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How To Measure Your Dog For Their Travel Kennel

Posted on March 14, 2024 - 1:01 am by Marc Morrison

HOW TO MEASURE

Measuring your dog for the right kennel size is one of the first important decisions you can make when relocating your dog. If you don’t choose correctly, the airlines can (and will) refuse to send them.

So, how do I know what is the right size kennels for my pet?” A great start is to use the image at the left with the following legend.

A = Length of animal from nose to root of tail.
B = Height from ground to elbow joint.
C = Width across shoulders.
D = Height of animal in a natural standing position from the top of the head. It is also helpful to get the measurement to the ear tip.

We recommend that you give it an inch to an a inch and a half bigger so that it gives the pets some room to move in and also then there shouldn’t be any problems at the airport. The official rules require 3 inches from the top of your dog’s head to the top of the kennel. The airlines have become increasingly insistent on this rule so try to find a kennel with sufficient head space. A great way to be certain of the right size would be to take your pet into PetSmart or Petco and try out a few kennels .

MINIMUM SIZE

Our 20 years of shipping pets has taught us that the minimum size you should purchase is the “medium” size kennel which is 28 x 20 x 21. Of course smaller dogs and cats will fit in smaller kennels that this and have the 3 inches of headroom required, however we have found the airlines may still reject them and we strongly recommend getting at least the medium size.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT AIRLINE APPROVED KENNEL

We have a quick article on how you can make sure the airlines won’t reject your kennel HERE:

The Requirements for Taking Your Pets to the UK

Posted on March 13, 2024 - 1:01 am by Marc Morrison

The United Kingdom is a popular destination for pet travel, so it’s important to understand the rules and requirements for importing pets to the UK. While there is no quarantine for cats and dogs in England IF the steps are followed correctly, planning a safe and smooth move for your pet can be a delicate process. PET IMPORT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE UK The UK is a rabies-free country, so the import requirements must be strictly followed to prevent quarantine upon arrival. It is imperative to follow the following order exactly:

Microchip (implanted and scanned before rabies vaccine administration)
Rabies Vaccination and Certificate (at least 21 days old before final vet visit)
Rabies Antibody Titer Test (if coming from an “unlisted country”)
EU Health Certificate (Annex IV)
Tapeworm Treatment (for dogs only)
Endorsement of Paperwork

Rabies Vaccine While the rules technically state a three year vaccine is permissible, we don’t recommend it. If it is outside the first year you have to provide additional records to prove your pet’s rabies vaccine never lapsed. We strongly encourage most pet owners to get a new vaccine. Commercial vs non-Commercial Pet travel Pet owners must travel to the UK within five days of their pet’s arrival to avoid the move being labeled as a “commercial” shipment. If you cannot travel within five days of your pet, you can still send them a commercial health certificate but the timing will be trickier. Commercial pet moves require a health certificate to be completed (and endorsed by a government entity) within 48 hours of the pet’s departure. The timing of these steps is very important and requires diligent planning to arrange for the health documents to get from your Vet, to the USDA and back to you in the required time frame. It is often beneficial to use a Professional Pet Moving Service to assist you with the process.

Dog Breeds Prohibited from Entering the United Kingdom

Posted on March 13, 2024 - 12:55 am by Marc Morrison

Unfortunately, not every kind of dog can travel to the UK. While most breeds are fine to enter there do have some prohibited breeds which are:

Dogo Argentino
Fila Brasileiro
Pit Bull Terrier
Japanese Tosa
XL Bully Dogs are banned in England and Wales

The ban applies to dogs that are crossbreeds of these breeds, however this is not cut and dry and depends on the dominant part of the mix. The prohibition is also applicable to dogs that are similar in appearance to the banned breeds. In other words, even if your dog is not a Pit Bull Terrier, he or she will be denied entry if they display the physical characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier.

The Dangerous Dogs Act in the country makes it illegal to own, breed, abandon, give away or sell these dog breeds. The ban also extends to dogs that are spending time in transit in the country on the way to a different country.

The United Kingdom has an exemption list for banned breeds for non-aggressive dogs. However, only dogs that already residing in the country will be considered for exemption, and you cannot apply for exemption when you are importing your dog into the country. Banned breed dogs that are already on the exemption list and are returning to the UK are allowed to enter the country, provided all the import regulations are met satisfactorily. The official list can be found on the UK Government site HERE:

We strongly recommend you CONTACT US if you have any doubts whatsoever as it is not advisable to just “take your chances”. With 25 years of experience, we are familiar with the pitfalls and work arounds.

Category Archives: Blog