snurse
Well-Known Member
Can anyone advise about travelling to and from Ireland with a dog? Is it the same as any European travel - passport etc. or are there any special rules? Only talking about holidays; I don't holiday without my dogs!
Travelling to and from Ireland
- Thread starter snurse
- Start date
Maesfen
Extremely Old Nag!
I don't know if they need any paperwork but when we regularly took/brought back mares from there, people would have dogs in their cars on the ferries. They wouldn't be allowed on the passenger decks unless they were a guide dog, they would be left in the car in the hold and you're not able to visit them during the trip but staff are down there and they would report any problems. Trips are at most, 3+ hours so I think most dogs would just curl up and sleep!
GinaB
Well-Known Member
If it's just a holiday you can travel them by boat with no problem. They just stay down in the car (although I think some companies are now allowing them on deck) although you're not allowed down during the journey. We often took one of the gundogs over to Scotland for shooting (although she was in a dog trailer) with no problems. Just ensure they have water available.
SouthWestWhippet
Well-Known Member
I took my two whippets to ireland on the boat about 3 weeks ago.
Although we booked an onboard kennel, when I got on the boat, the kennels were right next to the engine and just basically a row of metal boxes with grills in the front. I decided my girls would be happier in the car. Before I left I asked the vet for some dog-valium for them just to keep them calm (not to knock them out) as it does get very noisy down there when the boat is docking etc.
apart from the fact that I spent the whole journey entertaining lurid fantasies about how I would rescue them if the boat started sinking (or worse still, how they would drown in the car), it was absolutely fine. They were pleased to see me but i think they slept most of the time.
One lady took her puppy and put him in the dog crates, all alone with no blanket or comforter or anything to just sit on the metal floor for the whole journey. I felt sorry for that pup but I'm a big softy.
I've heard some ferry companies let the dogs in crates on the deck so you can see them but not all.
Although we booked an onboard kennel, when I got on the boat, the kennels were right next to the engine and just basically a row of metal boxes with grills in the front. I decided my girls would be happier in the car. Before I left I asked the vet for some dog-valium for them just to keep them calm (not to knock them out) as it does get very noisy down there when the boat is docking etc.
apart from the fact that I spent the whole journey entertaining lurid fantasies about how I would rescue them if the boat started sinking (or worse still, how they would drown in the car), it was absolutely fine. They were pleased to see me but i think they slept most of the time.
One lady took her puppy and put him in the dog crates, all alone with no blanket or comforter or anything to just sit on the metal floor for the whole journey. I felt sorry for that pup but I'm a big softy.
I've heard some ferry companies let the dogs in crates on the deck so you can see them but not all.
foraday
Well-Known Member
No paperwork is needed at all to travel to and from Ireland!
Its only when you want to go to France that you will need a PETS Passport to travel.
Remember you need microchipping, a rabies jab and then a blood test 1 month later-then you have to wait 6 months before your dog can travel freely abroad.
DEFRA have a very good PETS page with French, German and Spanish translations for when you need to visit the vets to get the tick and worm treatment and the passport stamped to return to the UK.
Its only when you want to go to France that you will need a PETS Passport to travel.
Remember you need microchipping, a rabies jab and then a blood test 1 month later-then you have to wait 6 months before your dog can travel freely abroad.
DEFRA have a very good PETS page with French, German and Spanish translations for when you need to visit the vets to get the tick and worm treatment and the passport stamped to return to the UK.