This cute pair travelled from South Africa to Lamballe in France seven months ago, where they had to wait in kennels before they could enter the UK.
Yesterday was a very exciting time for everyone as they were finally reunited with their owners.
Walking in the wind at Eurotunnel pet clearance
Psycho and Nero are two very handsome Omani street cats who’ve been given a loving home by Carol. They’re in the process of swapping the heat of Oman for the heat of Australia. Unfortunately they have to do a boring six months in the UK getting vaccinated and drowned in paperwork.
Today they visited the vet in Sussex to start the process. Courier M, who was tasked with chauffeuring the picturesque pair from their cattery to the vet, reports:
“Nero was as good as gold and accepted being vaccinated, examined and donating blood. Psycho was tolerant until he heard the electric hair clippers the vet was going to use to clip a little hair so she could see the vein properly. He quickly went into stubborn mode. The vet and vet nurse tried to wrap him in a towel in order to proceed but he was having none of that either.
“The veterinary professionals recognised they had met their match in courage and cunning and retreated to reconsider their position. In order not to stress him further (and because he was cleverer than them), they decided to give him a mild sedative. You can just imagine Psycho’s indignant cries of ‘foul play’.
“So blood was duly taken but still Psycho managed to return the compliment and take a blood sample from the vet! Don’t worry, it was only a scratch and the vet still thinks he is very handsome and quite a character — and possibly the loudest cat she has ever heard.”
Owner Carol wasn’t unduly surprised by these events and has passed on some useful tips to keep the artful dodgers busy during their stay at the cattery:
“They do fight, but it’s play fight. No blood is ever drawn. Nero usually starts it. It does not last too long and there’s lots of play fighting. They need lots of little toy mice to play with. They like Champagne corks. They love fishing rod toys and will love it if someone goes in regularly to play them.
“Psycho does spit and hiss at strangers. He hates the vet and the vet here had to sedate him and Nero as Nero got stressed. If they are separated, make sure that they can see each other, to avoid stressing them out even more.
“I am hoping they will settle down. They need daily regular human contact. The best time for a cuddle with them is when you wear them out. They have loads of energy and the fishing rod, or a laser beam on the wall may help.”
Champagne corks! What sort of lifestyle do cats in Oman have? Anyway we will be passing on this advice to the lovely carers at the cattery. Meanwhile, Carol is hitting the internet to select suitable toys to keep them amused.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
(Psycho has the dark marks on his nose)
Animalcouriers have these three lovely cats on board, heading for the UK.
Miguel has been waiting to enter the UK since he was rescued by Heather, who had to go on ahead.
Laranjihna travelled with us from Athens in December.
We brought Ping Pong up from Avignon in the south of France in November.
Miguel
Laranjihna
Ping Pong
Checking in at Calais at last!
Pet passport rules changed on 1 January, simplifying the requirements for dogs, cats and ferrets entering the UK.
It’s only 3 January and we’re already hearing that the animal reception centres at UK airports have record-breaking numbers of pets arriving from all over the world.
Animalcouriers is also playing its part. We’re collecting a total of 18 pets today and tomorrow from continental European locations. Gale force winds mean that Dover is closed, but we’re doing our best to get everyone moving.
Defra is changing the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) rules, bringing the UK procedures into line with the rest of the EU.
The changes make it easier for you to bring your dogs, cats and ferrets into the UK from other EU countries and a defined list of non-EU countries. (See the Defra website for this list.)
What you need to do
From 1 January 2012, all you need to do is:
Just 21 days after the initial rabies vaccination, your pet can enter the UK. Provided you keep the rabies vaccinations up to date (with no gaps between them), your pet can then enter the UK at any time.
There’s no longer any need to carry out a blood test after the rabies vaccination, nor to wait six months before your pet can enter the UK. (Provided, of course, that your pet hasn’t visited an unlisted non-EU country within the previous six months.)
Parasite treatments (ticks and tapeworms)
Cats and ferrets don’t need any parasite treatments before entering the UK.
Dogs need a worming treatment (carried out by a vet and the date entered in the pet passport) between 24 and 120 hours (one to five days) before their scheduled arrival time in the UK.
Travel health checks
Some carriers ask for your pet to have a health check before travelling. For most airlines, this needs to take place 24–48 hours before departure. Ferry companies haven’t yet confirmed, but it’s likely to be 24–120 hours before travel. This must be confirmed with the individual carrier.
More information
Visit the Defra website’s Pet Travel Scheme pages to find out:
Animalcouriers collected Cairo Jack from Pesaro in Italy earlier today. This friendly hound is travelling with us to Amsterdam, where he’ll be staying with family friends over Christmas.
Then in January, when the new pet passport regulations come into effect, he’ll be able to make the final leg of his journey and enter the UK, where his family will be waiting for him. They’ll be popping over to Amsterdam next week to give him big cuddles in the meantime.
Cairo Jack takes a final look around Pesaro
Roc from Barcelona and Treacle from Gibralter both had to spend a short time in kennels at Calais, waiting for their pet passports to become valid.
They’re now ready for the last leg of their journey, so Animalcouriers collected them yesterday to make the crossing to England.
Roc showing off his best side
Treacle at twilight
Animalcouriers delivered this quartet safely to quarantine kennels yesterday, where they received a very warm welcome from the staff.
Willow
Winnie
The Evans’ family of two dogs (Willow and Winnie) and two cats (Uma and Nunny) were transferred to our special quarantine van in Calais for transfer to quarantine kennels in the UK.
Willow
Winnie
Uma and Nunny
From 1 January 2012, the pet passport rules are changing. Your dog, cat or ferret won’t have to wait so long before it can enter the UK from an EU country. And although your pet will still need to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies, it won’t need a blood test.
The Defra website gives more details.
