Aunt Agatha Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Apologies if this has been done before but a search (via my phone) didn't turn anything up. Has anybody shipped their pets back to the UK themselves? We've been quoted $4,000+ to ship our three cats and I'm wondering if it might be cheaper to organise it ourselves? I know the flights take up the bulk of the bill and I'm not even sure if you are allowed to DIY but thought it couldn't hurt to ask. Any advice gratefully received, thanks. ETA: I have emailed Emirates cargo office with a similar question, just waiting on their response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I'd be interested to know this too. Please let us know how you get on thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 The cargo guy at Emirates replied initially just saying that they highly recommend using an agent. I asked if it was obligatory and this was his reply: No it is certainly not obligatory, however the pets have to travel under an Airwaybill (AWB). You would have to get an AWB from a Customs Agent. You would have to arrange Containers for the cats, arrange the booking through Emirates along with getting Rabbies Certificates, Health Certificates, Export Permit and any other required paper work required at the destination. You can save a lot of money doing it yourself, however there is lot involved and should there be any problem with the pets being accepted by Emirates or during transport etc then the responsibility would fall on the sender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 You've got further than I did AA - we couldn't get any information about doing it ourselves as it seemed they would only deal with agents. Well done! One thing to be aware of is our cats paperwork went 'missing in transit' - we did have a fraught day at Heathrow Airport whilst the agent communicated with the airline and got them to agree that they had lost the paper work, this then allowed something else to happen (which couldn't happen until the airport said it was officially missing!), after which our cat had to be examined by a vet and issued a 'European Passport'.....had she failed the exam it would have meant quarantine or worse, returned to Australia. I think without the agent we would have been in a far worse situation as we wouldn't have known what to do (although I guess may have known more if we'd handled it ourselves??) I don't think the profit made by the agents is that much and I think there are probably safer ways to save money (our flights for three cost less than the one cat!) - if there are paperwork issues and the UK refuses to let them enter, what then? I don't want to scaremonger and I thought I'd tried every which way to do it ourselves before we gave up but with hindsight I was glad we didn't. (BTW the missing paperwork turned up some months later, it had been given to a family collecting a dog with their paperwork!!! Heathrow airport had it all along and mis-filed it!!!! The family were returning to Australia and when they got out their paperwork found ours and gave my mam a call!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 The cargo guy at Emirates replied initially just saying that they highly recommend using an agent. I asked if it was obligatory and this was his reply: No it is certainly not obligatory, however the pets have to travel under an Airwaybill (AWB). You would have to get an AWB from a Customs Agent. You would have to arrange Containers for the cats, arrange the booking through Emirates along with getting Rabbies Certificates, Health Certificates, Export Permit and any other required paper work required at the destination. You can save a lot of money doing it yourself, however there is lot involved and should there be any problem with the pets being accepted by Emirates or during transport etc then the responsibility would fall on the sender. Hmmm sounds like it might just be easier to use an agent. We only have one small pooch. A King Charles Cavalier which if he doesn't go we won't go. Couldn't be without him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 Thanks for sharing your experience LR, I'm not set on the DIY route, just analyzing all money-saving angles at the moment! The thing that struck me was the cargo guy saying "you can save a lot of money doing it yourself." I suspect it's all too much like hard work though so will probably stick with aeropets. Bit shocking that another family ended up with your paperwork! All that uncertainty would stress me out so much on the day of travel. Chicken our (hopefully) three moggies will be coming with us too, I couldn't leave them. Sadly one is quite ill with kidney failure and a heart murmur so we're not sure she'll make it to D-Day (departure day). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozen Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 We have been quoted A$5500 for 7 cats by Jetpets (Sydney to London Heathrow). 4000+ for 3 sounds very expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 Wow. Jetpets quoted us $4090 for three cats Brisbane to London Heathrow and $4980 (!) for Brisbane to Newcastle upon Tyne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missshelly Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 We have been quoted approx $4000 with jet pets melbourne to Heathrow for 3 cats they do everything so takes some pressure off the big move back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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