Detailed Description of Shipping German Shepherd to UK from US in August 2013

All right guys...I know this topic has been touched on pretty decently...but I wanted to give my account of everything, with extensive detail regarding the process itself. Also, from a first person perspective doing this by myself successfully the for the first time.

I completed the exciting process of exporting my white German shepherd over from Atlanta to London a few months ago in August. I was fairly certain I aged about 5 years after the process was finally done when my fiancé and I picked up his cute, waggy self from the ARC facility at Heathrow. Well worth it in the end…and it saved us about $2,500.

Oh the joys of exporting our furry friends.... such a daunting process mixed with multiple government agencies that don't talk to each other!

For all intents and purposes...Odin, was more or less a very big and expensive package...of course aren't we all when we travel on airplanes? The difference is that some of us get cocktails and others don't when they're below.

Some of the details to frame it all:   

Original Export Date: Saturday, August 3, 2013
*Actual Export Date: Monday, August 5, 2013
Leaving: Hartsfield, Atlanta
Arriving: Heathrow, London
Carrier: British Airways World Cargo Freight Services

Advice: PLAN WITH ENOUGH CUSHION TO RECOVER FROM MISTAKES! (If this is your first time and you’re “going it alone” )


36 Days Before Travel

PHASE ONE

1.Microchip - $100 (Min. of 21 days before travel, I did 36)
•   Got the dog micro chipped with the proper chip (I used a Home Again chip with the necessary ISO standard 15 digit ID number and had no problem)
**Vet was not USDA certified for this, and does not have to be

2. Rabies Vaccination - $60 (Min. of 21 days before travel, I did 36)
•   This has to be completed AFTER the microchip so they can verify the same dog has been vaccinated. I also had my vet write a handwritten letter on his formal letterhead stating the following:

Rabies Formatting Procedures:
- The vet needs to give you the ORIGINAL Rabies Certificate to travel with, NOT A COPY!
- Ensure they do UK date format (DD, MM, YYYY) as opposed to the US style (they can be very picky about this small detail, especially at USDA when you’re getting it all approved)
- Write the microchip number on all paperwork from here on out

3. Register the microchip online - $17 Registration Fee Annually
I printed the registration page from the website after I registered my dog online to ensure they knew he was in the system (just in case!)

**Ended up not needing this, but I felt better having it.


4. Handwritten Letter from Vet Performing Microchip/Rabies - $0.00
- It will state the order of the process of implanting the microchip first, stating the brand used, ID number, animals name, DOB and the order it all occurred in, he should include the time as well.

- Same for the rabies, (all the details!) he stated it was completed after the microchip (per DEFRA regulation), also listing the name of the manufacturer, vaccine batch number, name of vaccine, and time of day it was administered. He should include his license number on this form, signed, and dated.

- Include this written original document with the animal’s paperwork packet that travels with him

**I ran into an issue at ARC when picking up because my vet included the manufacturer, but not the actual name of the rabies vaccination and thus there was a scramble 30 minutes before pickup with multiple phone calls back to the states begging for a written statement with the missing vaccine name, thankfully he was able to send it over…my recommendation, make sure you arrive in the UK when your local USDA certified vet is OPEN in the US…in case you need to get a hold of them like we did.

Waited 26 days before the scramble at the end...day 27 starting phase two of the process…

5. Book USDA Stamp Endorsement Appointment at local office  
- Time/Date (within your 10 day window of leaving the US!)
- If they’re worth their salt, they will have you fax in your forms a few days before your appointment, so they can spot check everything before you come in (or mail your stuff). I recommend physically going to get it done if you can, saves the mail hassle and stress.

** I ended up having to remind the lady stamping my application that the tape worm treatment for the dogs could be administered after the USDA and flight paperwork was stamped for approval


 

PHASE TWO

14 Days Before Travel

6. Book your pet on the flight with the freight company - $0.00 (British World Cargo)
- In Odin’s case we used British Airways World Cargo because they have an excellent reputation for managing the animals before arrival and when they land into Heathrow. Not to mention, their routes are all approved.
- They had a two-week maximum cargo reservation timetable before creating the booking (remember, to them…the dogs are just big packages!)
- They will check the flight for room, give you a booking number, cargo drop off time, paperwork cut off time, and location for drop off
- They will also estimate the cost of shipping your pet
- Take crate measurements, weight approximates, and email further more detailed instructions

