Pet Passport check in warning (1 Viewer)

Shovelheadrob

Free Member
Jul 13, 2014
60
111
Funster No
32,399
MH
Soon to be 5th wheeler
Exp
On & off for 20 years
Just come back from a month touring France & we had someone trying to stow away at the pet passport check in area, I know it's been posted before so we had made sure everything accessible was locked but as we were having Ollie checked in one of the staff pointed out what was happening. The young African lad just walked off to return a minute later & try the next caravan!
 
May 8, 2011
3,834
47,986
God's county. Helmsley, North Yorkshire.
Funster No
16,317
MH
IH Tio 630 RL
Exp
Since April 1846 but have always camped.
I guess that we were lucky, arrived at pet passport control last Wednesday morning, didn't see a soul. I patrolled the van while wife did the pet thing, never saw any immigrants or no security either. It was a breeze considering all the press it has recently received .
 

Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,191
Cotes d'armor, France
Funster No
26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
Exp
Since 1987
We found a young man hanging on underneath our van there last week, we were told security patrols would be increased in the car park, they obviously aren't!
Allan

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Hollyberry

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 24, 2011
5,518
42,265
New Forest.
Funster No
16,134
MH
None.
Exp
4yrs
I've never done France to UK on the tunnel. Why do you have to leave your vehicle with your dog? And what do you do with a cat?
At the ferry I stay with all animals in the car and read the chips one at a time, handing reader back through booth window each time.
 
OP
OP
Shovelheadrob

Shovelheadrob

Free Member
Jul 13, 2014
60
111
Funster No
32,399
MH
Soon to be 5th wheeler
Exp
On & off for 20 years
Only done the Euro tunnel, that's just the way it is, you park in the car park by pet check in, go to the desk with your pet & paper work, pet gets scanned & away you go, it just appears that there is very little security in the compound.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jun 26, 2012
89
57
ipswich suffolk
Funster No
21,657
MH
coachbuilt pilote
Exp
2005 off and on
We came thru on Friday afternoon stopped at the dog control centre didn't see anyone suspicious about,when we got to passport control we were asked had we looked under our vehicle to check if anyone was hanging on that was it no checks by anyone official so our immigration control is spot on !!!
 

clf86ha

Free Member
Oct 4, 2012
23
7
Hartlepool, Norh East
Funster No
23,153
MH
Autcruise Starspirit
Exp
since April 2014
I came back from my first trip to France two weeks ago and was totally surprised at the lack of checks.

On the UK side: Pulled over and asked if I'd turned my gas off? said yes and he said, "ok, I'm supposed to check, but I'll take your word for it!", no more checks - good job I wasn't kidnapping/trafficking kids etc

On way back to UK: went to pet passport area and inside with my 2 dogs, handed me the scanner, never looked at my dogs to see if they matched the paperwork, gave sticker and out I went, I could have had an ill litter of underage puppies in my motorhome for all they knew.
Next checkpoint and passports checked for the first time in trip, then told to pull in behind, they checked underneath for stowaways, I asked if they wanted to see inside, their reply "No". I could have had 3 immigrants in the loo!

Having only ever travelled by plane and subjected to high security measures, which we accept as the norm, it shocked me to see how utterly lax security seemed at the tunnel

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

autoswan

Free Member
Apr 3, 2012
776
4,649
Swansea
Funster No
20,381
MH
coach built
Exp
i`m a newbie
With all the problems at Calais why have we not heard of problems at Dieppe or Le Harve in the news ? surely after travelling through all those safe countries to get to Calais the others are just down the road for the illegals ?
 

sdc77

Free Member
Jan 28, 2013
3,244
4,550
Weardale, Co Durham
Funster No
24,456
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
since 2011
I came back from my first trip to France two weeks ago and was totally surprised at the lack of checks.

On the UK side: Pulled over and asked if I'd turned my gas off? said yes and he said, "ok, I'm supposed to check, but I'll take your word for it!", no more checks - good job I wasn't kidnapping/trafficking kids etc

On way back to UK: went to pet passport area and inside with my 2 dogs, handed me the scanner, never looked at my dogs to see if they matched the paperwork, gave sticker and out I went, I could have had an ill litter of underage puppies in my motorhome for all they knew.
Next checkpoint and passports checked for the first time in trip, then told to pull in behind, they checked underneath for stowaways, I asked if they wanted to see inside, their reply "No". I could have had 3 immigrants in the loo!

