Hi, I've done a fair amount of research on this, but can't seem to get clarity on how to get through customs in the UK. Please can someone who has done this recently, or knows someone who has done this recently, provide some advice?
I am aware of the Pet Travel Scheme and its requirements: ISO microchip, rabies vaccination, third country official vet certificate, tapeworm treatment and a declaration from myself stating its a pet dog and not for resale.
I have an IATA crate and plan to fly with Cathay Pacific (will fly the same time as the dog), but haven't booked tickets yet.
Now according to Cathay Pacific, I need to call them when making reservations to make sure my dog is allowed to be checked in as baggage on the same flight. On the day, I check in him as excess baggage, and on arrival it's as easy as just picking him up from the baggage carousel.
Now the "picking dog up from baggage carousel" bit is where advice from the UK gov website and the IATA Travel website differ.
According to the UK gov on bringing pets into the UK:
"You can only collect your pet after it’s been taken through customs. You can usually pay an agent, travel company or airline to do this for you.If you can’t get someone to do this for you, you should either:
- contact customs where you’re arriving before you travel
- ask the National Clearance Hub at [email protected] for more information"
I thought Cathay might be able to do this for me, but when I called to ask, I was just told that I can pick the dog up from the baggage area. She paused to check and didn't seem that sure. This doesn't seem to tie in with what the UK websites say about all pet dogs needing to go to the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre for processing.
Can anyone provide clarity on what I have to do upon arrival in London Heathrow?