My instructions directly from the shipper were the following:


                           REQUIREMENTS FOR PET TO THE UK FROM AMERICA



1)   PET NEEDS TO BE MICROCHIPPED
2)   PET NEEDS TO BE VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES
3)   THE RABIES VACCINATION MUST NOT BE LESS THAN 21 DAYS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF DEPARTURE.
4)   YOU WILL NEED TO BOOK WITH AN APPROVED VET TO GET A VETERINARY HEALTH CERTIFICATE COMPLETED (ANNEX I – FOR MOREN THAN 5 PETS OR ANNEX II – FOR 5 OR LESS PETS HEALTH CERTIFICATE).
5)   THIS PAPERWORK THEN NEEDS TO BE ENDORSED BY A USDA VETERINARY INSPECTOR.
6)   FOR DOGS ONLY: - BETWEEN 120 – 24 HOURS (1- 5 DAYS) PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL TIME IN UK YOUR PET NEEDS TO BE TREATED BY AN APPROVED VET WITH TAPEWORM TREATMENT (THE TAPEWORM TREATMENT NEEDS TO CONTAIN PRAZIQUANTEL AS AN ACTIVE INGREDIENT)
7)   CATS & FERRETS DO NOT NEED ANY TICK & TAPEWORM TREATMENT
   YOUR LOCAL VET MUST ISSUE A GENERAL HEALTH OR TRAVEL CERTIFICATE NOT MORE THAN 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF DEPARTURE.
9)   THE ORIGINAL COMPLETED DOCUMENTS MUST TRAVEL WITH YOUR PET.
10)   JAMES CARGO IN HEATHROW REQUIRES A COMPLETED CUSTOMS C5 IN ORDER TO CLEAR YOUR PET THROUGH CUSTOMS ONCE YOUR PET ARRIVES IN THE UK.



10 Days Before Travel

7. Appointment with USDA Certified Vet to complete the Airline Travel Certificate (APHIS 7001 Form) and the Annex II Form - $90.00
-The travel certificate is good for 30 days to travel from when it’s issued
-They check the dog over, ask you some questions, and complete the APHIS 7001 Form
- The Annex II form is valid for only 10 days

Some Things to be Aware of with the APHIS 7001 & Annex II Forms:
*The old APHIS 7001 forms have Certificate ID numbers on them and about 6 pages of carbon copies underneath in multiple colors, this is WRONG, and outdated.

**I recommend you go to their website, and print off the most current one and bring two blank copies with you (incase of an OOPS moment from your vet when filling out the dates in proper format, [DD,MM,YYYY = UK DATE FORMAT] etc.)

I had to watch my vet like a hawk, saving a few mistakes here and there, the details really, really matter! You may irritate them, but it’s not their dog that’s traveling…it’s yours. Not to mention, you’re paying them.

Aphis 7001 Form - http://www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms/pdf/APHIS7001.pdf
***Check the bottom left of the form for the date, Nov. 2010 is the most current to date as of lately)

A quick segue:

I ran into an issue with TWO vets who had outdated Aphis 7001 forms, from 2001! Shocking! Some have this unfortunate tendency to speak to you like you don't know what you're talking about with this process, DON'T LET THEM FOOL YOU!

Most often, they have only done ONE or TWO of these ever in their career, as most people do not bother. So they are as new to the process as you are, if not more. One even asked me about my dog's Rabies Titer's Blood Test and if I had the documents with me. Apparently, she was not aware of the EU change to quarantine and island titer requirements over a year ago.

At that point, I got a very clear understanding that she was not current on the regulations for US to UK dog export guidelines (US being on the “good” list of EU approved states). I let her finish the exam, and went to another vet to have the correct form completed by another verified USDA vet.  

I took comfort in knowing I had done the homework and I knew the process in and out. Quite concerning when the vet is clearly behind on the rules and it turned out, she wasn’t current on her USDA Certification! Stick to your guns, and if your gut is telling you they don't know, LISTEN! It will save you time, money, and a world of stress later, sure glad I did.

Keep in mind, most vets discourage people from taking their pets aboard because the process is quite daunting and extensive. The first (mentioned above) actually scolded me for "putting the animal through the pain of moving", but I persevered and was so happy I did! It’s not rocket science; it's just a series of government processes in a tight timeline.

