First Time Abroad with van (1 Viewer)

[canopus]

We are off over the channel end of June. Can anyone recommend the best place to cross from. We have an easily stressed dog who will be travelling with us and she might throw a wobbler in the noisy hold of a ferry with all the banging and clattering. Hence we may plump fo the tunnel where you stay in your vehicle with the dog. Can anybody advise please?oh:

 

[Simba]

We always use the tunnel, dont fancy leaving the dogs on their own in the M/H on the ferry.

 

[dellwood33]

We used the tunnel last year for exactly those reasons - less stress on the dog. In fact she went to sleep both ways even though it is a fast crossing.
We had no problems and the animal control coming home was a doddle.

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[dewaltman]

my friend has said that he prefers to use the tunnel when he has the dog with him

 

[chatter]

We have a dog of a nervous nature any bang or pop and she runs and hides given the chance, but we still use the ferry and funnily enough it doesnt seem to bother her although we thought it would - like you thinking of bangs etc.We have some herbal stress relief stuff from the vets but havent used it called Zylkene, the first time we took her i got some acp tablets from the vet and they were so slow acting on her that she fell asleep after we got to the other side. even though they had been given to her far enough in advance for them to act.

 

[Heyupluv]

my friend has said that he prefers to use the tunnel when he has the dog with him

The Tunnel every time as the dog is with you all the time........

Mel:thumb:

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[weekenders]

we have not took our dog (new to us last april) before so we are trying the tunnel using the tesco vouchers this year, should be better as he will be with us all the time, although we do like the ferry as it seems part of your holiday walking round the ferry and duty free.

 

[slobadoberbob]

Ezzie loves the tunnel

The only problem for Ezzie is she can feel the train movement, but when she looks out of the RV window nothing is moving.. She has been over a few times and cannot work that one out yet.

From her point of view the wee place this side is a bit small.. the French side is better and the pet passport control is good and efficient.

I take it you have gone through all the requirments for the pet passport?

if you hunt on the site you will find all the details of vets some of us use for the way back to meet the rules.

dogs get on well going by train as they are with you for the very short crossing. Even the pet passport control is not an issue as you run the chip reader over your dog and hand it back to the staff so no one else has to become involved.. just try getting through the doors some days.. a lot of animals travellin on the train and often a delay due to the number waiting to be processed.

Any questions do feel free to p.m. me.. no question is daft..

Bob:thumb:

 

[ninjayorkies]

I did both. Eurotunnel going out was a doddle and then P&O ferries coming back due to cost. Very kind deck hand told me he hadn't seen me and therefore wouldn't notice if I stayed in the van with the dogs - so I did :thumb:

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[Teasy2007]

We are off over the channel end of June. Can anyone recommend the best place to cross from. We have an easily stressed dog who will be travelling with us and she might throw a wobbler in the noisy hold of a ferry with all the banging and clattering. Hence we may plump fo the tunnel where you stay in your vehicle with the dog. Can anybody advise please?oh:

Hi, We have two dogs and always use the Tunnel, it is far easier when you can stay with your dogs. It is easier to have them checked as well, you just turn right before the check in, park up and take them into the Pets centre, far better than keeping everyone waiting behind you whilst you try to find the chip - with a wand that is faulty!! We were waiiting 20 minutes at the ferry a couple of years ago before they realised it was their faulty equipment and not our dogs which did not have the microchips.

Another advantage of the tunnel is that we always seem to arrive a couple of hours early and we always catch an earlier train. If you have to amend the day you travel back it is far easier on the Tunnel - and does not cost anything to change. We have been charged up to £80 for travelling a day earlier on the ferry, exactly the same time just a day sooner. If you have to amend on the ferry it usually costs you £10 minimum.

I can recommend the Vets at Uzerche, if that is any help to you. We always have them checked there rather than waiting a couple of days at Calais. The vet is brilliant charges a fraction of the cost of vets nearer the ports and there is the most beautiful Aire with free electric and great walks. We always spend a couple of days there. There is a good supermarket on the way out and a very cheap diesel station so you dont need to call on the motorway.

Let me know if you need further information, but you can find photographs of the Aire on my albums.

Ginny

 

[hilldweller]

Very kind deck hand told me he hadn't seen me and therefore wouldn't notice if I stayed in the van with the dogs

Kind and damned stupid. He could have lost his job and you your life if a fire broke out.

 

[ninjayorkies]

We didn't have any hold ups at pet passport control and ours was a 10.20 sailing on a Saturday. In the end it was the cost of the ferry that decided how we came back.

Kind and damned stupid. He could have lost his job and you your life if a fire broke out.

Personal choice. I'd rather stay with dogs than let them perish.

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[normanandsue]

This may well not be relevant - but someone reading this link might have missed the one and only disadvantage with Eurotunnel!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have a petrol/lpg MH you cannot travel by Eurotunnel - they prohibit vehicles like ours from using it.

Have a good trip and enjoy France Ken. We do every time we go and this will be our 20th time.