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Moving dogs to the UK

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  1. #1

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    Moving dogs to the UK

    Does anyone have experience in this process? Out of interest, I called up a pet moving company and was quoted around 19k per dog! Of course it would be the less stressful route, but is it really this costly?

    We would never leave them behind, but surely there is a cheaper way of moving?


  2. #2

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    Sounds about right to me. The cost of the flight alone for a dog is easier as much as it cost for a person to fly there, if not more. Factor in petty costs such as the crate required, which must be up to standards, all the vaccinations, paperwork, and communications, it all adds up, and you are paying some to do it all for you.

    When I bought my dog from the UK to here, I tried to do everything myself, just hired a company to ensure that the crate was of the right size and smoother border process. I booked the flight myself, did all the legwork of getting the right microchip and vaccinations done at my local vet, paperwork both in the UK and HK (endless nights of contacting my cousin to get this done), transporting to the Heathrow airport, and picked up and transported my dog when he landed. When I consider all the money involved I needed to spend, it came to nearly that amount.


  3. #3

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    Sounds like a headache! I know the crate alone is nearly 2k and their passports etc so that will increase the price further. I don't regret adopting them but it would have been easier to get one later in the UK!

    Oh well, you live and learn I suppose.


  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by jop-14:
    Sounds like a headache! I know the crate alone is nearly 2k and their passports etc so that will increase the price further. I don't regret adopting them but it would have been easier to get one later in the UK!

    Oh well, you live and learn I suppose.
    Thats why there are these pet relocation companies around which takes care of nearly every aspects of pet relocation. Its up to you to decide if you are willing to pay the extra money vs having the headache/time/effort to do things yourself.



    For starters, flying your dog into the UK, it must go through one of the recognized/listed carriers:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...air-routes.pdf


    You'll see that its mainly Heathrow and Gatwick being the main destination airports, with a small smattering of Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow, etc. but there maybe no direct flights from HK to those airports from those airlines. Then you need to contact the airline and find out which flights they do that can take pets, its not every flight, maybe 2-3 a day, so its a specified time of departure and arrival.

    And then its onto the paperwork:

    https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad/overview


    You'll see that some of the paperwork is time constrained, meaning you must have it done well in advance (see rabies vaccination then the blood test 30 days after).

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by jop-14:
    Sounds like a headache! I know the crate alone is nearly 2k and their passports etc so that will increase the price further. I don't regret adopting them but it would have been easier to get one later in the UK! Oh well, you live and learn I suppose.
    I have 3

    Try contacting and getting a quote from these guys, they are highly recommended.

    http://ferndalekennels.com/en/import_export.php

    http://internationalpettravel.com/cu1.html
    Last edited by wtbhotia; 27-05-2015 at 03:21 PM.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by wtbhotia:
    I have 3

    Try contacting and getting a quote from these guys, they are highly recommended.

    Import-Export


    International Pet Travel - Contacting Us
    Thank you! I have heard great things about international pet travel. 3! you deserve a discount

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:
    Thats why there are these pet relocation companies around which takes care of nearly every aspects of pet relocation. Its up to you to decide if you are willing to pay the extra money vs having the headache/time/effort to do things yourself.



    For starters, flying your dog into the UK, it must go through one of the recognized/listed carriers:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...air-routes.pdf


    You'll see that its mainly Heathrow and Gatwick being the main destination airports, with a small smattering of Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow, etc. but there maybe no direct flights from HK to those airports from those airlines. Then you need to contact the airline and find out which flights they do that can take pets, its not every flight, maybe 2-3 a day, so its a specified time of departure and arrival.

    And then its onto the paperwork:

    https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad/overview


    You'll see that some of the paperwork is time constrained, meaning you must have it done well in advance (see rabies vaccination then the blood test 30 days after).
    Very useful information. Thanks a lot

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by jop-14:
    Thank you! I have heard great things about international pet travel. 3! you deserve a discount
    I used them (George is awesome) a few years ago on a difficult transportation (a large dog and a senior cat fromTenerife via Hamburg to London Gatwick and overland to London Heathrow to Hong Kong). I had to work with another organization on the export side out of Tenerife into Hamburg and they totally screwed it up. Didn't check crate size differences between inter-Europe and the international sectors and George saved the day when they landed in London by working with the team at the airport to re-crate and re-declare everything. He even went to the airport at midnight to personally oversee their arrival into HK in case there were any issues at this end resulting from the changes. He then brought them home to me in DB.

    I totally recommend International Pet Travel.
    wtbhotia, jop-14 and bibbju like this.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fiona in HKG:
    I used them (George is awesome) a few years ago on a difficult transportation (a large dog and a senior cat fromTenerife via Hamburg to London Gatwick and overland to London Heathrow to Hong Kong). I had to work with another organization on the export side out of Tenerife into Hamburg and they totally screwed it up. Didn't check crate size differences between inter-Europe and the international sectors and George saved the day when they landed in London by working with the team at the airport to re-crate and re-declare everything. He even went to the airport at midnight to personally oversee their arrival into HK in case there were any issues at this end resulting from the changes. He then brought them home to me in DB.

    I totally recommend International Pet Travel.
    I agree with Fiona. George at International Pet Travel is the way to go. Great guy who goes the extra mile.

    I used George to move my dwarf hamster from HK to Paris, a friend used him to move her cat from HK to LA and a good friend in London used George (on my recommendation) to import 2 dogs into London from HK that he adopted from a HK charity. (A friend of mine in HK was fostering them and my London friend was looking for the same breed so I put everyone together and now there are 2 happy dogs living in the lap of luxury in London....still can't believe someone in HK abandoned such lovely dogs!)
    wtbhotia and Fiona in HKG like this.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by bibbju:
    still can't believe someone in HK abandoned such lovely dogs!)
    20K to ship a dog over, many ppl will just dump em and get a new one on the other side, for them its ONLY about the $$$$.
    East_coast and Fiona in HKG like this.

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