Taking a dog to Ireland from the UK

[philipcon]

Hi
We are contemplating taking our dog to Ireland by ferry this summer from the UK (fingers crossed) and wondered if anyone has any experience of this? We want to visit our son in Dublin.

How straight forward is it to take him on the ferry from Holyhead or Fishguard to Dublin as we have never had a pet passport or the like.

The government website says: "When travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland, your pet needs: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, an animal health certificate unless you have a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland"

Is it just a question of visiting our vet (who we've checked are OVs), taking along proof of microchipping and their vaccination records and getting an uptodate Rabies jab no more than 10 days before we go? Do we have to do anything before we come back to the UK?

Do you have any tips about managing the journey? I'm not sure how he'd cope being locked in the van during the crossing. He's pretty laid back but we've never left him that long in the van.

Any advice gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

 

[AlisonF]

Hi
We are contemplating taking our dog to Ireland by ferry this summer from the UK (fingers crossed) and wondered if anyone has any experience of this? We want to visit our son in Dublin.

How straight forward is it to take him on the ferry from Holyhead or Fishguard to Dublin as we have never had a pet passport or the like.

The government website says: "When travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland, your pet needs: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, an animal health certificate unless you have a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland"

Is it just a question of visiting our vet (who we've checked are OVs), taking along proof of microchipping and their vaccination records and getting an uptodate Rabies jab no more than 10 days before we go? Do we have to do anything before we come back to the UK?

Do you have any tips about managing the journey? I'm not sure how he'd cope being locked in the van during the crossing. He's pretty laid back but we've never left him that long in the van.

Any advice gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

View attachment 79618

if your dog has never had a rabies jab before I think you need to wait at least 3 weeks before travelling.
The uk gov website had a lot of info. But it does not answer all the questions. I hope to get more answers when my younger dogs get their rabies boosters next week and will post back on the cali dogs thread.

 

[Amarillo]

Hi
We are contemplating taking our dog to Ireland by ferry this summer from the UK (fingers crossed) and wondered if anyone has any experience of this? We want to visit our son in Dublin.

How straight forward is it to take him on the ferry from Holyhead or Fishguard to Dublin as we have never had a pet passport or the like.

The government website says: "When travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland, your pet needs: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, an animal health certificate unless you have a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland"

Is it just a question of visiting our vet (who we've checked are OVs), taking along proof of microchipping and their vaccination records and getting an uptodate Rabies jab no more than 10 days before we go? Do we have to do anything before we come back to the UK?

Do you have any tips about managing the journey? I'm not sure how he'd cope being locked in the van during the crossing. He's pretty laid back but we've never left him that long in the van.

Any advice gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

View attachment 79618

A very good question. We also are contemplating a trip to Ireland in the summer, and I hadn’t considered the pet passport issue as Ireland and the UK are in a common travel area, and like the UK, Ireland is free from Echinococcus.

 

[philipcon]

if your dog has never had a rabies jab before I think you need to wait at least 3 weeks before travelling.
The uk gov website had a lot of info. But it does not answer all the questions. I hope to get more answers when my younger dogs get their rabies boosters next week and will post back on the cali dogs thread.

Thank you - that would be great

 

[BeagleMum]

Hi
We are contemplating taking our dog to Ireland by ferry this summer from the UK (fingers crossed) and wondered if anyone has any experience of this? We want to visit our son in Dublin.

How straight forward is it to take him on the ferry from Holyhead or Fishguard to Dublin as we have never had a pet passport or the like.

The government website says: "When travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland, your pet needs: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, an animal health certificate unless you have a pet passport issued in an EU country or Northern Ireland"

Is it just a question of visiting our vet (who we've checked are OVs), taking along proof of microchipping and their vaccination records and getting an uptodate Rabies jab no more than 10 days before we go? Do we have to do anything before we come back to the UK?

Do you have any tips about managing the journey? I'm not sure how he'd cope being locked in the van during the crossing. He's pretty laid back but we've never left him that long in the van.

Any advice gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

View attachment 79618

We intended to travel to Ireland 3 years ago but decided not to go.
Unlike Calmac you cannot take your dog from your vehicle with you around the ferry you either leave it in your vehicle or locked in a ferry kennel. The noise on the car deck is dreadful then you add in the noise from the numerous car alarms going off as people forget to disable them. The kennels are no better and despite comments to the contrary you cannot go to check on your dog during the journey as the response is that there aren’t staff available.
There have also been a couple of incidents, rare, but still happened, one of a dog dying on the journey in a temperature of 30 degrees, one of a dog being startled and bolting after release from a kennel. It’s a personal decision one which only you can make in respect of your dog.

 

[AlisonF]

We intended to travel to Ireland 3 years ago but decided not to go.
Unlike Calmac you cannot take your dog from your vehicle with you around the ferry you either leave it in your vehicle or locked in a ferry kennel. The noise on the car deck is dreadful then you add in the noise from the numerous car alarms going off as people forget to disable them. The kennels are no better and despite comments to the contrary you cannot go to check on your dog during the journey as the response is that there aren’t staff available.
There have also been a couple of incidents, rare, but still happened, one of a dog dying on the journey in a temperature of 30 degrees, one of a dog being startled and bolting after release from a kennel. It’s a personal decision one which only you can make in respect of your dog.

