PETS - Quarantine

[lbfrancois]

Hi,

I wonder if any member of this forum had a pet quarantined....

My husband and I are going to London and we are planning to take our cat with us. She doesnt apply for the PET SCHEME, as she is not from an approved country, so she will need to spend six months in quarantine. I am searching quarantine facilities in London, but I would really appreciate some suggestions on the subject...

Thanks,
Lu.

[John]

A google search on www.google.co.uk , searching only "pages from the UK", will help ... but I would be amazed if you succeeded in finding a quarantine cattery within London itself. So I suspect that you will need to find one outside London, but hopefully not too far away.

Have you any idea of the cost of six months quarantine? This webpage .... admittedly not near London ... it is near Bristol ... might give you an idea .... London area might well be more :-

OVERHILL QUARANTINE KENNELS

[lbfrancois]

Hi John,

In fact, I've already found 3 catteries in London:

www.londonandessex.demon.co.uk
www.chingfordkennels.co.uk
www.airpets.com

But I would like to hear from ppl who went through the same thing and which facility they think is best.

They usually require a 500 GBP deposit + 200 GBP each month (for six months). Quite expensive...

Not all of them post photos and descriptions of the facilities online, I asked them by e-mail, but some of them don't have photos available.

Unfortunetely, I don't know anyone in London to go visit them for me, so I am trying to gather references....

Lu.

[John]

Lu, I think you prove my point ... those places are hardly in London ... but they are certainly in the surrounding area or outskirts.

As regards the cost, I was fearing that you were thinking of bringing in your cat without any idea of the cost. As you are aware just now expensive this will be ... well fine ... totally up to you.

Incidently, the cost of actually flying in your cat from your country?

You are going to be renting accommodation? It is not unusual for landlords to have a "no pets" condition. For six months it will not matter but you certainly need to take the cat into account after that.

[sfgirl]

Could you really do this to your cat? Six months in a possibly poorly run kennel?

When I moved here years ago I found good homes for my 2 dogs and 1 cat in the US rather than subject any of them to quarantine.

[lbfrancois]

We are trying to find someone to take my cat for a month here, so we can go to uk first and check out the quarantine facilities ourselves. Also, it will give us time to find a job and settle down. (I have done some job interviews by phone and had VERY positive replies, including job offers).

I know six months in quarantine might sound cruel, but the facilities are a lot better nowadays, DEFRA is imposing some hard regulations and they are all adapting to them. I saw a very good one called Precious Pets, it was bright, very clean, with lots of toys, run area, heating 24X7, spacious, and each pet had dedicated maid. But unfortunetely, it is far from London.

My pet is my responsability, and I wouldn't leave her behind, unless I didnt have other choice. Of course, how pets settle in quaratine depends on each case, mine is a very independent female cat and is used to spending time alone, as we both work. I think she will adapt just fine. Cats usually adapt more easly than dogs, some dogs are very close to their owners and certainly wouldn't be able to spend six months in quarantine.

So don't worry, I am considering all the facts here, if I'd thought for a slight of second that she wouldnt adapt or that the facilities are NOT adequate I wouldn't do it. But just to be sure that i am choosing the right facility, we decided to go first, settle down, check the facilities, then have her sent to us in uk.

Thank you all for replying!

Lu.

[Celso]

Hi,
Do you know that it would be easier if you could go to a vet and check all the procedures ,like blood tests and stuff to be send to UK, and you could pay someone in your own country, like a friend ou family to take care of your pet whilst wait for the period asked(6 months) to send it to UK. That would save you so much money and you would know that your beloved pet would be with someone you trust.
Celso

[lbfrancois]

Celso,

You are talking about the PETS SCHEME. My cat does not qualify, as my country is yet to be approved by DEFRA.

Regards,
Lu.

[iskander]

Hi,
Do you know that it would be easier if you could go to a vet and check all the procedures ,like blood tests and stuff to be send to UK, and you could pay someone in your own country, like a friend ou family to take care of your pet whilst wait for the period asked(6 months) to send it to UK. That would save you so much money and you would know that your beloved pet would be with someone you trust.
Celso

Could you please give me a few hints because the process isn't very clear for me. So if I have 2 dogs and I want to take them with me in UK, is there ANY way to avoid keeing them in a quarantine (it's not about the money, it's about keeping them separated) ?
Any tests that I can take, or can I apply for the process 6 months ahead of bringing them into UK and leave my dogs during these 6 months home, with my family?

[John]

It is not clear which country you are from but this DEFRA webpage probably has the information you need.

[iskander]

It is not clear which country you are from but this DEFRA webpage probably has the information you need.

Excuse me if I'm being thick, but here is what I gather: I am from Romania, and it is listed here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarant ... /other.htm
and also here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarant ... /index.htm it reads "The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) is the system that allows pet dogs, cats and ferrets from certain countries to enter the UK without quarantine as long as they meet the rules"
Does this mean I can skip the quarantine?

Cheers

[John]

Yes, if you meet the rules! They are strictly applied ... do read the detail.

Now that we know your country we can say that Romania is mentioned on this DEFRA webpage.

All you need to do now is to make sure the pet is indeed within all the rules :-

To bring your dog or cat into the UK under PETS from one of the listed countries you must have it first microchipped, then vaccinated against rabies and then blood tested. There are no exceptions to this order of preparation apart from the exemption explained in the next sentence.

[iskander]

Yes, if you meet the rules! They are strictly applied ... do read the detail.

Now that we know your country we can say that Romania is mentioned on this DEFRA webpage.

All you need to do now is to make sure the pet is indeed within all the rules :-

To bring your dog or cat into the UK under PETS from one of the listed countries you must have it first microchipped, then vaccinated against rabies and then blood tested. There are no exceptions to this order of preparation apart from the exemption explained in the next sentence.

Thanks a lot John ! you made my day !!

Cheers !

[John]

Are you sure? Have you read the "small print", in particular :-

Once the vet has issued the PETS documentation and that six month period has passed, the PETS documentation is valid for your pet to enter the UK.

When are you hoping to come to the UK with your pet? Or has the pet already got a microchip, had the vaccinations and the blood test?

[iskander]

Are you sure? Have you read the "small print", in particular :-

Once the vet has issued the PETS documentation and that six month period has passed, the PETS documentation is valid for your pet to enter the UK.

When are you hoping to come to the UK with your pet? Or has the pet already got a microchip, had the vaccinations and the blood test?

I won't be coming but in a few months so that will leave only a couple of months which is just perfect, enough time for me to find the proper accommodation and everything....
I couldn't stand having my dogs imprisoned in a quarantine, but if they can wait that time at home with me or at least my family, that's fine.