Relocating from Canada to the UK with pets can be a big adventure, especially when you’re taking your dog and two cats, SOLO! In this blog post, I’ll walk you through my entire experience—from planning and purchasing pet travel items to flying with Air France and completing the journey through the Chunnel. If you’re preparing to travel internationally with pets, I hope this helps make your experience as smooth as possible.
1. Planning and Scheduling: Getting Started
Planning for this international pet travel journey began in early November and my flight was scheduled for beginning of December.
Starting preparations a month before departure was not ideal, however, it was enough time to gather documents, complete vaccinations, and ensure my pets were ready for the trip. When planning your travel, keep in mind that obtaining travel documentation and scheduling veterinary appointments can take time.
2. Essential Travel Documents for Pets
When traveling internationally with pets, it’s critical to have the right paperwork in order. I organised all of my documents in a folder for easy access at the airport and Chunnel.
• Veterinary Health Certificate: Required for non-commercial movement of pets into the EU and UK. This certificate, completed in English and the language of the transit destination (French in my case), must be filled out in blue ink by your veterinarian and endorsed by the CFIA.
• International Health Certificate: Issued by your veterinarian for each pet to confirm they are fit to travel.
• Rabies Certificate: Must confirm that each pet is up-to-date on rabies vaccinations.
• Microchip Certificate: Includes the pet’s microchip number and details, verifying they are ISO-compliant (15-digit) chips.
I go into more detail about these later in this blog.
3. Booking the Flight with Air France
Booking flights with pets can be a multi-step process. I called Air France first to confirm pet accommodations, then booked my own ticket online and called back to add my pets.
For pets traveling in the cabin:
• Required details when booking: Breed, weight, and bag dimensions.
For pets traveling in the hold as excess baggage:
• Required details when booking: Breed, weight, and crate dimensions.
When booking the flight I didn’t have the dimensions of my dogs bag, so the agent just informed me that the maximum size for the in-cabin bag was 18 x 11 x 9 inches.
I purchased a very spacious 25” tall x 21” wide x 31” long crate to comfortably accommodate both of my cats. I chose to travel with them in the same crate as they are inseparable at home and I felt this would be the least stressful option for them. I am incredibly happy that I was able to do this.
My dogs bag and cats crate size were not checked by any of the airline staff.
Important Tip: Verify breed specifications with the airline, especially if your pet is a mixed breed, to avoid paperwork mismatches. For instance, Hank’s breed was initially put down as a Dachshund cross, however, all of his vet records said ‘Chinese Crested cross’ therefore I updated Air France to match the information.
If your dog weighs more than 20lbs or doesn’t comfortably fit in their carrier, they must travel in the cargo hold. Cargo is not available for snub nose breeds such as Pugs, French Bulldogs and Shih-tzu’s.
Make sure you are checking all up-to-date information with your specific airline.
4. Vaccines, Medications, and Microchip Requirements
Each pet needed an ISO-compliant microchip and current rabies vaccination to meet UK entry requirements. Here’s what I ensured for each:
• Rabies Vaccination: Must be administered after microchip insertion and must be a ‘one-year’ vaccine (the original vaccine, not the booster) unless you have continuous records of all rabies vaccines with absolutely no lapses.
If your pet requires a new rabies vaccine, this has to be done a minimum of 21 days prior to travel.
Rabies certificate must include:
- Vaccine name
- Vaccine type
- Brand
- Lot number
- Expiration date
- Microchip number
- Vet name
- Vet license number
- Vet signature (in blue ink)
• Deworming Medication (for Dogs): Required 24-120 hours before arrival in the UK. Timing is critical, so consider time zones and travel time.
Parasite treatment certificate must include:
- Microchip number
- Date and time of treatment
- Name of product and manufacturer
- Active ingredient
- Signature of vet (in blue ink)
For pets needing anti-anxiety medications, check with your vet beforehand. Pets in the hold cannot be medicated, as undetected emergencies may occur.
5. Final Vet Appointment
Our final vet appointment was a few hours before our CFIA appointment. Here’s how it went:
Thankfully our vet had experience with the international health certificates which made this a lot less stressful than I know it can be. I still spent a lot of time reading over each of the pages before I left the vets office, just to be absolutely sure that all of the paperwork was correct.
6. CFIA Appointment
The CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) is responsible for approving the health certificates needed for pet travel to the UK. It’s essential to get CFIA endorsement for each pet’s documents to ensure smooth entry. This was my process:
Booking the appointment: I emailed to book my appointment and was requested to immediately email the following documents:
- Rabies Certificate
- Microchip Certificate
- Travel Itinerary (showing full route to the UK)
All documents must be either PDF or clear to read images.
Attending the appointment: I had to supply original copies of all of the above documents, including the EU and GB health certificates and the dog’s parasite treatment certificate.
Important Note: Leave your pets at home for the CFIA appointment; only documents are required.
Fees: The CFIA charged me $21.52 per health certificate plus $32.27 for any additional reviews or compliance checks. Payment can be made by credit card online or in cash (no debit cards).
