Travelling with rabbits from eu to uk and vice versa, post-brexit

Hello, everyone,

I want to open a thread on an issue that greatly concerns me. So far, to the best of my knowledge, to travel or move to the UK from an EU country with rabbits, there was no quarantine required, nor any anti-rabies vaccination. My main problem was thus not the horrid, inhumane quarantine, but finding an airline company that doesn't treat rabbits as objects and tosses them in the back with inanimate luggage (as far as I know, in this country, there is not a single airline that would allow me to keep my bun with me. I have no idea how others with rabbits travel, as I know I am not the only rabbit-friend here). But now......Brexit. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, the fact is no deal Brexit seems precariously likely now, which will change immigration/travel laws, which includes pet travel.

If there is a no deal Brexit, UK will become an 'unlisted' country. I have done research on what this will mean for travelling either from a EU country to the UK (as in my case), or for UK citizens who travel to the EU with their rabbit friends, but have only found information on travel with dogs, cats, and ferrets (seriously? More people have ferrets than rabbits? I know many people have rabbits, but have yet to learn of a single person with a ferret...at least here), and it said that in this dire case, the pets would need to be vaccinated against rabies (and tested prior) 4 months before travelling, but at the same time cannot be tested more than 10 days before travel (how does that make sense? You'd be legally required to test and vaccinate 4 months prior, then test once again less than 10 days prior?); no mention of rabbits, though. Also, I could find nothing on whether the quarantine situation might change or not.

I am sure this is something we are all concerned about, as it will affect all of us who want to travel with our long-eared friends, and don't want any mention of quarantine. Does anyone have any ideas about how this might change? What the situation will be for rabbits (seriously.....ferrets? Not to disparage any ferret-fanciers. I just find it puzzling that they get a mention, and rabbits don't. Maybe they're really popular elsewhere, but here they are as likely to be pets as rats, and rats are not popular here, where they're ubiquitous in urban areas. I was bitten by one; had to take rabies shots for 6 months)? The official sites just say 'contact your vet', but lucky you if UK vets know their politics. Here, they don't even know their craft. There are possibilities of the UK being listed as country 1 or 2 (in which case the reqs wouldn't change much, apparently), but since all I hear about is 'no deal', let's conjecture that's what the case will be, and how this will affect our travelling possibilities, shall we?

Im a British citizen who lived in a part of Britain that has never been part of the EU, and there was no quarantine requirements for my rabbit when I travelled to the EU with her. I also know someone who regularly takes their bunny from Britain (again outside of the EU) to their holiday home in France for the summer with ease. I would simply request importation requirements from the government of the countries involved. I asked for this information from a number of EU countries when I was planning my pets travel and found them all very helpful in setting out exactly what I needed and they were all quick to respond. It’s not really up to vets to know or provide information on specific countries importation/exportation requirements. You could contact DEFRA for more information about entering the UK.

I will just say, although cargo travel is not ideal for rabbits given they are prey animals, airlines don’t toss animals into the back of the plane with luggage. I get you want to keep your rabbit with you, I personally chose to take my rabbit with me in the cabin on each flight we took, but what you have insinuated is completely incorrect. Animals in cargo travel in a part of the plane that is specifically for animal travel and where they are safely secured under quite strict regulations, and it has the same conditions as the cabin. Many airlines sent me detailed information and photos of this area when I was trying to decide the best way to travel with my girl.

Road / rail and then Channel tunnel or ferry are different options to flying to the UK. They will take longer (which may not be advantageous for rabbits) but you will have them with practically all of the time.

Brittany ferries will not allow rabbits on their crossings, or at least the didn’t last time I checked. I think that’s an exception though.

I'm sorry I don't have the knowledge to comment on most of these things! But my new vet at work moved here from Spain with her rabbit and she drove/got a ferry for the whole journey so the rabbit was in the car with them the whole journey.

''I will just say, although cargo travel is not ideal for rabbits given they are prey animals, airlines don’t toss animals into the back of the plane with luggage. I get you want to keep your rabbit with you, I personally chose to take my rabbit with me in the cabin on each flight we took, but what you have insinuated is completely incorrect. Animals in cargo travel in a part of the plane that is specifically for animal travel and where they are safely secured under quite strict regulations, and it has the same conditions as the cabin. Many airlines sent me detailed information and photos of this area when I was trying to decide the best way to travel with my girl.''

Wow, accusing me of making things up because what you know apparently applies to the rest of the world. You might want to do some research before you do that. Good for you that you live in a country where you have these options; some of us are not that lucky. Look how incorrect I am:

''Furthermore, Lufthansa reserves the right to apply even stricter regulations and to refuse the booking on certain routes (such as, for example, to the UK and Ireland or to Bangalore in India) if necessary, in order to exclude the animal from travel.In exceptional cases, for example due to the regulations of a particular country, it is possible that we will not be able to transport your pet as excess baggage in the air-conditioned cargo hold of a Lufthansa aircraft, even if the requirements stated here have been fulfilled. However, transport as air freight in the cargo hold of a Lufthansa aircraft may be possible. Varying prices apply for shipping as air freight.''

