Taking dog to France / Spain

[ruby1234]

Hi
We're thinking about taking our dog on holiday to France (or maybe Spain) later this year. 5 year old SpanielX, fit and healthy.
Has anyone any experience of how the ferries - dog cabins, kennels etc works out? Is the Channel Tunnel a better option?
Is it worth all the effort to do this - Passports, jabs, tapeworm doses etc?
If you have done this would you do it again.?
Any advice greatly appreciated - thank you! :-)

No passports any more, you need an animal health certificate plus rabies vaccine at least 21 days before leaving the UK, then the worming treatment prior to returning and filled in on the AHC.

I don't know much about ferry crossings to France/Spain. We went Harwich to Rotterdam overnight and had a pet friendly cabin which worked out fine, I wouldn't want to do a longer ferry trip however.

I think if you are going to Spain there are additional parasites to consider so worth researching.

All in all it wasn't cheap, but still cheaper than kennels/boarding. I'd do it again.

If it suits your journey and times, it is undoubtedly far less stressful for you and your dog to travel by Eurotunnel - much shorter crossing, and you are with your dog all the time.

I have taken dogs on ferries several times, and have always left them in a well-ventilated car as I know they wouldn't settle on the kennels I've seen on ferries and they are very comfortable in their own car.

However, although it's rare, dogs have died in cars on ferries - I certainly wouldn't be doing it when the weather was warm.

Agree with eurotunnel, you're with them the whole time. The only ferry I've done with ddog was IoW and he was allowed out on deck and in some areas on board, and it's very short! He wouldn't cope with a kennel.

Thanks everyone.
We haven't decided on the exact location yet - possibly Normandy area.
Were thinking that the EuroTunnel will involve a much longer drive on the continent, whereas if we do, say, Portsmouth/Cherbourg then we will be nearer to the end location, so not so much driving at that end.
Dog wouldn't cope at all being left in the car, but would manage being confined to our cabin.
Lots to consider before we commit, I think!

When you consider whether you're driving more this side or French side, bear in mind that driving so much easier and less stressful over there. I'd take twice the driving in France to over here any day.

I've taken my dog across the Channel a few times by ferry, once was a relatively short trip where she stayed in the car and was fine. The other time was an overnight to Santander. I booked her into a kennel and it was interesting to see how other dog owners behaved with their pets - everything from a guy and his wife taking it in turns to sit in a deckchair reading the paper with a greyhound draped across their lap, to people leaving their dogs in the kennel for the whole trip (lots of whining etc). The exercise area is good and you can spend as much time as you like with your dog, daytime and nighttime. You're also the first people allowed back to your car with your dog before disembarking. I'd definitely do it again.

Also worth noting that France is really dog-friendly. Shops, cafes, metro, buses - just about everyone makes a fuss of them.

Be sure to check with your vet how much the animal health certificate is going to cost. My mum asked her vet recently and it would be £258...

I was looking at this recently (the AHC) and costs vary greatly. Apparently there's a vet in Portsmouth that charges around £100. So worth shopping around, but note that you need a new certificate for every trip to France!

Thanks everyone for all the information.
I'm thinking it will be much easier and less hassle to stay in the UK.