Door To Door · Via Eurotunnel

Pet Transport From Europe To The UK

We move dogs and cats from anywhere in Europe to any address in the UK by road, through the Eurotunnel. One vehicle, door to door, with you and your pet together the whole way. No cargo holds, no airport handlers, no crates left with strangers.

Pet Moves Abroad is a family-run team based in Folkestone, holding full DEFRA Type 2 authorisation and 400+ five-star Google reviews. Tell us where you’re starting from and we’ll quote you the same day.

Where we collect from

We run regular routes across Europe and we’ll collect from your door, your vet, or straight off your flight at the airport. These are our most common pickup points and the rough door-to-door drive time back to the UK.

CountryCommon pickupsApprox. journey to UK
FranceParis (CDG), Calais, Nice, LyonFrom 35 min (Calais) to ~10 hrs (Nice)
NetherlandsAmsterdam (Schiphol)~7–8 hours
BelgiumBrussels~5–6 hours
GermanyFrankfurt, Cologne~8–10 hours
SpainAlicante, Madrid, Málaga~18–24 hours (overnight stops)
PortugalLisbon, Porto~24+ hours (overnight stops)
SwitzerlandZurich, Geneva~9–11 hours
ItalyMilan, Rome~12–18 hours

Don’t see your city? We travel all over Europe. Send us the pickup address and we can build a bespoke route.

How our pet taxi service works

Every move runs the same simple way, whether it’s one cat from Paris or two dogs from southern Spain. You deal with a real person from the first message to the moment your pet’s home. There’s no call centre and no being passed around a queue.

Here’s how a typical pet transport from Europe to the UK actually plays out, from your first quote to your pet back asleep on the sofa.

 

  • 1

    Get a free quote. Fill in the form or WhatsApp with your pickup city, destination, dates, and how many pets and passengers.

  • 2

    We confirm the route and paperwork. We tell you exactly what your pet needs to enter the UK and when each step has to happen.

  • 3

    We collect. Door to door, or we meet you and your pet at the airport and load up.

  • 4

    Eurotunnel crossing. 35 minutes Calais to Folkestone. You stay in the vehicle with your pet the whole way. There’s a pet exercise area before boarding.

  • 5

    Straight to your UK address. Most Paris-to-London runs take around six hours door to door.

Don’t see your city? We travel all over Europe. Send us the pickup address and we can build a bespoke route.

What your pet needs to enter the UK

Great Britain has firm entry rules, and the route has to be an approved one. Eurotunnel is. Here’s the short version, current as of June 2026.

  • Microchip first. Your pet has to be microchipped before the rabies vaccination, not after.
  • Rabies vaccination. Then wait at least 21 full days before travelling.
  • Tapeworm treatment for dogs. Given by a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days (120 hours) before you arrive in the UK. Cats don’t need this.
  • A pet travel document. An EU Pet Passport, a GB pet health certificate, or an Animal Health Certificate, depending on where you’re coming from. The EU changed its AHC template on 22 April 2026, so check yours is the current version.

Our drivers know the Pet Reception process at Calais inside out and will help on the day. We can advise on documents, but the paperwork is ultimately your responsibility. If you’re unsure, check Gov.uk’s bring-a-pet guidance or just ask us.

Travelling to the UK with a cat

Most people picture a dog in the back of an estate car. We move just as many cats. Cats skip the tapeworm step, travel in a carrier or loose next to you if they’d rather, and we can supply a portable litter tray for the trip. Travelling to the UK with a cat works exactly the same as with a dog: door to door, through the tunnel, no cargo hold.

Why families choose us over air cargo

You can fly a pet into the UK, but only as manifested cargo, and it’s expensive, stressful, and full of handoffs. Cabin travel into the UK isn’t allowed at all. Road through the Eurotunnel keeps your pet with a person they can see, in a climate-controlled vehicle, with comfort stops whenever they need one.

 Air cargoPet Moves Abroad (road + Eurotunnel)
Your pet travelsIn the hold, aloneIn the cabin of the car, with you or our driver
HandoffsMultiple (check-in, loaders, customs)One driver, start to finish
Comfort stopsNoneWhenever your pet needs one
Crate requiredIATA crate, often bought newNot required. Travel loose or in your own carrier
LicensingVaries by handlerDEFRA Type 2, the highest UK road licence

Frequently asked questions

It depends on the pickup city, the number of pets and passengers, and luggage. A Paris-to-London run is very different to Alicante. Send us the details and we’ll quote the same day, usually within a few hours.

Yes. We meet clients at any European airport, help wheel your pets and luggage out, and load up. Plenty of people fly themselves and send their pet as excess luggage on the same flight, then we take over for the UK leg.

Yes. We hold both EU and UK Type 2 approval for journeys over 8 hours, so we can move pets on their own. We only do bespoke transfers of up to 5 pets, never shared loads.

For a single pet on a budget, flying it as excess luggage to a nearby European airport and having us collect for the UK leg is often the most cost-effective route. We’ll talk you through it honestly when you ask for a quote.

As early as you can, because the rabies jab and 21-day wait can’t be rushed. Once your pet’s paperwork is sorted, we can often move fast, including last-minute jobs when we’ve a driver free.