Is it so much different from the ferries between UK and NL / Belgium? I’ve done that several times without problems.

 

[Amarillo]

We intended to travel to Ireland 3 years ago but decided not to go.
Unlike Calmac you cannot take your dog from your vehicle with you around the ferry you either leave it in your vehicle or locked in a ferry kennel. The noise on the car deck is dreadful then you add in the noise from the numerous car alarms going off as people forget to disable them. The kennels are no better and despite comments to the contrary you cannot go to check on your dog during the journey as the response is that there aren’t staff available.
There have also been a couple of incidents, rare, but still happened, one of a dog dying on the journey in a temperature of 30 degrees, one of a dog being startled and bolting after release from a kennel. It’s a personal decision one which only you can make in respect of your dog.

We left Meg in the car on the Brindisi to Igoumenitsa ferry (8 1/2 hrs) and she was fine. It helped that it was an overnight passage.

The alternative (which we had paid for) would have been ship kennels and walks on the poop deck.

 

[BeagleMum]

Is it so much different from the ferries between UK and NL / Belgium? I’ve done that several times without problems.

Many people do it. As long as people have the facts which someone travelling in that situation for the first time may not be aware of, then they can make an informed choice. Our choice was not to, which was the right choice for us.

 

[BeagleMum]

We left Meg in the car on the Brindisi to Igoumenitsa ferry (8 1/2 hrs) and she was fine. It helped that it was an overnight passage.

The alternative (which we had paid for) would have been ship kennels and walks on the poop deck.

People view things differently, you were obviously happy to do that, we weren’t. We would not leave our dogs alone for 2 1/2 hours on an Irish ferry.
We aren’t saying we are right and others are wrong or vice versa, its what we believe is right for us.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Travelling with Pets | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

When travelling with your pet dog, cat or ferret, the rules you must follow depend on the country you are going to or coming from.

www.daera-ni.gov.uk

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Checks suspended to “at least” 1st October for non-commercial, to Belfast ports anyway. So, via Birkenhead or Cairnryan to Belfast or Larne will save you some hassle.

 

[flying banana]

If the dog is happy in the van, and used to sleeping in it etc he would probably be best left in the van with plenty of water and the windows ajar. They give you a sign to hang in the window saying pet on board or something. Give him a good walk before hand and he will sleep through that crossing no problem

 

[Jill&Graeme]

Checks suspended to “at least” 1st October for non-commercial, to Belfast ports anyway. So, via Birkenhead or Cairnryan to Belfast or Larne will save you some hassle.

please can you advise where this information is available

 

[CaliCarol]

One option would be to choose the shortest crossing (maybe Stranraer to Larne?) to minimise time in the van? It's a shame that Stena don't do what Brittany Ferries do and allow you to book cabins where you can keep your dog with you. But on a short crossing the dog should be fine - we've done that Newhaven to Dieppe in the car which is a few hours.

 

[AlisonF]

If the dog is happy in the van, and used to sleeping in it etc he would probably be best left in the van with plenty of water and the windows ajar. They give you a sign to hang in the window saying pet on board or something. Give him a good walk before hand and he will sleep through that crossing no problem

Mine have crates at home and for travelling in the van. They are used to sleeping in them for travelling and when training or competing. A good walk before we set sail on the ferry and visit them at car deck before bed and first thing. For me it’s not been a problem. But as mentioned above, it’s a personal choice.

 

[Amarillo]

People view things differently, you were obviously happy to do that, we weren’t. We would not leave our dogs alone for 2 1/2 hours on an Irish ferry.
We aren’t saying we are right and others are wrong or vice versa, its what we believe is right for us.

Absolutely agree.

We took the view that Meg had been sleeping in the van for most nights of the previous 150 or so nights and would be more comfortable there than in the kennels.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

please can you advise where this information is available

Info in below link:

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/article..._tFC4W3IlTzOk8VbtLS9wmGcthvujZHAuy62bFUqVtEyA

Link was included in the below post from Guide-dogs N.I.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

A very good question. We also are contemplating a trip to Ireland in the summer, and I hadn’t considered the pet passport issue as Ireland and the UK are in a common travel area, and like the UK, Ireland is free from Echinococcus.

Hi Tom!

Checks were suspended from January 1st to July 1st and have now been suspended further to October 1st. We’re heading to GB in July so had got our old Pet Passport undated and rabies vaccine renewed in preparation however, seems now it wasn’t required for the Belfast-Birkenhead route anyway.

“The Protocol” is still “in progress” as we all know, so who knows how it will all end

 

[philipcon]

Really useful. Thank you everyone.

 

[blondebier]

Lots of talk about taking sausages to Ireland in the news today...



He's not sure about travelling, but will gladly munch a few sossajes. He's not particularly bothered about where they come from either.

 

[AlisonF]

Lots of talk about taking sausages to Ireland in the news today...

View attachment 79797

He's not sure about travelling, but will gladly munch a few sossajes. He's not particularly bothered about where they come from either.

As a ‘sausage’ dog... he may be denied entry...

 

[blondebier]

As a ‘sausage’ dog... he may be denied entry...

His papers are not in order.

Perhaps he'd be eligible for a German passport? I'm sure one of his great, great, great, great (well you get the idea) grandparents were from Bavaria.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

“No Sausages, No Peace”