7. Completing the TOR (Transfer of Residence) Application
The TOR application is necessary for transferring personal belongings and pets to the UK without customs charges. Here’s what I did:
• Submission Date: November 22nd; it was approved on November 23rd.
• Listing Items: For simplicity, I used categories (e.g., “Pet supplies - 15 (approx),” “Clothes - 50 (approx)”).
• Adding Pets: I added each pet individually to the pet section - at this stage you just need to give brief information about your pet.
If an error occurs, they may reach out, allowing you to submit corrections. Once approved, upload each pet’s health certificate to the TOR.
Top Tip: Do not overthink this process! I was incredibly nervous about this and even put it off because of information I had read online. It is actually very simple and straightforward!
8. Preparing for the Airport
On travel day, I arrived at the airport three hours before departure. The check-in process included verifying all pet documentation and paying the pet travel fees.
• Cats in Hold: Approximately one hour before departure, airport staff directed me to remove my cats and their blankets from the crate for a security scan. Following this, I re-secured the crate with cable ties. This is to ensure the crate won’t open during the flight.
• Dog in Cabin: Hank and I proceeded through regular security. I had to remove his collar and harness and carry him through the scanner.
Top Tip: Be prepared to travel with minimal hand luggage if you are travelling alone with pets. I had help the Vancouver end but it was still tricky trying to keep the cats contained while they did the security checks of the crate.
Check for pet relief areas once you are through security at the airport. I took Hank into one but he wasn’t interested in that at all.
9. The Flight Experience with Air France
For the flight to Paris, Air France allowed me to board early. However, keep in mind that flight attendants may enforce strict policies regarding pets in the cabin.
• Pet Checks: Attendants frequently checked that Hank remained zipped in his bag.
• Confirm Pet Loading: I asked the cabin crew to confirm my cats were loaded into the cargo hold prior to departure.
10. Arriving in Paris
At Charles de Gaulle Airport, passport control was simple, and I collected my luggage and cats at the oversized baggage area. With some help from a passer by, I loaded the cats and my luggage onto a trolley and made the short walk to the arrivals hall where I was greeted by my brother and sister-in-law.
I was not asked for any paperwork other than my passport at this stage.
11. Driving to the Chunnel
From Paris, we drove approx three hours to the Chunnel, stopping at the well-signposted pet center for microchip verification and document checks. I had to take the animals into the pet reception and the staff asked me to scan their microchips.
The process was quick and easy, and we were cleared to board in about 10 minutes.
Upon arriving in England, I found UK customs straightforward to pass through. Allowing us to promptly make our way onwards to our new home.
I was fortunate enough to have my family collect me from Paris, however, if this is not possible for you, there are plenty of highly rated taxi services available. From the brief research I did at the time, these can cost around
12. Cost Breakdown for Pet Travel
Here’s a full breakdown of costs associated with our journey:
• CFIA Certification: $21.52 per health certificate + $32.27 for review.
• Pet Crate in Hold: $400 CAD.
• Pet in Cabin: $200 CAD.
• Vet Fees: This will vary depending on each individual vet but was definitely the biggest expense.
My Tips for Stress-Free International Pet Travel:
Traveling from Canada to the UK with pets can be complex, but with the right preparation, you can make it smooth and successful. My advice: start early, gather all documentation, and check and double-check pet requirements with airlines and customs. Seeing how resilient my pets were and how smoothly they adapted was the best reward for all the planning.
Travel Items Purchased for the Trip (with links)
Purchasing the right pet travel items is essential for a smooth journey. Here’s a list of the pet travel products I purchased:
•Crate: A sturdy crate with metal bolts for my cats to travel in the hold. I found a fantastic crate on Facebook Marketplace for $30; always check resale sites for deals! Both of my cats traveled together in the same crate. This crate was a very spacious 25” tall x 21” wide x 31” long. I have added a link to something similar below:
• Live Animal Stickers: Essential for labelling the crate; purchased on Amazon for $25 CAD.
• Water and Food Bowls: Attached bowls for the crate, which made feeding and watering simpler during the journey ($18 CAD on Amazon).
• Cable Ties: Required to secure the crate door, though airline staff often supply these at check-in. I took some just in case.
• Backpack for Cabin Travel: An extra-large, expandable, airline-approved pet backpack ($60 CAD from Amazon) for my dog, Hank.
• Collapsible Pet Bowls ($10 CAD).
• Puppy pee pads - I used these to line the cats crate, the dogs bag and took some extras with me.
Wishing you and your pets a safe and smooth journey as you embark on this exciting adventure! May your travels be filled with happy moments and stress-free transitions. Safe travels, and please reach out in the comment section if you have any questions! ✈️💖🐱🐶
1 comment
This is amazing and super advice. It’s so detailed and helpful for anyone travelling with their pet(s) from Canada to the UK, rather than trying to trawl through the internet. ❤️🙌🫶🏻 🐶 🐱