Dogs in France - Advice Please

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PetenAli
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Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by PetenAli »

I don't know if anyone can help with any advice here - 80 90 forum usually comes up trumps though.

The problem is as follows:

We have a trip to France booked from late June to mid July - three weeks of sun that we really need.

Late last year my stepson who has a disability was made homeless and has been in temporay accommodation since. He has a dog (a Staffie cross) who is incredibly therapeutic for him but who he can't have in his temporary accommodation so we have been looking after her for him. We had hoped that he would have secured permanent accommodation by now but it hasn't happened so we decided to take the dog on holiday with us. We did a lot of homework on the internet to find out what we needed to do and it seemed relatively straightforward. We went to the vet and got the relevant passport, jabs etc, bought a suitably sized crate and booked her on the ferry. All going great - or so we thought...

Last night (just after Brittany Ferries had taken the balance!) Ali was on the internet just to check that we had done everything necessary and came across the French Consulate website where she discovered that Staffie crosses are amongst four banned types of dog in France. The inference was that if we got as far as France with her we would be turned back. I can't believe that the vet would have let us buy the passport etc knowing that we were going to France and knowing what breed she is, however he did - and he must know what breeds are banned.

Does anyone have any experience of this situatiuon and any advice as to what we can do - apart from sue the vet which is what I feel like at the moment...

Thanks in advance.

Pete
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T'Onion
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by T'Onion »

What a mess , I for one did not know about the ban on certain breeds , you would have hoped that the vet would have known but again is it their responsibility to know ?
Looking on Google it's a grey area around the Staffordshire bull terrier, what breed did the vets put on the passport ?
Have a look on the camping and caravanning site .

I'd phone the vet and ask for advice , don't tell them you have already got the passport .

Reading more it's not looking like you will get in IF they check your dog
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T'Onion
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by T'Onion »

http://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.co ... oss-abroad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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PetenAli
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by PetenAli »

Thanks very much Onion - good of you to find that info.

Ali is on the phone to the vet as I type this but its not looking good. I don't think we can take the risk that customs across the channel will just let us through.

Bummer! :(
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by T'Onion »

Be interesting to hear what the vet has to say about it all ???

IF they did know about the staffie ban and YOU did tell them you were going to France then they should reimburse you the fee's , as for the ferry company , we planned to take our patterdale one year ,paid the ferry fees etc , but left the vet thing to late so couldn't take him , when we turned up the border control asked where the dog was I told them at home or something like that , they looked in the van to make sure he was in the bin or owt , same happened on the way back.
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PetenAli
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by PetenAli »

Ali only spoke with the reception person - vet not in until Monday afternoon. I'll let you know what happens. We haven't given up all hope of finding a way round it yet. That letter from the French Consulate is actually very helpful. May owe you a drink!! :ok

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Mudlark
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by Mudlark »

Hi Pete, just as an aside....

We had the dog passport done a few years back but have never taken him yet. We have bumped into a few people with their dogs abroad and were told about various experiences regarding the requirement to get your dog checked out before you get back on the ferry to blighty and how every vet within 100 miles of Calais is well aware of how much dog owners will pay up for a simple check and certificate.

Find a vet while your heading back to the ferry, haggle over a price you have little option but to pay, in French, watch the clock, make the ferry! All sounded like potentially the worst kind of an end to a good holiday you could wish for so we have been put off trying.

Just another heads up really but if the dog does get to go on its holidays I would find a friendly vet before leaving agree the price and make the appointment well ahead of time.

Fortunate enough to have friends and family that will take our dog on with pleasure!

Good luck!

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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by PetenAli »

Thanks Mark.

We had got that one sussed and planned to get the French bits done down south before we start back for Roscoff. We have to get those checks done between five days and one day before catching the ferry - so doing them well away from the Channel seemed favourite. Just need to make sure all the right stamps are in place.

Oh to be in that position!!!

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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by aerovolito »

I've taken mine (GSD/Collie cross) abroad many times and no one has ever checked on the way out. The French just aren't interested as there's no restriction crossing borders in mainland, only us Brits are anal about it for re-entry into the UK. The French vets take the P as they'll not only charge you for the worming tablet but also a consultation fee on top. Last one (a few weeks ago) was 45 Euros!!! Compare that to the German vet that only charged 15 Euros a few months ago. I personally wouldn't worry, you'd be amazed how many people take their cats and dogs abroad with them.
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PetenAli
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by PetenAli »

Just a follow up for people's info in case anyone else gets caught in the same situation.

Ali contacted the vet who has been excellent. He was genuinely not aware of the bans on certain breeds and took it upon himself to check things out with the French consulate and the French Port Authority. They confirmed the bans as we had understood them and so its very likely that we would have been sent straight home from Roscoff had Ali not checked when she did. The vet has refunded everything that we paid for the passport, immunisations etc. He is also going to ensure that all vets in his practice are aware and in future check that owners have checked with the countries that they intend to visit with their dogs.

Today I've contacted Brittany Ferries who have also been excellent. I'd forgotten that I must have mentioned the dog's breed when I added her to our ticket and so they knew it as well as being up front with me that they know that staffie Xs are on the banned list. The result is that we're getting a full refund including our deposit.

The only cost that we wont get back is the £30 that I paid for travel insurance - can't odds that really.

Just got to decide where we are going to go in this country now... thinking that we might try somewhere we don't know at all - like Suffolk / Norfolk areas.

Thanks very much for all the advice and replies. 8090 does it again!
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by aerovolito »

How about a ferry to Spain? I took mine on the overnight from Portsmouth to Bilbao. It had dog friendly cabins and poop deck too!

Short drive to SW France or even better, head for Portugal. :ok
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by T'Onion »

aerovolito wrote: Short drive to SW France :ok

Pete can not take his dog into france because its on the banned list :roll:
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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by Louey »

T'Onion wrote:when we turned up the border control asked where the dog was I told them at home or something like that , they looked in the van to make sure he was in the bin or owt ,

:rofl At first we all panicked that mark had been busted for smuggling or something - when we found out it was just a missing dog :rofl (There was 7 vans in the group getting on the ferry) :rofl
Louey

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Re: Dogs in France - Advice Please

Post by T'Onion »

shhhhh :oops: :rofl
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