Taking my dog to Spain - Page 2

RichT wrote on Sun Feb 4, 2024 1:51pm:

A friend who is a vet advised not to fly dogs in the hold of planes unless you absolutely have to - he says there is a disproportionate percentage of deaths and he would never do it.

If you feel confident & competent to drive, then take your time, drive through France or take the Bilbao / Santander to Plymouth / Portsmouth ferries. On the ferries, you can either have the dog in onboard kennels or even book a cabin where your dog can stay with you. If driving, many hotels ...

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...in France accept dogs, even budget brands such as Ibis. You can do it in 2 days, but I would allow 3 to enable more exercise & pee stops!

If you then register your dog  in Spain and have a 'european passport' for her, this is far simpler and cheaper than bringing your dog from the UK, when you will need a certificate every trip. However, you will still need to have a vet check her out and give a anti-rabies vaccine every time you return to the UK.

On  the dangerous dog point, if you register the dog here, you will be required to have her micro-chipped; insurance (including public liability insurance); prove that you are strong enough to control the dog; and it has to be on a lead and muzzled when in public.

Hope this helps!

rayreen wrote on Sun Feb 4, 2024 1:46pm:

Good luck finding a flight from Spain to UK. If you find one please let me know by private message and if I find a company I will let you know too itene

Oo

Chrise812 wrote on Sun Feb 4, 2024 8:26am:

Hi Janet.

We live here now but spent last year backwards and forwards using Brittany ferries Portsmouth to Santander. 

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I just checked their booking system as we thought we might nip back for a week. We now have a little rescue dog with us. All the dog friendly cabins have gone for this year, they get booked up very quickly. You would do well to join their loyalty system. You get discounts but also get advance booking before general release.

I guess that leaves eurostar. Our neighbours use that route with their two elderly sausage dogs. Plenty of dog friendly hotels in France, use the filter on booking.com 

You best check with your vet for the latest regulations on vaccination for the dog and its passport requirements etc.

Also be mindful of the 90 day rule as you mentioned coming for a month at a time.

Los Alcazares is lovely,  we had dinner there last night. Most places welcome dogs on the covered terrace.  She looks lovely,  Staffies are the best. Our first dog Tara was with us 8 years, she was a rescue staff. She passed away at 15.5 years old the year before we bought here. We have her ashes with us. I tell our little Jack she trained us to be good dog people! 

Jfalcs wrote on Sat Feb 3, 2024 8:40pm:

Hi

We have just bought an apartment in Los Alcazares.  We want to start coming out for a month at a time and bringing our Staffy with us.  We are not sure best way to bring her out to Spain

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Can anyone please from experience give us a bit of advice best way either plane or car and ferry/Eurostar.

Many thanks

Janet

RichT wrote on Sun Feb 4, 2024 1:51pm:

A friend who is a vet advised not to fly dogs in the hold of planes unless you absolutely have to - he says there is a disproportionate percentage of deaths and he would never do it.

If you feel confident & competent to drive, then take your time, drive through France or take the Bilbao / Santander to Plymouth / Portsmouth ferries. On the ferries, you can either have the dog in onboard kennels or even book a cabin where your dog can stay with you. If driving, many hotels ...

Read more...

...in France accept dogs, even budget brands such as Ibis. You can do it in 2 days, but I would allow 3 to enable more exercise & pee stops!

If you then register your dog  in Spain and have a 'european passport' for her, this is far simpler and cheaper than bringing your dog from the UK, when you will need a certificate every trip. However, you will still need to have a vet check her out and give a anti-rabies vaccine every time you return to the UK.

On  the dangerous dog point, if you register the dog here, you will be required to have her micro-chipped; insurance (including public liability insurance); prove that you are strong enough to control the dog; and it has to be on a lead and muzzled when in public.

Hope this helps!

Jfalcs wrote on Sat Feb 3, 2024 8:40pm:

Hi

We have just bought an apartment in Los Alcazares.  We want to start coming out for a month at a time and bringing our Staffy with us.  We are not sure best way to bring her out to Spain

Read more...

Can anyone please from experience give us a bit of advice best way either plane or car and ferry/Eurostar.

Many thanks

Janet

jillyw wrote on Wed Feb 7, 2024 8:45pm:

Hi, We have a staffy and before we brought her over here, we had to have a vet certificate which cost us a fortune everytime we came over. The border control are very stringent with this certificate. Check with your own vet to see if they do it, otherwise you have to find one. Costly!!!

Brittany Ferries the cabins are very few and far between. I don't like to put my dog in a cage, so we go via the tunnel, lot more driving but it is so quick, 35 minutes and your in France. The tunnel is very strict on the vet certificates too. ...

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If you have a place over here, you can register your dog with a vet in Spain, thus making her a a Spanish resident, then no need for the vet certificates, Must have a microchip! but you do have to have a rabies jab each year, have a check plus worming before leaving Spain to go back to the UK which cost wise is minimal.  Coming back to Spain, as long as you show border control her passport, you can just enter the EU. no jabs, no worming nothing!!! 

Hope this helps. Jill 

Jfalcs wrote on Wed Feb 7, 2024 10:53pm:

Thank you very much - we will definitely will take her to a Spanish vet and get that sorted.  We have decided to drive and go Eurotunnel

many thanks shain