Boarding a dog in UK? Any point?

[Soushiruiuma]

Recap: I am moving from the US to Belgium in July. I've booked a room and a kennel on the QM2 from NY to South Hampton. From there we'll travel to Brussels where my new job is.

Once I get to Brussels my university will allow me to take a dorm while I search for an apartment. But dogs aren't allowed in the dorms. So Guinness will have to boarded.

Is there any benefit to bringing him all the way to Belgium as soon as I arrive, or would it make sense to board him in England?

I think England would be more expensive. But on the other hand I could get him an European passport while he's in England which would make customs in Belgium easier (and save me around $60).

If anyone has any other pros or cons of either option I'm seeking opinions.

[Karlin]

A pet passport is a pet passport. If you have the standard one good for the UK, it should be fine for Belgium (especially as UK standards in the past were stricter!) -- you don't need to get anything extra or apply for anything else unless rules have changed. It is a single document recognised in many countries worldwide though different countries have different entry requirements with it.

I am not sure what the benefit of leaving him in the UK would be -- a long way to travel back to get him and transport him over.

I cannot stress enough to make sure you have done every single detail of the pet passport correctly before departure-- some places in the US really do not understand what needs to be done. If it hasn't been done then you will have to leave him for 6 months strict quarantine in the UK at your cost.

I guess the UK now no longer requires the 6 month wait after the titer a month post the rabies vaccine -- making travel a LOT easier on the passport. But where are you reading you need to pay again for another passport to go to Belgium?

If all that is done, I am sure you can find somewhere in Brussels to board him where you can also visit him. Why not approach the CKCS club in the country for recommendations?

You should also check on what additional vaccinations might be needed for Belgium for dogs -- probably none but there can be regional things that differ.

[Soushiruiuma]

It's not possible to get a passport for him in the US. What I can get is a USDA form that varies by country. Even if I were to fly into France or the Netherlands (or anywhere else on continental Europe), I would need a separate form for each country, or I'd risk having him quarantined as we cross the border.

Because I'm on a US passport, I need to get my residency visa verified when entering Belgium, so even if they would let me bypass customs on the way in, I NEED to go through customs.

The US does not participate in the PETS scheme, which is really a shame.

If you know of reliable info that indicates otherwise, I'd be interested in reading it. But as far as I know I need a new form for each country.

If he gets left in the UK temporarily, I'd take the train to get him back, then probably have to take a ferry to amsterdam, then a train to Brussels.

[Soushiruiuma]

I guess the UK now no longer requires the 6 month wait after the titer a month post the rabies vaccine -- making travel a LOT easier on the passport. But where are you reading you need to pay again for another passport to go to Belgium?

If all that is done, I am sure you can find somewhere in Brussels to board him where you can also visit him. Why not approach the CKCS club in the country for recommendations?

answering these 2: as of Jan 2012 Defra is not requiring titre testing, the requirements are the same as mainland Europe. The form to move him over from the UK to Brussels is the same form, except that it's in either French, Dutch, or German. Hence the extra cost.

Dog boarding Belgium is a little strange, the kennels are out in the countryside, realistically I would not be visiting Guinness on weekends, because I need that time to look for an apartment so that I can bring my poor baby to his new home.


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The great news is, a friend of my current boss lives in Bristol, and we're discussing him living with her for a few weeks while I get my ducks in a row. If I can find Guinness a house to stay in, in either location, I'd prefer that over a kennel.

Thistle is really getting the better deal in this, living lavishly in with my uncle's family until it's easy to transport her. Guinness is practically Robinson Crusoe having to make sense of so many changes.

[Karlin]

That sounds good!

I have never heard of anyone needing a separate pet passport in another language to go abroad though... never heard of Americans needing to get a separate passport to go to other EU countries and we just have one single pet passport over here. I can't imagine why you need this -- the whole point of recent changes were to get rid of differences between countries and make the passport scheme standard.

[Karlin]

As far as I can see all you need is to have your vet complete this form

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/...xIICertPet.pdf

and then get the appropriate clearances before leaving the US and the form is good in any EU country. You don't need to go to the UK to get a form for Belgium. The Belgian embassy should be able to clarify.

More info:

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets/r...gscatsferrets/

This has plenty of detail on the current system and again, emphasises that you simply need the correctly filled in Annex form to go to any EU country:

http://www.pettravel.com/blog/?p=356

The critical bit is having the USDA certified vet OK the form before departure. In most cases this is NOT going to be a person's own vet. I had to go to the USDA office at a scheduled appointment during my week of departure to have this stamped by the proper qualified vet. Vets generally should be able to tell you where to go to have this done or contact the USDA office in your state.

[Soushiruiuma]

Fortunately my vet is USDA approved, I need to mail the form in, and pay an administrative fee, but I don't have to find a different vet.

We're going through England because that's where we're getting off the ship. The Belgian consulate here told me that I can try to take him across with the English form, but the customs agent can refuse it (depends on their mood). They suggested getting a separate form in one of their languages.

I'm also traveling with my mother for the cruise. She travels about as well as a grumpy toddler, so I have to contend with dragging her around, in addition to my luggage (I didn't invite her).

Picking Guinness up won't be that bad, I can just take an overnight bag, get on the train, and then take the ferry back.

[MomObvious]

I have no advice sounds like an adventure tho......My only question is can you get a head start on looking for an apartment in Brussels now? I'm just thinking that might solve your whole boarding issue, or make it faster.

Melissa

[Soushiruiuma]

I have done the whole "find an apartment online" thing before and REALLY regretted it. And that was without a language barrier, and a different country's standards (for example,I have learned through the Internet that light fixtures and kitchen appliances are often provided by the tenant. Very different from the US)

I have looked online, but there's no way I'm renting anything site unseen. I have a university dorm for me when I arrive, but no dogs allowed. I'm arriving July 13, and hoping to get a place by Aug 1, Aug 15 at the latest. I'm not that picky, I'd like something small and affordable with a small garden for the dogs (thankfully these are common in Brussels).

[MomObvious]

I have done the whole "find an apartment online" thing before and REALLY regretted it. And that was without a language barrier, and a different country's standards (for example,I have learned through the Internet that light fixtures and kitchen appliances are often provided by the tenant. Very different from the US)

I have looked online, but there's no way I'm renting anything site unseen. I have a university dorm for me when I arrive, but no dogs allowed. I'm arriving July 13, and hoping to get a place by Aug 1, Aug 15 at the latest. I'm not that picky, I'd like something small and affordable with a small garden for the dogs (thankfully these are common in Brussels).

Yeah, I've done the rent before I actually saw thing too but I was moving back home so I know the area real well. That was like 15 years ago and it was only a 6 month lease I hardly remember living there now getting old haha. At least you know what you're looking for and they are common in Brussels.

And I have watched enough "House Hunters International" to know renting is different in other places in the world. Like one show, the American couple was moving to India they looked at apartments what did not have electricity 24/7.....I don't know how I could ever get used to that.

I know its a lot of planning and things to work out but don't forget its about the journey too. Sounds cool, when you get there I'm gonna ask you all kinds of what's different questions hahhhhaaaaaa

Melissa