPORTS LTD
Pet Travel - Frequently asked questions
Pet travel arrangements
Our policy is transportation of your pet with the minimum amount of stress for the animal.
This means selecting the most direct air route and keeping the time spent in the pet travel kennel to
an absolute minimum.
What animals can we ship?
We export cats and dogs from the UK but can sometimes advise on other types of pet. We do not import.
Can our pet travel on the same flight(s) as us?
If you tell us what airline you are using (flight and date) then we can tell you whether it is possible.
Can our pets fly out of our local airport?
Sometimes.Many short haul holiday destinations are served by Manchester, Birmingham, East Midlands, Leeds, Luton, Cardiff and Bristol However, the vast majority of direct Long Haul International flights depart only from London Airports.
Pets can be flown from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester and Newcastle to Heathrow in order to connect
with the international flight. This would normally be done on the day prior to the international flight so
that your pet does not spend an excessive amount of time in the travel kennel. Please contact us for more
information.
What documentation will my pet need?
For the EU most countries just require a microchip and rabies vaccination entered in a pet passport and a veterinary health certificate.
If you are considering relocating your pet or pets from the UK to Australia, New Zealand, Singapore
South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates or for that matter anywhere else abroad then you
will need to contact DEFRA on one of the numbers given on the DEFRA numbers page. They will
inform you of veterinary requirements and documentation. It is also advisable to get in
touch with the embassy or consulate for the relevant country in case the regulations have
recently changed. In a large number of cases a rabies vaccination is required and this must
be done at least 30 days prior to the flight.It is usually helpful to have your pet up to
date with inoculations irrespective of whether the country of destination requires them. If
your pet needs to spend any time in the cattery or kennels then current vaccinations are a
necessity. If you have any doubts please contact us.
Pet Passport
Try not to be misled and badgered into unnecessary expenditure especially if you are not intending
to return to the UK. To take your pet out of the country, your pet does not need to have the rabies blood test,
however a pet passport showing microchip and rabies vaccination is now required for all EU destinations.
In order to use the pet passport to get your pet back to the UK without doing quarantine,
a number of factors, other than whether the country is approved, have to be considered.
The first is whether an airline is an approved carrier and the second is whether the route
you wish to use when returning to the UK is approved. More information is provided on the DEFRA
(Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) website
PETS which gives all current
information on quarantine and the pet travel scheme (PETS) including participating countries, routes and airlines.
Do I have to use a special vet?
This is dependent on the country that you are moving to but generally the vet has to be an LVI or OV
(DEFRA approved Local Veterinary Inspector or Official Vet). DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
will inform you of a local LVI/OV should you need assistance.
Where will my pet be located in the aircraft?
They travel in the cargo hold of the aircraft. The hold is heated, pressurised and dark.
This will keep your pet calm and most will settle down and sleep once the aircraft is in the air.
Will my pet have enough room?
Once we are given measurements of your dog/dogs then we can build the correct size IATA (International
Air Transport Association) approved pet travel kennels. We will construct the pet travel kennel so that
your pet has enough room to travel comfortably.
Your pet will be able to lie down comfortably and also be able to sit up and turn around.
We have our own travel kennel(s). Can we use them?
The plastic pet travel kennels on sale in this country do not always conform to the current requirements
(some do not have the correct ventilation at the back even though they are sold as IATA approved
travel kennels - when they were designed they met the regulations then in force and the regulations
have since changed).
They also have a tendency to deform and spring open when put under pressure so most airlines are
wary of them particularly with larger animals (dogs over 25 Kg). Similarly if your pet originally
arrived in this country in a kennel, this may not meet the current requirements. Your pet may also
have outgrown it. In order to determine whether the size is sufficient we would need measurements of
both the air kennel and the animal involved.
Should our pet be sedated?
Categorically No, the airlines will refuse any animal that seems to have been sedated.
Aircraft are pressurised at between two thirds and three quarters of normal atmospheric pressure,
this lowers the blood pressure of both humans and animals. Sedatives generally work by lowering
blood pressure so the combined effect could be detrimental to the well being of your pet.
Feeding and watering?
For their own comfort it is advised that they are fed only lightly the day prior to travel and
not fed at all on the day of the flight in order to travel as empty of food as possible.
Animals are not fed during the flight but do have access to water.
The airline will provide water immediately before being loaded onto the aircraft.
Is there any access to my pets in flight?
Neither passengers nor crew has access to the cargo hold during the flight and you will not have
access to your pet at any refuelling point.
Can my pet have toys in the box?
Not advisable as the airlines feel that there is a possibility that they will be swallowed and
may choke the animal, however a familiar item of clothing or blanket is ok. Collars must also be
removed before your pet is put in the travel kennel.
Pet Exports Ltd. Reg. Office: 35 Shelson Avenue, Feltham, Middlesex TW13 4QS Reg. No. 4624811 VAT no. 807 6597 94
Copyright © 2003 Pet Exports Ltd.
All rights reserved.
Unrelated Frequently asked questions
Does the rest of my family use me to promote their websites/businesses?
Yes. Duncan is in Connecticut, his website is currently under construction (brother-in-law, Dan is doing the honours). He is a fine art photographer or so he tells me and can be found at
D & M Images . He produces stunning photographs of scenery in England, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
Duncan, an English gentleman of 41 years, is a handsome, articulate, athletic (well 15 years ago he was) type - available for dates/extra-curricular activities (on suitable payment to his wife)- perfect for those up market New England gatherings/golf days or down market drinking binges/Ten pin bowling/casino evenings.
Mother is an artist in the more traditional (?) sense - some of her work for sale is displayed at her website
Contemporary and Abstract Art .