Q. I really want to take my dog to France this summer but he doesn’t have a passport – is there any way I can get a passport organised in time?
A. No – at the moment the 6 month rule is very strict and there is no way your dog would be allowed back into this country until 6 months after the blood test for rabies is taken. Your only option if you wanted to go to France earlier than that would be to enjoy a very long holiday and wait until the 6 months are up before coming home! However this does look set to change from 2012 with the interval between vaccination and re-entry to the UK dropping to 3 weeks which will make things much easier.
Q. How often do I need to vaccinate my dog against rabies to keep his passport up to date?
A. The usual interval is 2 years but 3 years is acceptable in some cases depending on the vaccine brand used. Your vet will be able to advise you on this.
Q. How can I find holiday accommodation that accepts pets?
A. There are several good online guides available including www.petfriendlyhotels.com and www.dogfriendlybritain.co.uk and these are the best places to find hotels and B&B’s that welcome 4 legged members of the family.
Q. I’m thinking of taking my cat away on a caravanning holiday as he really misses us when we go – is this sensible?
A. My advice would be not to risk it as however well-behaved and home-loving you cat may be, there’s always the chance that they will take fright and run off, or simply get lost and you’ll spend your holiday desperately searching for them. I speak from bitter experience on this one, having spent a miserable 48 hours in Devon hunting for a girlfriend’s cat after agreeing to let it come on our camping trip! We did find it in the end but it ruined the holiday – and ultimately the relationship as well!
Weve been taking our doberman Ailsa on short breaks here in the UK for over 8 years and generally stay in Travelodges: they are cheap, cheerful and pet friendly. You can take up to 2 pets and pay just £20 per pet per stay which is not bad when the accomodation or us humans is as little as £19 per night per room! Weve been all over the uk from Brighton to Edinburgh; Pembrokeshire to Norfolk; Devon; Dorset; Cornwall and Northumbeland. This year we will be heading for Sussex and the Kent Coast and yet again, weve bagged a bargain; £19 per night for 4 nights plus £20 for Ailsa. Cant wait and she will love every minute of it too
i have just booked my dog to stay with a dog sitter she will go and stay in the dog sitters house you take all their food beds treats etc and they take the dog for walks the lady seems very nice but i am worried about how my dog will be treated as i have never used a dog sitter before she is employed by a agency.have any of you reader used this service and how did they find the experience