Travel with animals to UK

Hello everyone !

I'm back on line from U.K. now. I arrived few days ago after the most stressful travel I ever done. Let me explain this. Our plane tickets for the whole family were booked by a travel agency (company policies), dog included. So I packed my things, closed my French house and took a cab with my kids and my dog to Marseille. So far so good. With minor difficulties to check in, we all flied to Amsterdam and spent the night there. But during the check-in process the day after, it appears that the dog cannot be on our flight to Aberdeen !

Can you imagine I had to prepare paperworks and to plan pick-up in the two hours before the flight ? With no working cell phone or computer and printer ? My heart was full of sadness and my head about to explode, but I did. And we were able to take our flight at the last minute. And when I say last minute, I mean the boarding doors were close and they re-opened them for us.

But the story won't finish there. After landing, getting the appartement keys, and finding the most comfortable couch in the room, I did grab a phone and my computer to verify that my dog will be with us the next. Not an easy part, because even with cargo, dogs cannot flight directly to Aberdeen. So after hours of thinking, we decide that the dog will take the flight to Edinburgh and will drive there to pick him up.

Did I tell you I never drove on the other side of the road ? But I did, for 2x3 hours. And now we are a complete family again. I cursed all the people who are responsible for not telling me that my dog cannot travel with us (travel agency, Marseille airport employees, flying company Customer services...).

So, if you plan to travel with animals to U.K., be aware that in no case animals can travel to U.K. other than cargo, an there only few entries point for them. Be sure you have all paperworks done before traveling, and keep a copy of enverything with you (I did, god for me because the cargo company forgot to attach one with the dog). If one paper is missing, your animal will be put in hold until you can provide it, or if a vaccination is not current, he will be send back.

Ok. That is the past now. I will enjoy the Aberdeenshire as soon as my kids will go to school (next Wednesday). And I will get back to scrapbooking as soon as my air shipment will arrive...

Have a wonderful day yourself !