New to the forum, 3 cats need moving help to UK!

We are new to the whole moving process.  My husband of almost 5 years, a brit, would like us to move home(UK).  I can handle the immigration for the humans, it's pretty cut and dry, but I'm getting tangled up on the cats stuff to do and how exactly to navigate through the PETS scheme.  Anyone know how to write a PETS scheme for dummies handbook??  Doesn't help that here in the midwest, not a lot of people leave the country, so many vets are not familiar with it either!  Any help would be really appreciated!  We have about 9 months until we plan to leave, but would like to ship the cats a head of time if possible.

I'm sorry I don't have any advice, but welcome to UKY!

Anyone know how to write a PETS scheme for dummies handbook?? 

Here you go!

And welcome! 

Welcome to UKY!

I moved to the UK from Georgia with two cats in October 2006 - feel free to PM me with any questions.   It can be done, I swear!

Thanks for the help, it's a place to start.  I did check the website and we only have 1 in Iowa which is 2 hours away!?!?  Does this mean that we have to do everything on the list with that particular person??  I'm not sure that will be doable since we both work a lot of hours.  Can a different vet do the vaccinations and chipping at least??

Thanks for the help, it's a place to start.  I did check the website and we only have 1 in Iowa which is 2 hours away!?!?  Does this mean that we have to do everything on the list with that particular person??  I'm not sure that will be doable since we both work a lot of hours.  Can a different vet do the vaccinations and chipping at least??

The vet you've mentioned is probably the actual USDA vet - the one who has to sign off on all the paperwork right before you travel.  Any USDA accredited vet (if you're unsure if yours is accredited, call the USDA vet's office and give them the name and they'll check for you - but nearly all vets are) can do the chipping, vaccination, blood draw and health exam, as well as fill out the necessary forms. 

My vet wasn't familiar with the PETS scheme, so I printed off a sheaf of papers from this link:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/procedures/vets_proc.htm

(including all the subsection linked to on that page, such as "Microchip identification," etc.)  and brought it with me to our first visit.  By the second visit, they'd had a chance to get up to speed on things and the process was (mostly) smooth from then on out.

I see someone has already pointed you to PETS Scheme for Dummies! That has been my bible through all this (hope no offense, but it's been so important)!

I called my local vet office, they were able to tell me that they do have a vet that is USDA accredited. My vets office only has one, but I just get all my PETS scheme stuff done through that one.

I second printing out the information for the vet. I also printed out PETS Scheme for Dummies for my vet and brought that in. I had them put it in Chloë's file as a resource for us both.

I keep all the paperwork (as well as copies of the DEFRA and PETS Scheme for Dummies) in one file folder and am so meticulous about it all being in order. I had them reprint the rabies certificate and they actually amended their system because I am making sure her microchip number is on EVERYTHING even my receipts. That may not be needed on the receipt, but I just figure I better be safe than sorry. (By the way, they were just so accommodating since I very nicely stated my concern about the chip and my vet is so wonderful they really have gone out of their way! They are the best!)

Definitely buy your crate ahead of time and bring it to the airline to check it out if you can. I thought mine was big enough, but was told by British Airways that it's actually too small.

Good luck!

Not to sound really needy or anything, but I have yet another question.  Can I start this process now??  I know there is a 6 month wait between when you first start with the chipping and vaccination to when you can ship the cats.  I just wanted to see if it is possible to start it further out than that.  We do have a place to ship them ahead of time once everything is complete, but I didn't want to jump the gun!! 

Can I start this process now??  I know there is a 6 month wait between when you first start with the chipping and vaccination to when you can ship the cats.  I just wanted to see if it is possible to start it further out than that.   

Absolutely.   The entire process takes just under seven months at the very least - even if you get the microchipping and vaccination done tomorrow, you'll likely need to wait 21 days for the blood draw, and the six month waiting period starts from the date of the blood draw.  So if you're planning to send the cats on ahead of you, then now's the time to get started.

If I may ask, why are you planning to send the cats along beforehand?  I found that while I was more stressed about how the cats were going to deal with the trip than I was about anything else, and as hard as it was to leave them at World Cargo in Atlanta to catch my flight, I wouldn't have traded that moment when they caught sight of me at Gatwick for anything!  Then again, I was traveling by myself, and didn't have to worry about other (human) family members.

That is pretty much exactly why we want to do it ahead of time.  We have a 2 year old daughter that is a handful and we want to sell our house and pack stuff up, which may be easier without the kitty cats around.  It does make me nervous, and I don't know if we can ship them directly from here or if we'll have to make the 4 hour journey to Chicago to do it, but I think it may be best for them in the long run.  I don't have a lot of experience with moving especially overseas, so it'll be rough for a while!  Hopefully they do fine.  Do we have to sedate them before they go??  Our cats are not declawed and can get really noisy when they are in pet carriers.  So much to think about!

Start as early as you want. You just have to have the flea and tick treatment within a certain period before going, but as long as the rest is done in the right order and you have at least 6 months from the date of the successful blood draw, you're set!

You can't sedate the cats for the flight. There is nobody there to monitor them in cargo and they don't want to put the health at risk in case there is an adverse reaction with the altitude. It's for their safety. An herbal thing you may be able to do is Bach's Rescue Remedy. Or spray some Feliway in the carrier and put in something that smells of home. Those could be comforts. My cat has huge anxiety issues right now, so I'm learning everything natural before medication and those have worked well for Chloë so far.