Having only ever travelled by plane and subjected to high security measures, which we accept as the norm, it shocked me to see how utterly lax security seemed at the tunnel
The alternative to all this is for them to be extremely invasive.... I'm sure that would get a load of people moaning. I prefer the whole thing to be intelligence led and quick to be honest... So much easier and less hassle than the ferry (I know it costs more)
 

big map

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 8, 2009
4,597
182,265
Poole
Funster No
5,855
MH
A Class
Exp
Since 2009
When driving into the pet place at 8.25 this morning we saw 2 men stood against the trees on the right. Why isn't this area fenced? A cheap solution to the problem.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Nov 18, 2011
11,856
42,474
Planet Earth
Funster No
18,938
MH
A van
Exp
Over 25 year's
was in the pub last night and a friend of mine had someone some how got in to his caravan.
before boarding the ship he had to go in to the van for something smelt something bad in the van like stinking shocks trainers
got suspicious sent for security stow away in the wardrobe
he never seen any one hanging around his van at check in and was sure he had locked the van
bill
 

Philiphall

Free Member
Dec 28, 2012
245
190
Department 87, Haute Vienne, France
Funster No
24,079
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
A few years now had a break but back with a MH now
We came back through the tunnel about 2 weeks ago and had to have the dog checked at the pet control building. Whilst I was out the van at the centre a male tried to get under the van, lucky my other half spotted him and banged on the window she then sounded the horn to alert me. By the time I came out of the pet centre literally 30 seconds later there was no sign of the male. We were fully checked by border control, we were towing a trailer and they checked in that too. The guy from border control actually went under the van to check. He stated it is now very common for the immigrants to climb under motorhomes and cling onto the sill, apparently they drop down onto the floor whilst on the train then reattach themselves when the train stops at Folkestone. He also stated the UK Border Control were fully aware that immigrants are living in the bushes next to the pet control centre but the authorities in Calais will do nothing about them as if one gets to the UK its one less for them to worry about. They apparently refuse to enclose the pet centre with security fencing.
The immigrants main camp is now in a field behind Calais caravans (looks about 300 tents) which is next to Leader Price on the way into calais from Cocquelles - this where loads of motorhomes stop to shop at Auchan. We were going to stop there or Leader Price to shop but on seeing immigrants staking out the car parks decided against it. Back in France at the moment intend to shop in Normandy before returning!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Wyaye wires

Free Member
Sep 13, 2009
3,333
9,263
Berwickshire
Funster No
8,441
MH
A class Neisman Bischoff
Exp
since July 2009
Once the MoHo's and Tuggers stop using the sales points around Calais and buying further out, then the authorities will start doing more to solve the problem...
It all comes down to economics in the end...
 
Aug 31, 2009
107
44
Lot-et-Garonne, France
Funster No
8,231
MH
Changing
Exp
15 Years
We came over on the Newhaven Dieppe ferry this time, with our two dogs. About the same price as the tunnel, 4 hr crossing, and you are about 100 miles further south when you hit France.
 
Dec 12, 2010
5,367
21,178
Cumbria
Funster No
14,651
MH
C Class
Exp
since 2011
We came over on the Newhaven Dieppe ferry this time, with our two dogs. About the same price as the tunnel, 4 hr crossing, and you are about 100 miles further south when you hit France.

How did your dogs cope with the ferry crossing ? Heard lots of tales of unpleasant cages and traumatised pets after the crossing, that's one of the reasons we use the tunnel.
 

sedge

Funster
Jul 7, 2009
5,491
13,024
Nr Jct 3 M6
Funster No
7,396
MH
C class
Exp
Aug 09 to date 9,000 miles!
We went to Bergues aire for our last night in France (night of 20th Oct) so came along the Mway from Adinkerke and off at Jct 60, so then hung a left for Bergues, back under the mway and straight on from there.

There were shedloads of assorted plastic sleeping shelters to be seen on the grassy areas right next to that Jct. Saw a few next morning when from Jct 60 came off at 54b to go to Auchan Dunkerque to fill up in the service station - I'd think twice about parking up and going into that supermarket another time, cos it looks like they are getting further away from just Calais itself now.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top