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Paperwork you need
However, dogs and cats, like their owners, have to carry ‘passports’ to enter Britain. These are more complicated than a human’s passport, and consist of
- The anti-rabies vaccination certificate
- Results of a blood test taken 30 days after the vaccination showing that the vaccination has taken. Six (6) months after the correct blood test results the dog or cat can then enter Britain
- A ‘ticks and bugs’ Certificate issued by a Vet, which shows that the animal has been treated 24 - 48 hours previously against ticks and worms (Echinococcus multilocularis). You may think this is excessive, but already a British dog has died from Babesia canis, carried by ticks which we don’t have in Britain. Your Vet should be able to obtain the paperwork from your country’s Ministry of Agriculture, but if there is any problem, book into the Copthorne Hotel at Coquelles, in Calais, where the Manager is able to arrange for the appropriate examination. Tel. 33 (0)3 21 46 60 60. (See Petplanet Frodo the First for more about this hotel).
- A ‘chip’ implanted under the skin, showing your animal’s unique number. Although tattoos are legal in France, they are not sufficient for Britain. Warning: the chip must be implanted BEFORE or at the same time as the Vet. gives the rabies vaccine, to ensure that the chip number is on the rabies certificate. If your dog has been vaccinated first, and the chip implanted later, currently this is NOT accepted in Britain. However, there is some dispute about this, so if in doubt ask your Vet to get in touch with our Ministry of Agriculture through the British Embassy.
Travel
Then you MUST book your animal’s ticket with one of the ferry companies or airline that has the licence from our Ministry to transport animals into Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme. Their officials have been trained to check the paperwork and use the scanner device to check the animal’s ‘chip’ number. Currently these are: Brittany Ferries, Eurotunnel, Hoverspeed, P.& O. Stena Line, P. & O. Portsmouth and Sea France Ferry lines. The airline British Midland is currently licenced to carry dogs to and from Amsterdam to Britain. Other airlines and ferry companies will probably join the scheme later on.
Lady Fretwell and the official ‘Passports for Pets’ team travelled over by Eurotunnel, and the dogs (and one cat) found the journey very easy. Once the animal has been ‘scanned’ at Calais, and its papers checked, back it goes into the car, and most slept during the smooth 35 minute journey through the tunnel.
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Manette Marchand from the Netherlands was one of the first owners to bring their dog into Britain to show. Chico, her Border Terrier, had no problems at Calais, where 'a nice British gentleman' checked him onto the Hovercraft. Staff promised to keep an eye on him as he had to be left in the car during the crossing.
However, before Dutch dogs can travel to Britain, Manette says that once Chico's blood test showed the rabies vaccine had taken, she had to take the dog to the Rijksdienst voor Vee en Vlees for an official stamp on his paperwork. You MUST take your animal with you, otherwise you don't get the stamp.
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Insurance
Before you go, consider insuring your pet. Vet’s bills in Britain can be very expensive, especially in cities such as London where rent and rates are sky high. You need to insure your pet for medical care, for the consequences if it gets lost and you have to stay on, or pay a reward to find it, and to pay out if your animal causes an accident. Then your insurance could also cover your bills if your pet is ill and you have to cancel your holiday. E. & L. Insurance offers a year-round insurance policy for as many times as you take your dog on holiday. 44 (0) 1423-330711.
Hotels
Finally, you can enjoy yourself - provided you stay in a dog-friendly hotel, B & B or campsite - or with friends. Unfortunately, not every place is dog-friendly: recently I was invited to stay in a country hotel that promised walks in the woods and fields surrounding the hotel. Fine, I thought. I will take the dogs too. Shock - horror when I phoned to book! “We don’t want dogs treading on our new pale blue carpet” said the Receptionist .So I took great delight in treading across the carpet after I had had a walk in the woods, and I reckon I made much more mess than a dog. Sadly, in a nation of seven million dogs, there are places that won’t accept them. So look up Petplanet’s Guide to good Hotels in Britain.
Some hotels love animals: a manager once told me “we prefer dogs to some of our human guests”. But do check when you make a booking. As a rule of thumb about 50% of hotels will accept dogs, but sometimes owners change, so always ask before you book. If you are bringing a cat most hotels that accept dogs will also accept cats. But for the cat’s sake, keep it well locked up; some dogs consider a cat is there for them to chase.
