Taking Pets Abroad when purchasing your 'Caravan in the Sun'

IMPORTANT - Please allow plenty of time to arrange for taking your pets abroad. It can take upto several months for all to be completed.

First of all for domestic pets such as cats and dogs, you need to make an application for an "Export Health Certificate" known as pets passport. Once you have applied for your pets passport, it will be sent to your designated Veterinary surgery.

To apply for the Pets Passport you need to contact your local Department for Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs (LOCAL DEFRA OFFICE), to get their number and/or address you can telephone the main office in London on 0207 904 6356, they will give you all the information that you need for your local office, or a typical e~mail address is (aho.h.stafford@svs.gs.gov.org) substitute (stafford) for your own local area office, when you get through ask for the Export Section make sure to tell them how many pet' s that you want your pet passports for as you get one for each pet.

Very important: When the application form arrives do not put an estimated date in the space asking for a departure date, fill the space in as follows "Will Inform", the reason for this is that the pets passport will only last for a period of ten day' s, so if there are any unforeseen delays and you run out of time, then you would have to apply all over again, then send the application form back to Defra, they will then send the pets passport to your chosen Vets.

Once you are sure of your travel date, make an appointment with your Vet' s for a day or two before you travel, then fax the date to your local Defra office, your Vet will issue you with the relevant health certificates

For exotic pet' s such as Parrots,Lizards or Snakes, e.t.c, to make sure that it is alright to export the pet/pet' s you should contact CITES department of Defra on 0117 372 8168, they will inform you if there are any current problems with your particular species, if all is OK then proceed as above.

Getting Your Pets On A Flight:

In the first instance contact TFA Logistics & Distribution, telephone 01753 685393 and ask for Kevin or e-mail him info@tfalogistics.com let Kevin know the date/date' s you wish to travel, he will then arrange flight' s for your pet/pet' s and let you know the details of the flight, he will supply you with a contact name & number so as you can arrange seats on the same flight, if you are unsuccessful in obtaining seats on the same flight, contact Kevin and let him know, he will then arrange another flight for your pet, and then you try the above again.

Best of luck, I hope that this helps to take some of the stress out of your move abroad.