Help! Problem with PETS what are we going to do?

My Husband and I have to move to London Aug 7th.  We just got the news and are having major problems on what to do about our 1 year old German Shepard.  As we are leaving in about a months time we are not going to meet the PETS requirements. She is a full breed, she was micro chipped when she was a baby, and she has all her shots , all up to date. We have NO heart to put her in quarintine (spelling)  NO family can keep her until the six month period is up. What can we do is there ANY way round this? 

Simply put, no.  Either your dog does her 6 month quarantine in the UK or you have to find someone to keep her in the US until her 6 months are up.  I had no family to take my dog either but a colleague was gracious enough to keep him for me.  I visit him when I go back to the US and hope to bring him over in the autumn. 

The quarantine is in place to prevent rabies from entering the UK.  There's no way around it.

you know,  I just spoke to my Husband and he has dug his heels in about putting her in for 6 months. I may stay behind with her until the six months are up.  but that stinks too.    Thanks for your advice though!!!

Is it not possible to split the quarrantine?  Like, let's say the dog gets two months under his/her belt in the US....could it then go into quarantine in the UK for the remaining four months? 

(I absolutely don't know anything about the PETS scheme...just wondering if this is a possibility.)

Ouch! Moving on short notice is difficult.

Like the others said, no, theres not really any way around.

I'd start looking for somewhere she can stay. Ask friends, neighbors. people that already like and have animals might not mind taking care of one more. You might put a sign up at your vet's office. Ask local breeders.

My wife might volunteer, but we are moving about that time so we can't help.

Where do you live?

David

Can someone explain how it works with the animal in the US. If I read correctly you can keep your pet in the US for the 6 months and then ship them to the UK? Or am I wrong?

you know,  I just spoke to my Husband and he has dug his heels in about putting her in for 6 months. I may stay behind with her until the six months are up.  but that stinks too.    Thanks for your advice though!!!

I seem to recall someone posting a question somewhere on the board about splitting quarantine between the US and UK. I'm not sure what the answer was, though. If you search around, maybe you can find it. But if you stayed behind for a couple of months, that wouldn't be so bad. And then perhaps your dog could be somewhere near you in quarantine in the UK so you could visit. Again, I don't know if they allow that. But if so, it would make the whole thing a bit more bearable.

Hi. You can split it up. But its really much better to wait it out for 6 months in US. Have you checked your local paper? sometimes there are 'petsitters' that will keep him in their home and even take them to the airport and get them safely on the flight. They are usually cheaper than boarding and the pet gets more individual care.

Hi. You can split it up. But its really much better to wait it out for 6 months in US. Have you checked your local paper? sometimes there are 'petsitters' that will keep him in their home and even take them to the airport and get them safely on the flight. They are usually cheaper than boarding and the pet gets more individual care.

That's a good idea. You might also want to check with your vet -- he/she might know of someone willing to provide dog-sitting services.

I think that the pet issue is the hardest thing about moving to the UK! My older dog Keesha is two months into the Pet Scheme and I am moving over in two months. My plan was for her to come over with me and do her remaining two months in quarantine. Lots of emails back and forth with the kennel I was intending to keep her at. I actually felt pretty okay with this since I could visit her. But for some reason I would almost always start crying when I thought of her sitting in a strange place for two months and I finally realized I was doing this for ME not her. My sister has welcomed Keesha into her home for those two months and it became clear that the most loving thing was for her to stay with someone who loves her almost as much as I do. For Keesha, age is a major factor and if she passes away during that time period, at least she will have spent her last two months content and truly cared for.

My cats are another story. I am also doing the Pet Scheme with them, but they may end up living in the US for the two months I am away. I am still not sure. A friend has offered to take them. I don't know if they will stick around her place but I don't have a lot of other options. My hope is to find someone to rent my house cats included!

There is quite a bit to consider regarding moving with pets, but it can be done. Cheryl

I know, this is such a mess! We have three cats, Tauton, Jimmy and Pickles. One German Shepard Lotte.  I swear sometimes i feel like we live on an ark.  We have found homes for the first two cats. My good friend lives in San Francisco and will take them.  We have to fly them over to her as we live in Brooklyn. They will stay with her until we return home in a year. Lotte (the dog) and Pickles with be coming with us if we can get our heads around how.  Still looking for someone to hold them for us , I may stay back a few months to cut the time down for them. Thanks so much for all the help, I love this sight.

By the way, My name is Carol, Lotte26 came from Lotte!  My dog! 

I meant to say that my cats will stay the two YEARS that I am away. Sniff sniff.

I am so against quarantine for any dog, just my feeling.  I rescued my rhodesian ridgeback/airdale terrier (yes shes the funniest looking dog youve ever seen!) she is my kid.  7 years old now and I couldnt leave here without her and i will not put her in quarantine.  So, Im staying here with her until January, (six months is up then)  then we fly to Heathrow.  Ive lots to take care of before the move, and rich will have two visits here between now and January.

I just couldnt even imagine her being in some strange country, strange kennel, without me.  If I had to leave sooner than six months, Id even PAY someone I know to keep her!  I hope you find a way!

The quarantine rules here are a source of deep anger for me. Yes, the U.K. is supposedly rabies-free, whereas the U.S. isn't. But to have to keep a pet in quarantine for six months is over the top--the U.K. doesn't have that restriction for any E.U. country. And for whatever reason, a U.S. vet's certification that an animal has had its rabies shots (i.e., doesn't HAVE or CARRY rabies) just doesn't matter here. It puts an American pet owner in the worst possible position: put the cat or dog in quarantine for six months, which will no doubt completely freak it out, or leave it behind, just like that. It's even MORE annoying to know that citizens of questionable (as far as veterinary care goes) E.U. countries can bring their pets into the U.K.--no problem. But animals from the seemingly Third World U.S. (the country that sets the standards in both veterinary and human health care) have to be isolated for six months. What bullshit.