High Cost Of Shipping Cat/dog To The Uk

[Ashley]

I've touched on various aspects of this subject a couple of times over the past 6 months but I was wondering if anyone had flown with their animal from Buenos Aires into the UK specifically.
We just got a quote from the cargo service (DAF) that shocked me a little...US$1900 PER CAT!! (we have two). Obviously, if that's what it costs, that's what it costs. There is no question that the cats will be coming over with us but I've had several friends from the US ship cats and dogs over to the US for less than 500 US and am wondering why it is so much more for the UK (or if we're being taken for a ride by the British Airways-approved cargo people!

PS: They're both former street cats...so it's not like they have any special breed-related requirement

 

[alexandraeason]

hi,
we are leaving BA and returning to NY next week. we are taking our 8 year old boxer with us. 2 years ago pets could travel as "extra luggage". which meant you could just pay an extra baggage fee. This is still the case when you travel from the US to argentina but with new laws, controls, etc. that the Argentine government implemented you know HAVE to book your pet's travel through a cargo pet agency if you are traveling from Argentina to wherever. which means tons of additional expenses. I got quotes from several agencies and decided to go with DAF. which wasn't the cheapest or the most expensive. paying about US$1100 i chose them b/c of price and b/c they walk the dog before the long flight. i did receive a cheaper quote from interfresh cargo . since you are traveling with cats perhaps you are not concerned about having them walked. my dog will not pee/poo in his crate and inter fresh did not provide the walking service. calm them they should be able to get you a better quote.


María Soledad Saez
Interfresh Cargo S.A.
Paraguay 1343 4º D
C1057AAU - Buenos Aires
Phone: + 54 11 5353 0501
Mobile : + 54 911 6397 6135
Fax: +54 911 4811 7056
Nextel : 54*502*1724
[email protected]
www.interfreshcargo.com
Members of:
www.worldfreightpartnership.com

good luck.

 

[Ashley]

Thanks so much for that Alexandra. I think I'll get in touch with DAF again though because if they're charging 1,100 to ship a boxer to New York, I'm still a little surprised by the 1,900 quote to ship a smaller animal to the UK (its pretty much the same flight time). I'll have to see if there are extra costs involved in taking an animal to Europe. I must admit I was expecting to pay around 1,000 so was a bit shocked to find it was double that! Maybe there was a bit of a translation issue and they actually meant 1900 for both cats (which would be a big relief!)

 

[French jurist]

Could the reason be that the quarantine rules are much more complex/rigid in the UK?

 

[RachinBA]

Ashley I will reply to your pm asap, but I am leaving in February with my 2 cats. I'm moving to Germany so I will be flying with Lufthansa who seem to have a good rep for transporting animals. Anyway, they are going in the hold and it's much less than I was expecting, because I have bought a larger carrier and they are going in the one together, I'm being charged 150 euros for the two. If I had them separate, 150 each. Lufthansa were very clear and helpful and gave me the dimensions I would need for my carrier which I have now bought, for 800 pesos eek! I was previously going to use apet travel agency like Worldwide dogs, but talking with friends who have been through the process it's cheaper to organise it myself.

 

[tangueraintrepida]

A friend of mine from the UK told me that there is a six month quarantine upon return to the UK for dogs. Not sure if that is the same for cats. She travels to the UK twice per year and leaves her dog here when she goes because of the quarantine. I'd definitely ask specifically about the quarantine before you go. I can't imagine leaving my animals in quarantine for that length of time. It seems pretty cruel and stressful.

 

[bradleycosta]

Do the quarantine first, or your cats will spend 6 months in a cage quarantine in the UK at your expense, I used Las Lunas to do the quarantine (blood test, doggie passport, etc) and to flight them there (paperwork etc) I cant remember exactly but I think it cost me over 3000 usd few years ago

 

[bradleycosta]

http://www.las-lunas.com.ar/ing_testimoniales.asp

 

[PhilinBSAS]

On a recent flight from Baracas to Ezeiza on an Iberian Airbus 340-600 I saw a small (minuture) dog had appeared in the arms of his/her family from a plastic travel cage - about the same size as normal hand luggage.

I was suprised and can only think either 1. the dog was indeed travelling as hand luggage or 2. some access was allowed during the flight?

I thought dogs with micro-chips can avoid 6 months UK entry quarantine?

 

[RachinBA]

Phil is right, there is no quarantine now under PETS agreement and the blood test is no longer standard unless you're coming from a high risk rabies country.

Re. animals in the cabin, that just depends on the airline. I was given the option but I can only have one in the cabin so I thought it was fairer to have them both together in the hold.