Travelling with dog . Entering France

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Hi
We are about to take our dog with us on the Eurotunnel crossing to France for the first time . We are planning on driving down to saumur for our first night stop and would like to know how long it takes to get our pet checked on the France side before we are allowed to travel . He has all the required documents and jabs . Is this something that is done on uk side before crossing ?
 
The system now is to drive to barrier as you leave motorway, barrier checks your name and tells you to got to pet checkin. So park in long vehicle area, and walk across to pet checkin with all your documents and the dog. They will check dog in and then go through the available crossing times that they are willing to offer you. All in 10mins, but depends on how busy, and if your paperwork is all ok.
 
Yep, head for pet reception in Folkstone, they will also allocate your train and give you the boarding pass to put in your windscreen.
Allow 10-15 minutes

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The system now is to drive to barrier as you leave motorway, barrier checks your name and tells you to got to pet checkin. So park in long vehicle area, and walk across to pet checkin with all your documents and the dog. They will check dog in and then go through the available crossing times that they are willing to offer you. All in 10mins, but depends on how busy, and if your paperwork is all ok.
Forgot to mention that you need to take the dog with you to the reception and your proof of crossing as well as the pet documents🐕🤞
 
Saumur is quite a drive from Calais after a crossing. When we went over in October trains were delayed so from arrival at Folkestone to departing off the train it was a good couple of hours, then there is the hour difference for French time.
You say that you are a newbie in your profile so get an app so that you can find alternatives for a night stopover. Ideally pull off the autoroute and stop in nearby towns.
 
When you get to Folkestone you will need too go to the pet reception with your documents before passport control.
Takes a couple of minutes at the desk only. Should be quiet this time of year.
Just to clarify/add to Rico's comment, Pet Reception is before you go through the ticket barriers or any other controls. Watch for the signs to pet reception as you are driving in.
 
Just to clarify/add to Rico's comment, Pet Reception is before you go through the ticket barriers or any other controls. Watch for the signs to pet reception as you are driving in.
Its after the initial check in barriers. Then park up with ticket received from machine and go to pet control.
 
It's different depending on which direction you are travelling.

Departing UK - as said above you arrive at the check in barrier once you've left the motorway and will be instructed to go to the main car park and take yourself and your dog/s to the Pet Reception which is in the main building with the entrance roughly halfway between the two sets of entrance door to the terminal. It's generally quick and easy and you will be handed your windscreen hanger with your departure letter here rather than at the initial check in barriers as is the case for everyone else travelling without pets.

UK Check in.jpg


Departing France - as you drive in towards the check in booths you first need to be keeping to the right hand side of all the lanes and to follow the signs to the pet check-in building where your pet documents will be checked and you are then handed a sticker to put in the windscreen to prove you've done this. You then drive back to join everyone else queueing to get into the terminal - check in - customs - terminal etc. French side route shown in image below.

France Pet Check in.jpg

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Hi
We are about to take our dog with us on the Eurotunnel crossing to France for the first time . We are planning on driving down to saumur for our first night stop and would like to know how long it takes to get our pet checked on the France side before we are allowed to travel . He has all the required documents and jabs . Is this something that is done on uk side before crossing ?
All done in UK now, you be will be sent to the pets check in, they will scan them and issue you with your tickets for yourselves and Motorhome. On arriving in France you drive off the train and straight on to the motorway, no checks whatsoever. Enjoy, we are on our last nights stop over at Teruel before hitting Benidorm tomorrow lunch time.
 
Although I think the security for pets is very bad as if you don’t book them they won’t know!!
Never been checked either way just the chaps in France looking for stowaway before you board the train.
 
See if you can get a pet passport for when you go again, far far cheaper than the dreaded AHC's. Search this site for amenable vets!
 
Hi
We are about to take our dog with us on the Eurotunnel crossing to France for the first time . We are planning on driving down to saumur for our first night stop and would like to know how long it takes to get our pet checked on the France side before we are allowed to travel . He has all the required documents and jabs . Is this something that is done on uk side before crossing ?
Do you still need to take dog to a vet on return to U.K.?