To the UK, where I want to travel, they might not allow me to take my rabbit. Or questionable cargo conditions it is, in the best case.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/flyi...9QYHWoHQfC1toacqaDaEBZ0mf3aXavIPx1zz_YeDpQvlB

Just a few examples (not to clutter) where they are allowed, and tossed away in the cargo area, and many people have lost them on their journeys because of the inhumane restrictions therein. I have read and heard of this a lot. There are airlines that allow rabbits in the cabin (or in cargo where they do not suffer), yes, but again: Because you live somewhere where such airlines are available to you, be aware there a bigger world out there where some of us do not have that option. As mentioned, NOT A SINGLE AIRLINE that allows that is available to me You may have good experiences with the cargo area; many do not.

So please, before you go accusing me of supplying inaccurate information, do your research. I wanted to find some helpful information here to help me make my decision, not spread false information. If multiple accounts of what happens in the world is ''completely inaccurate'' to you because you're lucky enough that it's never happened to you, fine. I will not attempt to further convince you. When I read about this all the time and call airlines who specifically tell me rabbits can only travel in the cargo hold, and I hear from people that their rabbits did not survive the journey or it seriously stressed them out, I will personally take that as accurate information, and not people just telling me lies because they want to mess with me, and then I just feel like messing with others and spreading ''completely inaccurate'' information on forums.

Thanks, I've read of this; good to get a confirmation. I would much prefer the ferry/rail/car options. I don't like flying anyway. Brittany ferries do not allow rabbits still, to the best of my information, but are there no alternatives? Like becoming an overnight millionaire and booking a private ocean liner? The welfare of my friend is more important to me than instant travel (and from the few accounts I've read on ferries, the experiences were all positive). What is ''completely inaccurate'' information to some people is real enough of a threat to my friend's welfare to me not to risk it. They can lose my luggage and I'll survive, but I cannot survive any harm done to my friend by the stressful conditions in the cargo area. Besides, if my bun and I quarrel on the seas, there is no doubt I will be the lucky boy to have walk the plank

Quote from the article I posted: “Putting pets in cargo areas should be avoided whenever possible,” she said. “Once that animal is out of your control, there are so many risks it can be exposed to that it’s just not worth it.”

That doesn't sound inaccurate to me, but to each their own.

Sillyrabbit was just offering advice based on her own personal experience of travelling with her rabbit, no need to be so rude. As she said in her post, she did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions of the airlines to find out their procedures before deciding the best way to travel. I'd advise anyone travelling with their pets to do the same.

Rabbits can't get a pet passport as it only seems to apply to those animals that can be vaccinated against rabies; regulations in the UK for travelling with rabbits is less strict than with cats, dogs and ferrets so that's a good thing!

With the rabies vaccine, there's no need for a second blood test as I understand it - the most you have to do is have a blood test after 30 days to test for antibodies and revaccinate if necessary. If you're travelling within the EU you don't even need the blood test so, worst case scenario after brexit, would be that you would have to do that test. You would need a certificate from a vet issued within 10 days of travel date, but they would just check vaccines were up to date, no blood test. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-tra...t#pet-travel-if-the-uk-is-an-unlisted-country

Rats and ferrets are very popular pets here in the UK though.

In respect to animals dying on flights, it states that the cause of death in most cases is heart failure but it's impossible to know the cause. Travelling on a plane can be very stressful within itself, it doesn't mean that the airline itself did anything wrong, were negligent or mistreated the animals though.

I found a list here of routes into the UK with a pet. I'm not sure whether any of the info would be useful for whichever country you're in?
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...l-and-charter-routes-for-the-movement-of-pets

There's a specific bit in Karen's link on rabbits and quarantine:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/put-your-pet-in-rabies-quarantine

Having just left Defra the rules and regs are constantly changing, I think it would be very difficult to get an animal back into the UK due to quarantine rules, with or without no deal

Sillyrabbit- thanks as always for your insight

I didn’t mean to cause offence, but I stand by my comments as I put a lot of research into traveling with my bunny.

I’m aware there is a bigger world out there. I lived in three different countries with the the same rabbit, and we travelled through six countries in total as those airline options weren’t immediately available to us. I wasn’t suggesting putting your rabbit in cargo, as I said I chose not to put mine in cargo. But for some people it is the only option, cabin travel is restricted to animals that fit comfortably in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you, a lot of people travel with animals who are too big for the cabin. I would advise people to speak directly with airlines and request information on their animal hold if they are considering it. Personally I saw nothing wrong with the information I was provided by many airlines.

The animal is also pretty much out of your control of it is in the cabin with you too, you agree not to remove the animal from the carrier at any point during the flight when you book an animal into the cabin. The same health related risks of flying apply whether you are sat next to your pet or not.

The problem with taking animals in the cabin on flights to or from the UK is not the airlines just refusing to do it. The regulations on animal travel is enforced by the UK government, the information I received from the UK gov (which may very well be outdated now) was that there are restrictions on cabin travel for animals, it’s simply not permitted no matter what the animal or airline policy is. The airlines are following those restrictions, that’s why many will say ‘excluding UK routes’ etc.