**I recommend calling your state USDA office to get a list of vets that are in good standing and current, as this qualification must be maintained annually, to ensure no surprises come up on “go day” at the airport.

(Mind you: The Aphis 7001 form is required for the airline so the dog can fly, stating they are healthy. The UK ARC facility doesn’t need it from my understanding, something no one mentioned to me until the USDA called me the day before my appointment asking where the Annex II form was. I had mistaken the 7001 form for the pet passport (aka Annex II form), oops!

Be it my first time doing this, it was no surprise of such a silly misunderstanding, then again planning with enough cushion, allows you time to recover!

Thankfully, I listened to my USDA contact and faxed everything over ahead of my appointment for a "preview" to ensure it was all correct before the 1 hour drive to their office for the paperwork to be approved and stamped. This simple step saved me an embarrassing screw up, 8+ hours of my life, gas, and blows to my sense of pride and intelligence. Most of their offices encourage this.

8. Complete Annex II Form
- This is the official Pet Passport document the receiving customs personnel will be looking for when the dogs arrive
- It must all be written in, use blue ink as the instructions specify
- The vet completing the APHIS 7001 form will also need to sign and stamp this document in multiple places, pages 2 and 4 (don't forget the date format!)
- The website at DEFRA has a guide on how your vet is to complete this properly, I recommend you print it out and bring it with you. Otherwise you will be guessing. See links below for assistance with 5 or less non-commercial movement.

Link:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/animal_united_kingdom.shtml

And the instructions:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/ee_an_%20non_com_pet.pdf

When you first look at the form, be sure you’re completing the right one, as the differences are subtle: (I wouldn’t know this from completing two of the wrong ones…of course not….)

They are:
-   The form you’re using is for the correct number of dogs, “Five or Less and Non-Commercial Movement”

5 Days before Travel

9. Attend USDA APHIS VS Appointment at State Location - $38.00
Show up at your respective time (prearranged) with all completed paperwork:

-   APHIS 7001 Form (orgininal, 1 page)
-   Annex II Documents (original, 4 pages)
-   Original Rabies Vaccination Certificate (original, 1 page)
-   Microchip numbers written on everything
-   Veterinary Letter (original, 1 page)

10. PRAY
- Pray you haven’t missed a step or messed anything up
- Assuming all is well, you’ll hear the ever impressive “Cha-Chunk, Cha-Chunk” and they will bring out your paperwork and hand it back to you. You pay, and move on to the next phase of doggy transport.

**I was overjoyed when all went through without a hitch at the APHIS USDA office. Little did I know the real issue would come from the bloody airline days later…

4 Days before Travel

11. Tapeworm Appointment - $27.00

- Another trip back to the vet’s office to obtain a tapeworm treatment for the dog(s) a maximum of 120 hours arrival into the country
- Pay special attention to this timetable, as it is important the treatment is not too early before you leave. The more cushion the better!
- The tapeworm treatment must have the PRAZIQUANTEL as the active ingredient!

**Side note, I did this 4 days before our expected departure, and due to a crate issue, I had to do it again a few days after because the allotted time had expired…that’s a whole other store for further down.

Expected Day of Departure

12. Airport Drop Off (Attempt #1)
- Arrived at the airport drop-off facility in Atlanta. Talk about a hole…not thrilled with the area they were holding the animals, but it is what is it.
- I get there, they take the paperwork, check it all over, and then call you back into the animal holding room to check the crate and animal measurements so they appease the airline gods.
- Here is where I hit a major snag, the woman measuring Odin was someone new and thus he was uncomfortable and squirming a lot, contorting his body, making himself appear longer than he actually was. This caused her measurement checks to show the crate being too small.
- I protested the measurements, and thus they kept changing each time. Finally she said it was not going to happen and that if they shipped him in the crate he was in, DEFRA could slap a big fine on them. Hard to believe, but I can see she did not want to risk her job.
- I had measured him and the crate at home when he was relaxed and it was fine, but they still sent me away and would not let me speak with a manager about it. That really pissed me off.
- She said I needed to go home and add extensions to the crate for the height problem and try again in a few days.
- GREAT, now portions of my paperwork will expire or be very close to expiring, and I have to build extensions. AWESOME! This is the part that made me age about 5 years.

