Taking Your Dog On Le Shuttle

We used to love holidaying in France but stopped going when I felt that our old girl was too old to go in kennels. Because she was twelve, I also thought she was too old to start messing about with getting a passport for her - shame as it turned out because she lived until she was seventeen (which I know I've mentioned before - sorry).
I only just learnt - from another unfortunate post - that you can take dogs on le shuttle and wondered if anyone has experience of this?
I know a little about the passport and also the vaccinations (the worming for return into UK has me a bit puzzled ) but someone who has actually done it can tell you more than you'll ever read in "helpful information sections".
I'd dearly love to go back to France but can't face putting Poppy in kennels, nor would I want it to be stressful for her to travel - or for me for that matter!
Any tips would be most welcome.

We have just returned from France with our dog -- always go the shuttle, couldn't be simpler, no stress the dog just stays in the car,in bed, basket however it normally travels, can sit on your knee if it prefers no one is interested as long as it stays in the car.

Coming back you need to visit a vet more than one day and less than five before return, costs about 40 euros. At the terminal it is signposted to the dog check section where they will check passport and vaccinations etc - takes a few minutes, very straightforward, that's it. There is a doggy runaround area and free dog magazines.
Good luck!

Cheers Dicko,

That does sound mighty simple. Must go and investigate!

Dicko is quite right ... I've done the trip from Hungary to Cornwall with two dogs and a cat, twice in the past two years. One thing Dicko didn't make quite clear is that visit to the vet when you're in France is for the worming and tick treatment which as he says can only be done by a vet as you need his stamp on your dog's passport. Vaccinations and Rabies jabs can all be done by your own vet in the UK. If you need to stay overnight in Calais there are some very reasonably priced pet friendly hotels not far from where you catch the Shuttle.

Thanks very much.
I can't believe I only just found out you can do this!

It really is the only way to go, I use it up to eight times a year (I have a frequent traveler account) even with out it I still reckon the Shuttle is better value and so much simpler and quicker than any other way of crossing to France.

When you return you call into the pet check in first. In my opinion it is not well sign posted, it is a white single story building on the right as you approach the normal bariers for check in, so when you see the barriers slow down as you need to swing over to the right and go down a short bit of road and turn into the pet check in.

Just don't go belting up to the main barriers as they don't like you reversing out of them (which you would have to do if you missed the turning on the right for the pet centre.) DAMHIKT

In reality is all so easy and the train is quiet and you hardly know you are moving, 35 minutes latter you are driving off and straight on to the motorway, perfect

One other thing, on both sides they really want you to visit the shopping centre, but the French are so keen for you to do this they stop you taking the 2nd exit at the roundabout and there is a man who directs you to take the first exit which takes you into the shopping centre car park, you need to go through this car park and continue around until you come back to the roundabout where the 'the man' is only this time he waves you through and up the road to what I call the 'lanes' where you'll be told a number, you drive into that lane and wait for the barrier to go up and then you drive onto the train.

We've always taken the shuttle around 9am and I've never seen anyone directing the cars, but I have to agree the layout is rather confusing. We normally spend the night in Calais and after booking into a hotel, we leave the "girls" in the bedroom and go and do a big shop in Carrefour.

Fourlegz... When you arrive at the Pet Passport Control you have to take your dog/cat into the building where their microchips are scanned and their passports checked to see if the vaccs are up to date. The last time we arrived to find dozens of dogs and owners queuing up outside in a fairly orderly manner. My son decided to take my tiny dog Chloe and Sashicat whilst I waited in the car. They'd been gone about 5 minutes when it seemed that every dog was barking its head off. Knowing that Chloe sometimes could be a "rabble rouser" I was convinced she was the cause of all the trouble but no, apparently it had all been started by a Westie who'd poked his nose into Sashi's crate. Sashi had objected and scratched him on the nose. The Westie then started barking which set off all the other dogs!

Thanks for that.

All these little tips you see. Priceless for someone who doesn't know what they're doing (me).

Yes he's not always there, my usual departure is around 11am as I like to stay at a motorhome camp site just inside the Belgium border about an hour from Calais. He (or once she) is usually there by that time, I guess it depends a lot on how the shops have done the previous week, sales up (No need for 'the man') sales down (put 'the man' on the roundabout)

When are you planning on going Hope you'll come back on here and tell us how it went.