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No just get a pet passport when you are abroad it stops all this nonsense AHC business see website for amenable vets
 
Do you still need to take dog to a vet on return to U.K.?
Even if you have a pet passport you need to get the dog wormed and vet signature before you cross into the uk.
Max 5 days before min 1 day before ARRIVAL in the uk
 
Even if you have a pet passport you need to get the dog wormed and vet signature before you cross into the uk.
Max 5 days before min 1 day before ARRIVAL in the uk
That’s what puts me off taking my dog.Worrying about finding a vet.If he is wormed to go out of U.K. is it safe to worm dog again after 2 weeks on return?
 
That’s what puts me off taking my dog.Worrying about finding a vet.If he is wormed to go out of U.K. is it safe to worm dog again after 2 weeks on return?
Dog does not need worming to leave uk unless travelling to Norway I think.
There are vets all over France with easy access it’s not the problem you might think it is
 
your dog does not need to be wormed to leave the UK, only on returning. There are vets in every French towns/villages it’s very easy to find a vet, don’t worry about it. Also the Coops gave you wrong info, i. e. Even if you do get European pet passports as we have done you still need to have the worming done before leaving the EU to enter UK within a 5 day window.

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Our last dog had been wormed before we left UK-matter of routine-then we noticed worms in her poo after a long-ish stay in France and went to vet to ask if it was safe to worm then as she would be wormed again in couple of weeks to travel back to UK, he said yes.
Worms & fleas go hand in hand apparently and if the dog has even one flea it can re infect the dog with worms….don’t ask how I’m not a vet!

You don’t need to worm dog to leave the UK unless you want to!

Pet check-in is easy, take dog, Passport or AHC with you and they check the paperwork and the chip on the dog, that’s it.
Get dog wormed and paperwork signed & stamped in France up to a few days before you come back to UK (Max 5 days before min 1 day) then visit Pet Reception in France at terminal take take dog, Passport or AHC with you and they check the paperwork and the chip on the dog, that’s it.
French vets are very good, mostly, it’s fairly easy to find an English speaking one.
 
Also the Coops gave you wrong info, i. e. Even if you do get European pet passports as we have done you still need to have the worming done before leaving the EU to enter UK within a 5 day window.
Do you still need to take dog to a vet on return to U.K.?
I think the problem here is the wording-
frenchie asks about taking the dog to a vet ‘ON return to UK’-to me that’s asking when I get back to UK do I have to visit vet.
Answer to that is correct-in part-from the Coops. No you don’t have to take dog to a vet in UK. The dog has to go to a vet in France, once back in UK there is nothing else needed!
 
I think the problem here is the wording-
frenchie asks about taking the dog to a vet ‘ON return to UK’-to me that’s asking when I get back to UK do I have to visit vet.
Answer to that is correct-in part-from the Coops. No you don’t have to take dog to a vet in UK. The dog has to go to a vet in France, once back in UK there is nothing else needed!
My apologies I did forget to mention that the dog has to be wormed in an EU country, not necessarily France at least 24 hrs and not earlier than 5 days before returning to the UK, If my answer was short it is because it really is that easy to do, there is absolutely nothing to panic about look for a list of vets in the area you want to travel to and e mail them or look at the recommendations from other Funsters, You can even take your own worming tablets from your own UK vets ( Brevacto) if you are bothered about what they may be given but a vet within the EU has to administer the tablet and check the dog is fit to travel, see section on pet passports it will allay any fears
 
If he is wormed to go out of U.K. is it safe to worm dog again after 2 weeks on return?
Yes, here in spain it is a 3 monthly requirement & if travelling shortly after they get done again. Any problems they get another one.
 
One thing that I forgot to mention on any thread about taking dogs abroad, was to make sure your telephone number on the dogs tag has the UK prefix, 0044 then your mobile number without it’s leading 0. Should your dog be separated from you and found, the finders wouldn’t necessarily know you are from UK.
I got my dog tag changed before we went.

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