**After I got annoyed, I calmed myself down, took note of the issues, and went back home to get it fixed with my handy dandy dad, I made sure NOT to burn a bridge as she was the gateway to getting us out of ATL. If something goes wrong, stay calm!
**Thankfully due to my fiancé being a goldcard member at BA, my ticket was purchased with a vios and thus completely flexible, this came in handy and was by design in case something happened and pushed us back. I was NOT flying without my dog on the same plane, NO WAY! I realize that a lot of other people don’t have this as an option, if not I recommend paying extra for a flexible ticket

3 Days After Expected Departure

13. Tapeworm Appointment (#2) - $27.00
- We went back to the vet and had to get another injection, same as before
- Make sure to NOTE this exactly as you did for the first one on both the APHIS 7001 & the Annex II! Just put it below, they will understand there was a delay causing the timeline to expire on the first one

PHASE 3
14. Airport Drop Off (Attempt #2) - $2,300.00

-After two days of working on extensions for the massive Giant sized crate, we got it done and installed. We ended up bungee chording the crate off the back of my dad’s car on the way to the airport the second time, due to it being bolted together.
- We got to the terminal again at 4:00pm; the same woman was there. This time there was another issue, now with the length! I was about to lose it. I demanded to speak to someone with authority and might I add, a brain they were able to use! (Don’t be afraid to do this!)
- A BA man came out, measured the dog again, the crate, while the woman looked on shaking her head. I explained to him that her measurements kept changing the other day and therefore how could they really be accurate as the dog was squirming around away from her and be it that the dog was almost as big as she was.
- He listened, pulled me aside and asked me to let him help if I could calm down (I was very upset at the prospect of being turned away AGAIN)
- I calmed down, he measured Odie one last time and it hit the right number (41” in length) to appease the crate gods. The height was dead on, even his German shepherd ears had 5” of room.
- He signed off on it, and we moved on.
- They asked me to take him out for a last potty break before getting loaded a few hours later. (He was the last thing loaded on the plane before our late take off at 9:00pm)
- Said goodbye, told him how much I loved him and that I would see him soon on the other side!

They took Odin into the waiting room where I tape the following on top of his crate for the receiving people at ARC once we arrived into Heathrow:
- Two full meals in plastic bags
- Doggy treats in plastic bag
- Dog Leash
- His paperwork, the originals fly with the dog! (bring a plasic bag big enough to slip them in!)
- A little note in big font (16) to the receiving people about him and his medical condition, Diabetes Insipidus. It said the following:

“Hi my name is Odin, I am a white male German shepherd dog. I love treats, but I can be a little shy with new people and am sensitive with people touching my head. I have a medical condition, diabetes insipidus, and will need access to water once I am taken off the plane. I am a very friendly and well socialized dog.**I also included both my cell phone number (UK) and my fiance’s (UK) and additional information regarding his microchip, etc. His airway bill number and probably several other unnecessary details.”

-After all the taping was done, I used a funnel I brought with me so I could water him before going.

Details on prepping the crate:

-   The crate has to have “Live Animal” stickers on all sides of it
-   It must have proper ventilation and cannot be mesh or wire
-   Follow the airline requirements for your animal
-   BA was very particular about their measurements with the crate and animal, be VERY careful on this step
-   You will need to buy separate water dishes for the dogs so they can be watered before they load and also after they come off the plane. (I bought mine at Petsmart with 2 extra “Live Animal” stickers for less than $10, it also came with a crate liner for any accidents)
-   Keep in mind any padding you add to the crate will make your dog taller inside of it; take this small detail into account when picking a crate. If in doubt, get the next size up…unless you’re like me and there is no size up from Giant!
-   Toys and bones are fine to ship with the dog, most likely they will just go to sleep once they get used to the cargo noise.
-   The dogs require two meals taped to the top
-   A leash taped to the top
-   Their travel paperwork (all originals) tape to the top in a plastic bag for protection
-   Treats if you want
-   Bottled Water
-   Bring your own tape, for the amount of money they charge they still didn't supply me with any! At least that was my experience...

