Dog Travel Q&A: Traveling to Canada From Spain
Hi PetRelocation,
How do we make our travels work best for the dog?
Challenges: We leave Spain go into Gibraltar and fly to London, UK, spend two nights, then fly to Vancouver, Canada. Will the UK let us take the dog out of the airport to our cousin's home for the two night stay? Please let us know what we should be thinking about and organizing as we have never done this before. We really want to adopt this dog in Spain but live in Canada.
Challenges: We leave Spain go into Gibraltar and fly to London, UK, spend two nights, then fly to Vancouver, Canada. Will the UK let us take the dog out of the airport to our cousin's home for the two night stay? Please let us know what we should be thinking about and organizing as we have never done this before. We really want to adopt this dog in Spain but live in Canada.
Thanks,
Patti
Hi Patti,
Thank you for your question!
If you plan to fly into London and take your dog out of the airport, then your dog will need to meet the UK pet import requirements (take a look here for a rundown of the rules and process). There is a very specific release process at Heathrow that takes a few hours to complete, but the good news is that there is no quarantine.
That being said, as opposed to going straight to Canada this will require a little more work on your part since you'll need to meet two country's import requirements rather than just one. You'll also need to think about what it will be like to have a 50 lb dog in London for two days -- will you have a vehicle large enough to accommodate the travel crate? Is your cousin's house pet friendly?
Ultimately, you may want to consider if it's worth it to bring your dog to London at all. Hiring a pet transport service who can arrange her move from Spain to Vancouver while you're completing your own travels may be the best option.
Here's a look at the pet import requirements for Canada as well as a list of frequently asked pet travel questions that may help you move forward with a decision. Crate training, choosing a pet safe airline and understanding all paperwork and vaccine requirements will be key in planning a safe and smooth trip.
Hopefully this helps. Let us know here if you're interested in hiring assistance with your move, and good luck with everything!
Pet Travel Question Details:
Name: Patti
Estimated Move Date: Feb 28, 2016
Reason: Personal
Departure: Gibraltar
Arrival: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Pet: Spanish Water dog; 2 years old; 50lbs
Estimated Move Date: Feb 28, 2016
Reason: Personal
Departure: Gibraltar
Arrival: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Pet: Spanish Water dog; 2 years old; 50lbs