Travelling with animals
Enjoy stress free travel for you and your animal friends with these simple steps.
Bringing your pet on LeShuttle
See your pet's journey
Animal travel checklist
Pre-travel requirements for pet travel vary depending on where you're going, so make sure you know exactly what you need before you set off. Remember, you are responsible for making sure your pet meets all the travel requirements, and you may not be allowed to travel without proof that you've met the right conditions. Changes to the regulations on pet travel took place in January 2021. You can find out the latest information on the DEFRA website.
Dogs
To travel with LeShuttle, your dog must have:
- A microchip
- An Animal Health Certificate or EU Pet Passport
- A rabies vaccination
For journeys from Calais to Folkestone, your dog will also need a tapeworm treatment administered 1-5 days before travel.
For more details see our pet travel requirements.
Cats & Ferrets
To travel with LeShuttle, your cat or ferret must have:
- A microchip
- An Animal Health Certificate or EU Pet Passport
- A rabies vaccination
For more details see our pet travel requirements.
Rabbits, Rodents, Reptiles & birds
To travel with LeShuttle, your rabbit, rodent, reptile or bird must have:
- A veterinary certificate for domestic pets (other than dogs, cats, ferrets). It will be inspected by border control agents, so there is no need to visit our Pet Reception, or declare these animals on your booking.
For more details see our pet travel requirements.
Horses
LeShuttle can transport horses, donkeys and zebras on its single deck passenger shuttles in an appropriate transporter.
Travel must be booked in advance with one of the following companies:
Peden Bloodstock
Tel: 00 44 1252 844042
Email: shipping@peden.co.uk
Shelley Ashman International
Tel: 00 44 1884 849008
Email: sheila@shelleyashmanshipping.co.uk
Harbour Shipping
Tel: 00 44 1304 200908
Email: mford@harbourshipping.co.uk
MOTIS
Tel: 00 44 2830 252500
Email: booking@motis.com
John Parker International Ltd
Tel: 00 44 1303 266621
Email: info@johnparkerinternational.com
Learn about our domestic Equidae transportation requirements here.
Commercial pet transporters
If you're planning to travel from Calais to Folkestone with up to 20 animals maximum, you must have a Eurotunnel pet transporter account. You'll need to include a copy of your Type 2 licence with your application, which may take up to 14 days to become active. In order to complete the required pre-checks, please send all documentation together with a LeShuttle disclaimer via our contact us page.
You will also need:
- A copy of an approved Type 2 licence. Your LeShuttle pet transporter account should be in the name of the Company registered on the Type 2 licence.
- A copy of a Vehicle Approval Certificate, issued by the relevant delegated bodies in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
- Proof of your registration with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) FOR IPAFFS in Great Britain to enable notification to the UK authorities of all movement of live animals.
- A copy of your Goods Movement document, confirming your 12 digit Goods Movement Reference (GMR), required by HMRC when travelling Calais to Folkestone.
Please note:
- We are not able to accept requests for commercial transportation of animals with less than 2 working days’ notice before your travel date.
- Our office is open Monday-Friday 9.00-17.30 (exc Bank Holidays)
- Commercial animal transpiration is only allowed between 08:00 and 20:00, therefore reserve your travel as soon as possible with the Customer Support team.
- No commercial movement of animals is allowed from Folkestone to Calais, due to an agreement with the French Authorities. The limit is 5 pets per vehicle, travelling with their owners.
Travelling for a competition or event
You can use LeShuttle to travel with a pet for a competition, exhibition, sporting event or training under the pet passport travel scheme.
You'll need to make sure:
- The pet(s) must be aged over 6 months
- You have written evidence of attendance / registration of the sporting event, competition, training or dog show from the pet's owner.
- You have a declaration of the event participation. Find more information on the DEFRA website.
If you want to travel with more than 5 pets for this kind of event, you'll need to get permission at least 2 working days before you travel. Get authorised by completing our contact us form and supplying the information listed above, along with the booking reference number you will be using for travel.
