Dog on ferry (1 Viewer)

Nov 8, 2010
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Been quoted £30 by DFDS ferries for return trip to France for our dog which has to stay in van during crossing, is this normal, do other operators charge and what is the £30 for? :whatthe: Could we get away with not declaring her as everything else (pet passport) is in order?
 

Teasy2007

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Been quoted £30 by DFDS ferries for return trip to France for our dog which has to stay in van during crossing, is this normal, do other operators charge and what is the £30 for? :whatthe: Could we get away with not declaring her as everything else (pet passport) is in order?

From our experience all the ferry's and tunnel charge £30 for each dog. We understand this is for checking the passport is in order and the chip is correct.

Yes it is a rip off! as is getting your dog 'travel checked' in France! Perhaps the change in the rules in January will impact on the charges, but I doubt it. It is easy money for the vets and the ferry companies.

I would not for a minute suggest trying to come back into UK without declaring her, whether or not her passport is in order I think you would be in trouble!!

Better safe than sorry!

Ginny
 

chatter

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Yes that is the normal charge and no you cannot not declare her if you do that when they check your vehicle coming back to England she/he would be taken off you, and im sure you wouldnt want that.
They scan for the micro chip to check the dog is the one it relates to in the pet passport, and £30 is nothing compared to kennel charges or quarantine charges

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Snowbird

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Whilst traveling with my cat they couldn't be bothered to check with the scanner themselves, most of the times they gave me the scanner to do it myself:Doh:.
I should have charged them the £30.
 

ninjayorkies

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Yes it's normal. I paid £45 for 3 dogs one way when we returned from Europe via P&O. They check the passports and microchips at the french port so don't see how you can't not declare the dog?!
 

SPUD'N'T

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we pay £30 for the cat and like snowbird we have to scan him ourselves, it's a rip off but the alternatives (a) leave him behind... non starter or (b) don't tell em..... if you get nicked it'll be 6 months of quarantine for the animal and god knows what for you !!!

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Jul 25, 2010
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It is the norm, but us and everyone else in front of us at Calais were passed the scanner to scan our own dogs. They did have a bit of form filling to do, but still £30? Good profit for them.
I would always pay it though, Marmite makes himself known when the brake goes on in the MH!
 

Snowbird

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When I was traveling back and forth a lot on Norfolkline have traveled for £12 each way for me and my jeep. The killer was the extra £30 for the cat,then the vets fees on top. That cat cost me a fortune what with pet passport,injections and ferry companies but was heartbroken when she got runover.
 

Hollyberry

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Yes it's normal. I paid £45 for 3 dogs one way when we returned from Europe via P&O. They check the passports and microchips at the french port so don't see how you can't not declare the dog?!

£45 is cheap--must look at P&O again.
I usually get charged £30 for each of mine--one way only France to UK. This is for the paperwork necessary to get back into the UK. You'll be given the chip reader to do it yourself as the port staff don't want to risk approaching strange animals!

On no account risk not declaring your pet into the UK. He/she would be impounded for 6 months quarantine, at your expense. (about £2500---£3500 plus maybe a fine?)

Yes, £30 is a rip off for your animal to sit in your own vehicle (Once I was charged at the port UK to France and I asked if they got a cabin included in the cost --very stoney stare)

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tommytli

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im sure seafrance dont charge us for the dog? we have a carnet ticket and im sure the only suppliments we pay are if we sail on peak times.
and last time we took the dog the vets only charged us 19.95 euro but it wasnt in france we normaly try and get the vets as far as possible from calais because they charge around 60 euro for the same thing
 

slobadoberbob

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They should always pass the scanner to you

Whilst traveling with my cat they couldn't be bothered to check with the scanner themselves, most of the times they gave me the scanner to do it myself:Doh:.
I should have charged them the £30.

They should always pass the scanner to you.. in case say a dog takes exception to having a stranger touch them. Also as we have the chip checked before we leave te UK, we know where the chip is, as they can move.

We use the tunnel as it means Ezzie is with us all the time. The PETS office in France is very good and modern and I suspect that is where the £30 goes to... certainly not the single tree and bit of grass at this end.. In France they have a proper compound.

