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Shipping a pet in to Ireland

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  • 02-03-2009 10:50am
    #1
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭


    I really really really really want to get a cat and I know several that need a good home. I'm currently living in NZ and know that I will be moving back to Ireland in about 2 years time. If we get a cat we want to know we can bring it back to Ireland with us as it would break my heart to leave it behind - plus it's not fair on a cat to have a loving home for two years and then be abandoned with someone else.

    I think it would probably be far too expensive to bring the cat in to Ireland - I guess I'd have to cost it all first. My question is, what would the quarantine be like to bring a pet in to Ireland? I know if you ship a cat from Ireland to NZ it is 30 days in quarantine (plus microchipping and all that). I have a feeling with Ireland being rabies free it would be a lot longer the other way around.

    Has anybody brought pets in to Ireland and has some advice?

    I have a feeling it's going to turn out that it's too hard to do but I would really love to have a pet soon.


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    #2
    Munster Gal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 342 ✭✭Munster Gal


    Here's a link for you
    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/moving-country/moving-to-ireland/coming-to-live-in-ireland/bringing_pets_to_ireland

    We lived in NZ for a year and I'd love to go back. Tell you what, we'll do a life swap and you can adopt my 2 moggies!!;)


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    #3
    olaola
    Registered Users Posts: 4,139 ✭✭✭olaola


    http://www.ispca.ie/content/pet-passports-countries.html

    Get your cat a pet passport, and you will avoid quarantine.

    http://www.ispca.ie/content/pet-passports.html

    It will take 6 months from the rabies vaccination - which would be the length of time spent in quarantine here.


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    #4
    Munster Gal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 342 ✭✭Munster Gal


    [It will take 6 months from the rabies vaccination - which would be the length of time spent in quarantine here.[/QUOTE]

    Not exactly accurate, after the rabies shot you wait a month then do a blood test to see if the jab was successful - if not you give it again, wait another month and test again - so you're looking at a minimum of 7 months - not 6 months.


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    #5
    olaola
    Registered Users Posts: 4,139 ✭✭✭olaola


    Munster Gal wrote: »
    Not exactly accurate, after the rabies shot you wait a month then do a blood test to see if the jab was successful - if not you give it again, wait another month and test again - so you're looking at a minimum of 7 months - not 6 months.

    Apologies, it's 6 months from the titre test. Which brings it to 7 in total.


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    #6
    DaddyOSphynx
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19 ✭DaddyOSphynx


    remember pets can only fly into Ireland as cargo not as excess baggage so you need to think of the cost of getting a pet transporter/cargo company to arrange that. The pet passport is easy enough, the travel costs are the sticking point.


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    #7
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    DaddyOSphynx wrote: »
    remember pets can only fly into Ireland as cargo not as excess baggage so you need to think of the cost of getting a pet transporter/cargo company to arrange that. The pet passport is easy enough, the travel costs are the sticking point.

    Thanks for the replies people. Sounds like the logistics quaratine wise aren't as bad as i thought. As daddyOsppynx says I think the costs of shipping will be vwery prohibitive. I'll have to get a quote or something and guage it.

    Damn it, I really want a cat. Why is NZ so far away?!


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    #8
    DaddyOSphynx
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19 ✭DaddyOSphynx


    I don't know what the situation in NZ is like but over here rescue groups (esp. smaller, less high profile ones) are crying out for foster carers for cats.

    In 'kitten season' short term foster places of 3-4 months for rescued mother cats and her kittens are sought. A quiet spare room or bathroom, food, litter tray and playing and handling the babies when old enough.

    Year round spaces are needed for adult cats. Adults are hard to rehome (everyone wants kittens) and foster places are like gold dust. Esp. foster places that don't already have one or more cats living there - a lot of adult cats who come into rescue are not used to living with other cats. when I was involved in welfare, i discovered there really is a home for every cat out there but most adult cats need months to be found by the right owner.

    In any foster situation you would need to clarify if you are paying for food/litter/toys (if you can it really helps the rescue out). You would expect to get contact details of someone who is there to answer any questions at any time for you, a firm promise that if the foster is not working out, the group will take back the cat ASAP, assurance that medical expenses will be covered and a detailed personality assessment of the cat and it's needs.

    we fostered loads of cats and it was very rewarding. It isn't as hard as you would think to wave them off to a new home as you become very aware that by sending that cat off you have done your job and made space for another needy cat.

    of course, if you totally fall for the cat, becoming a so called 'failed fosterer' is allowed and I have some lovely cats to prove it :)


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    #9
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    DaddyOSphynx wrote: »
    I don't know what the situation in NZ is like but over here rescue groups (esp. smaller, less high profile ones) are crying out for foster carers for cats.

    In 'kitten season' short term foster places of 3-4 months for rescued mother cats and her kittens are sought. A quiet spare room or bathroom, food, litter tray and playing and handling the babies when old enough.

    Year round spaces are needed for adult cats. Adults are hard to rehome (everyone wants kittens) and foster places are like gold dust. Esp. foster places that don't already have one or more cats living there - a lot of adult cats who come into rescue are not used to living with other cats. when I was involved in welfare, i discovered there really is a home for every cat out there but most adult cats need months to be found by the right owner.

    In any foster situation you would need to clarify if you are paying for food/litter/toys (if you can it really helps the rescue out). You would expect to get contact details of someone who is there to answer any questions at any time for you, a firm promise that if the foster is not working out, the group will take back the cat ASAP, assurance that medical expenses will be covered and a detailed personality assessment of the cat and it's needs.

    we fostered loads of cats and it was very rewarding. It isn't as hard as you would think to wave them off to a new home as you become very aware that by sending that cat off you have done your job and made space for another needy cat.

    of course, if you totally fall for the cat, becoming a so called 'failed fosterer' is allowed and I have some lovely cats to prove it :)

    That's a really good idea. A lot of people here get cats and then go off overseas and try and find homes for them. There's loads of ads on the trading website that's popular here. I don't look at them because it makes me sad! I was thinking of advertising if someone was away for a year we'd look after the cat.

    I might call the spca and see if that is a possibility. We would love to have one for a bit, especially adult cats (I'm more of a car person than a kitten person).

    There's so many cats here that have a good home. We'd happily pay for litter and food. My bf is a student as well so is sometimes home during the day (about a day a week only though). do they usually prefer someone that is home all the time?


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    #10
    Xiney
    Registered Users Posts: 8,085 ✭✭✭Xiney


    We brought our cat from Canada to Ireland.

    Did the 6 months rabies vaccine + blood titer test (this cost about 350 dollars since there is only one lab in all of north america that does the titer test - situation is probably similar in NZ)

    Then cargoed him into Heathrow on British Airways (only British Airways and Air Canada accepted live cargo from Toronto at the time of travel, Sept 2007). This cost 1200 CAD, and also since I had to fly on the same flight as him I had to fly the more expensive British Airways than if I had gone with (now defunct) Zoom. You will also have to fly into Heathrow as that is where the Animal Reception Centre is. There isn't one in Dublin, but once you get the cat into the UK you can go on into Ireland because of the common travel area.

    Bear in mind that it takes up to 4 hours for your pet to go through the Animal Reception so you have to take that into account when booking your connecting flight to Ireland. Also, you will need enough cash in pounds to get a taxi back from the animal reception centre, since there is a bus going there but you can't take the cat back on it.


    Was very very stressful, actually. Not looking forward to doing it again when going back to Canada (we thought the move to Ireland was permanent or else we would have left the cat with my parents temporarily I think)


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