Dog-friendly places
You are on holiday, so is your dog, so where can you take him/her? Contact the nearest British Tourist Authority office; if there isn’t one near you, contacts are::
England - 44 020 8846 9000 or http:/www.TravelEngland.org.uk
Scotland - 44 131-332 2433 or www.holiday.scotland.net
Guernsey - 44 01481-726611 or tourism.guernsey.net
Jersey - 44 01534-500700 or e-mail jtourism@itl.net
Wales - 44 01222-475291
to ask for ‘dog’ things to do.
My two Border Terriers love to travel, and these are some places they reccommend!
What about spending an afternoon watching eight men on horse-back hitting a ball up and down a field twice the size of a football ground? Polo is one of the fastest and most exciting games on earth; players ride hell-for-leather across a 300 metre field, and the only rules are designed to protect the horses. You can ride off (barge into) an opponent - just as he is about to hit the ball your horse pushes him off the line, and his hit goes out. Some of the world’s best players visit Britain every summer for the season, and you can see Argentineans, Mexicans and Americans shouting a mixture of Spanish and English to encourage their team-mates as they gallop up the field.
There are over fifty Polo grounds in Britain, and most welcome well-behaved dogs, who take to the ‘field’ to ‘tread in the divots’ (replace the bits of grass that hooves have cut up) with their owners after matches. For humans this is where you can meet typically British people enjoying an exciting sport, and children can usually find someone to go off and play with. Cowdray Park in Sussex is especially welcoming, and has matches about 3 - 4 times a week April - October (01730-813257). Phone the Hurlingham Polo Association for clubs in other parts of Britain: 01869-350044
London’s Parks are all dog-friendly, and this is a good place to meet the British. However, few restaurants allow dogs in; one of the few is Buchans in Battersea Park Road, London, near Battersea Park. If you want to dine with your dog, find an old-fashioned pub - they are generally dog-friendly.
Once out of London, Britain has miles of open land and most beaches allow dogs - but look out for notices in case dogs are forbidden. Many attractions are particularly dog-friendly, and although they may not allow dogs into their parks or houses, they will suggest tree-shaded sections to park your car, put out water bowls for dogs, and some places such as the Scottish Wildlife Park even have kennels where you can leave your dog during the day. For ideas, contact the Tourist Boards, or visit any Tourist Information Centre marked by the "i" for information.
The West Country has miles of moors, cliff edges and beaches, and has marvellous walks through country villages with churches and pubs. Contact the West Country Tourist Board for more information.
The Lake District has the reputation of being the most crowded of Britain’s tourist destinations, but walk half a kilometre up the Fells (mini-mountains) and you could be the only person in the world. This is a dog paradise, and if you want to go inside a building there is usually somewhere set aside where you can leave your dog.
On the Borders of Scotland and England the marvellous Roman remains of Hadrian’s Wall stretch from one side of the country to the other. Much of the old Roman fortifications still remain, and although cars can drive parallel with the Wall, there is a mini-bus that takes a circular route enabling you to walk the dog and then be driven back to where you left your car. Just be careful to walk parallel with the wall, not on top where you might wear away the stones.
In Scotland there are hectares and hectares of places to walk the dog - but beware of the Loch Ness Monster (better seen after a glass or two of whisky). The Speyside area has many distilleries which you can visit, and again there are places where you can leave your dog.
Sheepdog Trials
These are typically British competitions designed to show off a dog’s intelligence. Unlike European Flock Guards such as Maremmas, the British sheepdog is used to round up sheep for the farmer, and bring them down to be dipped, or their fleece cut off or perhaps to be sold. The sheepdog will run out for several hundred metres and come into the sheep to ‘stare’ at them to move them towards the farmer. A good sheepdog will bring in the sheep without agitating them, right where the farmer wants them to be.
At a Trial the sheepdogs compete against each other and the clock. Typically there will be 10 strange sheep about 500 metres away; the dog is sent off by master to bring these sheep back, take them through some obstacles and round others, until they are safely gathered into a ‘pen’ or enclosure. The dog receives marks for its performance, not upsetting the sheep, timing and knowledge, and the spectators will usually be as entertaining as the dogs when they explain what is happening - not always agreeing with the Judges! The Cumbria, Northumbria and Scottish Tourist Boards can tell you when and where Trials are being held.
Then if you have a favourite breed and want to see a dog show, contact the Kennel Club 44 870 6066 750 for details of official breed shows around Britain.
And keep on looking at Petplanet as we bring you more news of events in Britain and where to go.
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