I have seen unfortunatly several people at the PETS office held up due to incorrectly stamped passports and they are waiting for a VET to come out..expensive, and on one trip the dog was taken away due to the lack of documents.

On the Stena Line ships to the Hokk Van Holland the dogs go into a run of kennels up on one of the top decks outside for the crossing. So we always use the Tunnel when possible and the same French vet in Amiens (€29 all the jbas etc., and the 3 stamps needed in the passport).

Bob:Eeek:

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tinkledrum

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Your dog on ferries!

Been quoted £30 by DFDS ferries for return trip to France for our dog which has to stay in van during crossing, is this normal, do other operators charge and what is the £30 for? :whatthe: Could we get away with not declaring her as everything else (pet passport) is in order?

Well we have been across the pond many times, alas they all charge £30 per trip one way, We always use dfds Dover Dunquirke as is the cheapest and quickest.
What we do is go down to see the dogs at least twice and just walk them round the truck? As for leaving them in the coach and not paying the £30 well I do know of a few that do this, Alas I have not the courage, I could not bear to be parted from our dogs. I have witnessed Itinerants doing this and they were not stopped. ( a big merc 4 x4 and a huge twin axle hobby) when they got to the other side out jumped 6 dogs?????
 

vwalan

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hi.i pay for as kennel for mine . but leave her in the 5er . she isnt too happy going in the kennels and if i go and walk her she tries not to go back in. leave her in her own bed and with food and water she is much happier. brittany ferries used to do it like thatall the time on some sips . walking ever 3 hrs. mine prefers to just stay quiet .
 

Teasy2007

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New rules in January???

They should always pass the scanner to you.. in case say a dog takes exception to having a stranger touch them. Also as we have the chip checked before we leave te UK, we know where the chip is, as they can move.

We use the tunnel as it means Ezzie is with us all the time. The PETS office in France is very good and modern and I suspect that is where the £30 goes to... certainly not the single tree and bit of grass at this end.. In France they have a proper compound.

I have seen unfortunatly several people at the PETS office held up due to incorrectly stamped passports and they are waiting for a VET to come out..expensive, and on one trip the dog was taken away due to the lack of documents.

On the Stena Line ships to the Hokk Van Holland the dogs go into a run of kennels up on one of the top decks outside for the crossing. So we always use the Tunnel when possible and the same French vet in Amiens (€29 all the jbas etc., and the 3 stamps needed in the passport).

Bob:Eeek:

Does anyone know what will happen in January, I asked at the Pet Passport centre in Calais (the tunnel), but she said she could 'not comment' !

Ginny

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steveclecy

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Does anyone know what will happen in January, I asked at the Pet Passport centre in Calais (the tunnel), but she said she could 'not comment' !

Ginny

This is a copy and paste from the DEFRA website

Requirements for tapeworm treatment are to be confirmed, so you are advised to check
the Defra website prior to travel. Tick and tapeworm treatment is still advised. It is best
practice, and best for the health of you and your pet, to treat your pet for ticks and
tapeworm before returning to the UK. Consult your vet for further advice.


So even seven weeks before the rule change THEY STILL HAVE NOT DECIDED about the tick and tapeworm rules.

Steve
 

pappajohn

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i believe when customs or whoever check the chip, if it aint where its supposed to be they don't waste time looking for it, assuming there isn't one.

evidently, chips can move under the skin and cant always be found, so it may be worth buying a scanner to locate it yourself before they check just in case it has moved.

dont know how true this is but it makes sense to me :thumb:



do other operators charge and what is the £30 for?


why do some campsites charge for a dog ?.... it doesn't use any of the 'facilities'
 

lesleyjean

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Hi

I have recently returned from france and Spain with my three dogs Using the channel tunnel.

I booked online when going out from Folkestone the online form stated £30

per dog, but did not charge us. But,

Coming back Calais to Folkestone we again booked online but this journey we were charged £90, that is £30 per dog:cry:

So it seems you only pay for the return journey:Smile:

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