If you're travelling with more than 5 pets, they must all be travelling for the event. You cannot bring additional pets who will not be taking part.
Bookings cannot be made through a pet transporter, as this will be classed as commercial pet transport.
Top tips for stress-free travel
Taking your dog, cat or other pet abroad can be a stressful experience for the animal. Here are some top tips to ensure they enjoy their travels.
- Ensure your pet's vaccinations are up-to-date before you book your holiday - don't leave it until the last minute.
- Make a note of your pet's microchip number and make sure it's up to date.
- In your car make sure you have treats, plenty of water, blankets and bedding and maybe even a toy, or two!
- If you have a long journey ahead of you give your pet a light meal before you go and remember to pack small snacks for them (and the family).
- Plan to make plenty of stops along the way.
- Pack additional items like spare collars, leads, beds, as well as toilet bags and of course plenty of water. It's thirsty work going on holiday.
- Protect your pet from insect bites and sunburn while travelling – ask your vet about how to keep them safe.
Stay up to date
For the most up-to-date information on travelling with your pet, visit the DEFRA website.
FAQs
Pre-travel requirements for pet travel vary depending on where you're going, so make sure you know exactly what you need before you set off. Remember, you're responsible for making sure your pet meets all the travel requirements, and you may not be allowed to travel without proof that you've met the right conditions.
How do I get an animal health certificate?
You must take your pet to your vet to get an animal health certificate. You need to do this no more than 10 days before you travel. The certificate needs to be signed by an official veterinarian.
Your pet’s animal health certificate will be valid after the date of issue for:
- 10 days for entry into the EU or Northern Ireland
- 4 months for onward travel within the EU
- 4 months for re-entry to Great Britain
Your pet will need a new animal health certificate for each trip to an EU country or Northern Ireland from Great Britain. For more information visit Defra’s website: https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad
Do I need my booking number when I visit the Pet Reception?
Yes, please bring your booking confirmation number. This will help identify your booking and speed up the pet check-in process.
At the UK Pet Reception from 1st January 2021 you should also bring with you your pet's Animal Health Certificate and the pet reception referral hanger you will have been issued at check-in.
An EU pet passport, issued in Great Britain, will be invalid to travel from UK to France from the 1st January 2021. However, it will still be valid from France to UK if issued before the 1st January 2021.
At the French Pet Reception also bring either your pet's Animal Health Certificate or EU Pet Passport.
Do I have to bring my pet inside the Pet Reception?
Yes, unless the sign indicates that the drive-thru (which is only available at Pet Reception in Calais) is open.
Guide and Assistance dogs
LeShuttle is an authorised pet carrier and does not prevent any dog from accessing its service where the animal meets the requirements of the DEFRA Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) and EU entry requirements.
The Assistance Dogs International (ADI) and International Guide Dogs Federation (IGDF) programmes in the UK are noted to demonstrate how they verify the way the user has been taught to supervise the dog in a responsible way to carry out a specific task to assist a disabled person, or person with a medical condition which requires the use of an assistance dog, without which they could not access a service. To ensure genuine assistance dog users are able to exercise their rights and ensure the legitimacy of assistance dogs, the current UK guidance is that the standards of training, behaviour and health that should be applied in relation to international travel have been established by ADI or in the case of Guide Dogs, to the standards set by the IGDF.
In line with other international carriers (including those who are not authorised to carry pets but are obliged to carry ADI and IGDF registered dogs which also meet the criteria of the PETS travel scheme) LeShuttle accepts, free of charge, assistance dogs certified by an organisation that is a full member of ADI and IGDF, the accrediting bodies for assistance dog organisations worldwide.
The Government does advise that people who travel with guide or assistance dogs check with the travel company, if the organisation that trained your dog is not a member of either association (ADI or IGDF) Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Guide and assistance dogs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
As an authorised carrier of pets, LeShuttle does not exclude access to its service to any dog which meets the PETS criteria and pays the relevant fee.