Importing dogs from USA

[User00047]

Here’s something that I currently know nothing about….but someone here must have done this.
What’s involved exactly ?
Say a person wishes to bring their pets from USA back to UK?

 

[Tim.243]

Here’s something that I currently know nothing about….but someone here must have done this.
What’s involved exactly ?
Say a person wishes to bring their pets from USA back to UK?

Have you googled the process?

 

[Jax]

The simplest option would be to instruct a pet shipping agent in the US and customs clearance agent in the U.K. There is a lot of red tap to navigate and the slightest error could cost you hundreds if not thousands of pounds in fees if the dog arrives non-compliant in the U.K. There is also the question of airline breed restrictions, temperature embargos, and routing to consider.

If they are genuine pets (non-commercial) and you can prove it, there is little in terms of VAT/duty to worry about. If you’re importing a dog you’ve recently purchased, there will most likely be VAT to pay at the going rate. Something to bear in mind.

You can select an agent from here Search Online for a Pet Shipper or pm me with details of the relocation. There are too many variables to list specifics without more info.

Using a lab as a guide, and a very rough guide at that, you could be looking at £2000 - £3000 for the US side and £250-£500 the U.K. side assuming the paperwork is in order. The bulk of the export cost is freight and airline handling.

 

[User00047]

The simplest option would be to instruct a pet shipping agent in the US and customs clearance agent in the U.K. There is a lot of red tap to navigate and the slightest error could cost you hundreds if not thousands of pounds in fees if the dog arrives non-compliant in the U.K. There is also the question of airline breed restrictions, temperature embargos, and routing to consider.

If they are genuine pets (non-commercial) and you can prove it, there is little in terms of VAT/duty to worry about. If you’re importing a dog you’ve recently purchased, there will most likely be VAT to pay at the going rate. Something to bear in mind.

You can select an agent from here Search Online for a Pet Shipper or pm me with details of the relocation. There are too many variables to list specifics without more info.

Using a lab as a guide, and a very rough guide at that, you could be looking at £2000 - £3000 for the US side and £250-£500 the U.K. side assuming the paperwork is in order. The bulk of the export cost is freight and airline handling.

Thanks for the excellent response.
I thought it would be a costly enterprise.
I’m guessing your estimate is per single dog and you wouldn’t expect discounts if there were several involved?

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain

Bringing pets into Great Britain: pet passports, Great Britain pet health certificates, microchipping, rabies vaccinations, travelling with assistance dogs.

www.gov.uk

 

[Jax]

Thanks for the excellent response.
I thought it would be a costly enterprise.
I’m guessing your estimate is per single dog and you wouldn’t expect discounts if there were several involved?

The freight cost is based on the volumetric weight of the consignment. There may be a small saving for multiple kennels, but I’m talking a few $ per kg. Airlines typically don’t offer discounts unless you’re military flying on orders on the flag carrier airline.

Savings are possible with multiple pets though by the US agent booking a pallet position in the aircraft instead of using the bulk/loose cargo rate. The pallet can be shared with other pets if you can time the relocation correctly with other bookings the agent may have or if you know of another family looking to relocate.