checking in with cat in UK Scotland?

[Photonsailor]

Hi guys! We wonder if anyone of you have sailed to Scotland, post-Brexit, and checked in with a cat on-board? I have tried to find some unequivocal, pertinent and understandable advice on how to do that (or not?). Have only found links about importing or exporting boats to UK by UK citizens, or laws pertaining to humans, but then I quickly tend to get lost in the maze of websites

Is it allowed? Coming from Sweden, Denmark, or via Norway we would presumably arrive to UK, Peterhead to check-in. Alternatively, we might sail via Shetland.

Any advice?

PS Our Cat His Royal Highness Gustav has been sailing with us since he was born and is not a newbie sailor. He is fully vaccinated and chipped and has his own EU passport. We do NOT let him jump ship or wonder off from the boat on his own.

[Anders]

You can't take a cat on a private boat to the UK unless you are travelling from Ireland or Northern Ireland.

[JPA Cate]

Photonsailor,

What you would check on would be feline quarantine for Scotland. Follow up with a phone call, and hope the person you get is up to date.

Ann

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by Anders

You can't take a cat on a private boat to the UK unless you are travelling from Ireland or Northern Ireland.

Correct. Must go to Ireland first, then you can bring a cat in via boat to the UK. We did it a few years ago. But it's a UK rule and not something that changed with Brexit.

[Photonsailor]

Ok, seems bothersome. since Ireland is not a natural stopover from Scandinavia. Means we likely will not grace Scotland with our presence, even if it is highest on our wish list.....

We have actually visited UK 2017 with Gustav. We then had to come by rental car and car-train via Calais-Dover tunnel and check him in at Dover Customs for animals. Very easy when we were there actually, but took some doing to rent a car, drive it back to Sweden, then the driver had to fly back to Portsmouth where Gustav waited with us.

But then sailor cats are likely a too small portion of visitors?

[Anders]

It's possible to take a pre arranged taxi from Calais to Folkestone on the tunnel. I belive there are commercial pet travel companies as well on that route.
Stena has a Hook of Holland - Harwich ferry that takes dogs even with foot passengers but not sure about cats.

[Niall leslie]

The issue is normally that of rabies and the UK normally requires quarantine even if vaccinated I believe.
I suggest that you contact the UK border people or whatever UK customs and excise are calling themselves these days for definitive, current information.
Good luck and please do your best to get there. I grew up sailing on the West coast and it is georgeous, even now that it is very overcrowded by comparison. Anchorages that I used to enjoy being on the only boat can now have 5 - 20 other boats.
Cheers,
Niall.

[Stewie12]

It is not permitted to bring pets into the UK by private boat or plane (unless you are arriving from Ireland). They must arrive by an approved transport company on an authorised route.

On top of that they would require to be vaccinated to UK requirements.

[Clivevon]

The point being that rabies is endemic in mainland Europe but we do not have it in UK & we would like to keep it that way....

[Photonsailor]

Ok, regarding rabies, to my knowledge Scandinavia ie Sweden and Norway are regarded as free of rabies as the UK and as adamant at keeping it out. We experienced this understanding when extensively travelling with Gustav through all of western EU, USA, AND the UK from respective customs people. They typically said something like, "oh you come from Sweden, you have stronger tabs on rabies than we" and when showing his full vaccinations docs they were just smiles in the UK.
It would rather seem that the UK only have one entrance port for pets, irrespective of transport, air or sea company (forbiddingly expensive) or by Dover*Calais car-train. I had hoped there would be more ports of entrance, ie in Scotland. But if not, then thats how it is, and we sadly will not be able to sail there.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Clivevon

The point being that rabies is endemic in mainland Europe but we do not have it in UK & we would like to keep it that way....

All of western Europe are considered to be rabies free.