pet transportation

[sunman]

we're planning to bring our cats back from Portugal to London with us, has anybody done this before and can recommend anyone?

we're up to speed with rabies jabs, chips, & passports, we just need advice on a carrier or agency, thanks

[chaucer]

Nick, on the man with a van thread takes dogs and cats to and from the uk, give him a call on 934491320

[traveler]

Buy a cat carrier and put them in cargo on your flight. TAP will carry them and did a good job for us.

[keela]

I personally would rather pay to have them transported overland than risk the cargo hold. I have heard so many horror stories. In fact a friend of mine lost her pets because the airline "forgot" to put the heating on in the hold. The poor little mites froze to death. It probably won't be a great deal more is cost either. Time to make a decision. If you care for your pets, and I think that you do, go for the overland option and have peace of mind.

[sunman]

Nick is very willing to drive the cats over for an agreed fee but unfortunately the ferry company don't have any pet spaces left & he's not driving to the UK again this side of Christmas.

The airlines pointed me to 'PetAir' who quoted me £1,434 to transport the cats by air, a prohibitive amount.

so we're looking for plan D, any ideas?

[andara]

My cat is being brought to Faro by Jet2 next week. Cost is £320 . I'll let you know how it goes.

[traveler]

Which airline were you looking at? I flew my dogs to Venice on TAP and they had quoted me Eur18/kg. I know the UK used to be wonky but as their procedures are now more in line with the rest of the continent, it shouldn´t be so expensive and you shouldn´t need a specialty program. BUT, this is with the understanding that you are flying with them. I think I would look at flying into paris and then, driving from there.

[sunman]

Which airline were you looking at? I flew my dogs to Venice on TAP and they had quoted me Eur18/kg. I know the UK used to be wonky but as their procedures are now more in line with the rest of the continent, it shouldn´t be so expensive and you shouldn´t need a specialty program. BUT, this is with the understanding that you are flying with them. I think I would look at flying into paris and then, driving from there.

I called TAP, they let you carry your cats on board for a small fee, but not to the UK!!

[Sandy]

Try Lufthansa via Frankfurt.

[sunman]

looks like we have a happy ending; Nick has managed to transfer to a different crossing which has room for the cats, he's been very helpful, as has his kind drive mate; they set sail on the 31st,
the cats are brother and sister, she is a homey type who's never gone far so should be fine; he's had wanderlust since he was little and often goes for lengthy walkabouts so we're a little concerned that if he goes exploring here he might struggle to find his way back so we'll spend a long time bedding him in and showing him round, fingers crossed.

[DVBRO]

Sunman I assume you love your Pets as much as I do. We have moved many times and have never had a problem with our Bro and Sis Cat wandering. The reason being that I purchased a containment system, which operates with a wire around the perimiter of the property and the Cats wear a small electronic tag. If they go near the wire, they are warned. This is not a cruel system, but means we have never had any worries of losing them or wandering off.
Glad you have found someone to return them safely.

[sunman]

well, the cats left in Man with a van's van yesterday morning & are on their way to sunny England via a night in Caceres and tonight on a Santander to Plymouth ferry, bless them (and him )

we've had some anxious moments, the male has a bit of wanderlust about him & when we locked the cat flap to keep them in for a few days prior to travel he managed to smash the flap off it's hinges & escape over the wall; luckily he came back & we barricaded him in a spare bedroom where he proceeded to knacker the handle in trying to get out, we couldn't get into the room, so we had to take the handle completely off & undo the centre bolt with a pair of pliers to get to him.

but they're in a little cage on the front seat & I meet them tomorrow night in Guilford to bring them home; our little garden has a couple of Tom's and a family of foxes that like to wander round it, all that fun to come in the coming weeks

[Gary/Gaynor]

Let us know how this story finally ends with the wanderlust cat. How big is he? sounds to me like he'd eat vacuum cleaners for lunch and destroy your a sofa for dinner! what a character
Gaynor

[sunman]

Let us know how this story finally ends with the wanderlust cat. How big is he? sounds to me like he'd eat vacuum cleaners for lunch and destroy your a sofa for dinner! what a character
Gaynor

he has a bit of history Gaynor; the cats are brother & sister & about 6 years old; she is a homebird & never goes far from the front door, he, on the other hand, likes to go for a wander; when he was first here he disappeared for a week, then for three weeks, then for 3 months, and once for 11months! he came back thin and frail from that one with sunburned ears so we wondered whether he'd got into a car or a van and went to Barcelona or somewhere
then he cam home with a horrid wound on his backside from a fight & had tricky surgery followed by a month indoors to recuperate after which he disappeared for a week again.

we've often thought he is fed by somebodyelse nearby sometimes & maybe has been locked in another villa by a maid by accident a few times; so he's caused us some anxiety over the years.

they're both moggies, he's white & medium size, she looks a bit like a Siamese and tiny but stares down the Toms that come round to invade her territory.

So we're worried what might happen to him when he gets to London, we're planning a month indoors for him, and a few short walks on a lead, then we'll kiss him, open the door & pray he comes home for his dinner

[sunman]

poor Nick suffered a very bad night on the crossing- got caught in a force 9 gale that really threw the boat around but he got here safely, we met in a car park in Guildford late tonight & I brought the cats the rest of the way, nice to have the cats home