-After all the doggy stuff was taken care of, it was rolling onto 6:30pm. Just enough time to get myself and ALL the luggage to the BA check in and get to the lounge for a much needed cocktail.
-I went through security after dropping off 3 x (32kg) bags at check in for a whopping 210 lbs of essentials accompanying me with the dog on the flight.
- Of course, I was stopped at security and ended up having to be taken to the “Little Room” where they do a more personal check. Figures that would happen. That was just cherry on the top of everything else. All I could do was laugh, be it if that was the worst that happened from there on out…no problem!
-The ladies finished searching me, and let me go on my way.
- I went to the lounge and called my fiancé to let him know success was ours and the dog made it on the plane and the final hurdle would be getting it all cleared through the UK customs.

15. Board the Plane and Make sure the Dog has too!

-I boarded the flight and as soon as I was settled, I asked the flight attendant to confirm that yes my dog had been loaded. They were very kind and confirmed this for me. He was indeed on the manifest.
- Leave the runway! I was very concerned for Odie as we took off, but I lulled myself to sleep with two more gin and tonics and woke up 30 minutes before arrival. Those flat-beds sure do make a difference! I was really tired after all the stress of getting the dog sorted out.

16. Arrive at Heathrow and play the waiting game…
-I arrived that morning and went to use the Arrivals lounge to clean up and prepare for the release of Odie back to us
- We ended up waiting the full 5 hours in Heathrow before moving over to the ARC facility to collect him. There were many animals coming in on this Monday, not to mention all the checks on the paperwork and animal that need to be conducted before everything is given the green light.
- I was very stressed at this point, it seemed to take an eternity

17. Pet Passport FAIL…WHAT?!
- The gentleman assisting with the paperwork processing came out to tell my fiancé and I that there was a problem with the rabies certification, be it there was a lack of information regarding the vaccine name itself, versus just the manufacturer.
- I saw the big red FAIL on the paperwork and almost had a heart attack
- Instant panic…(Fiancé took over from here)
- Fiancé asked what we could do to fix this, they said they needed an email or fax from the vet verifying the vaccine’s name and everyone should be fine
- Phone call to my vet’s office in Houston, they said they would get it written down for us…although there was no scanner or international fax machine. WHAT?!
- Asked them to find someone with an iPhone and take a picture and email it
- Email came through, forwarded it on to the ARC guy
- All was right with the world; they restamped the paper work as “Pass” and returned it to us.
**I still have it all if anyone is curious
**The silver lining in our story, because we were originally due to land on a Saturday, our vet would NOT have been open and be available to help us with the extra surprise, all things for a reason!

18. Welcome to the other side, doggy!
- Happy German Shepherd comes out wagging through the door…Mom nearly cries with excitement and joy that the process is finally over!
- Collect his goodies (bed, toys, leash, etc.) and leash
- Congratulations, you’ve successfully imported your animal to the UK without using a service!

**We ended up donating his crate because it would not fit in the car and due to it’s size, I hoped it could be put to good use for other larger dogs in need of more space in a shelter somewhere. I wasn’t sad not to see it again, considering all the trouble it had caused!

Total Cost to do it all: $2,659
(and 5% of my soul  )

Total Cost to do it all: $2,659
(and 5% of my soul  )

Oh what an ordeal you had! Haha 5% of your soul, it is a horrible time isn't it? And such a huge relief when it is all over! Glad you both made it safe and sound in the end    Though after reading about your experience at the airport(s) makes me very happy that I landed at CDG instead of LHR with my cat & dog 

Hi - I have just started this process with my two mini-schnauzers.  However, they were both micro-chipped when they neutered/spayed a few years ago.  They also had a 3 year rabies vaccination done a year ago.  So, we don't have to do the whole 'what comes first, the micro-chip or rabies vaccine' dance. 
However, I don't understand the OP's #4.  You are not required to do this. She did it just because she was being super cautious, right? I just cannot see any reason for it as it is kind of redundant information.  Also, on the Rabies Vaccination Certificate NASPHV Form #50, that you receive after your dog have been given the rabies vaccination, the OP says that the Vet should use the British date system.  However, on the form itself it clearly says: Month/Day/Year.  So, of course the vet is going to fill it out that way.  Please let me know if anyone has had a problem with this.  Also has anyone had an issue with the 3 year vaccine being accepted?  We are using PetRelocations, however just for the checking into the flight, and transporting to my brother-in-law's house once they arrive.  We are doing the paperwork side ourselves to save some moola.  Thanks.
Barbara

Hi Barbara,

I can't answer your questions, but Annex II appears to have been superceded by Annex IV which can be downloaded here

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419260/non-comm-model-animal-health-cert.pdf

Sean