FREE

Travelling with pets

Everyone deserves a break! Even your four legged friends... and what's great about travelling with us is they go FREE!

Before you travel please take a read at the information on this page so you and your pet can be assured of a happy and healthy trip away.

Pets Travel Free - Kennels are Free*

Pets are welcome to travel with us either in their owner's vehicle or in onboard kennels*.

Please note: Certain breeds of dogs are more sensitive to heat/poor air circulation in vehicles. We would advise owners to take extra precautions and to use the kennel facilities where available onboard our ships.

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*Subject to availability. You must advise us that you intend to bring a pet in advance of travel when you book. There is a maximum of 5 pets per booking.

Vet Contact Details

Wexford Vet:

The Veterinary Centre, Distillery Road,

Co. Wexford

Phone: 00 353 (53) 9145755

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Cherbourg Vet:

Dr LECANU

13, rue Paul Doumer, 50100 Cherbourg

Phone: 0033 233 53 51 40

Overview on travelling with pets: Rosslare - Cherbourg

Stena Line has been accredited to transport pets to and from the Republic of Ireland under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). To make your trip go smoothly you will need to be familiar with the EU and PETS rules and Stena Line's terms and conditions. We also recommend that you seek advice on how to ensure your pet's wellbeing during the journey and this is your reponsibility.

Rabies control - Entry of pet cats & dogs into Ireland by ferry from 1 January 2012. From 1 January 2012, all pets entering Ireland from another EU Member State (eg. France) must be:

1.	Identified by micro-chip (as currently). However a clearly readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011 is also acceptable.
2.	Subsequently vaccinated against rabies, at least 21 days before entry into Ireland.
3.	In the case of dogs, treated against the tapeworm echinococcus multilocularis within a period not more than 120 hours and no less than 24 hours before the time of scheduled arrival in Ireland (i.e. between 5 days and 1 day prior to entry.)

Veterinary certification of the above is to be contained in the EU Pet Passport or the Third Country Health Certificate (as currently).

Identification

Most pets will be identified by micro-chip, and this check remains the same as the current system i.e. scan the pet for the micro-chip number and verify that it matches the number in the passport. However, clearly readable tattoos applied before 3 July 2011 are also permitted. The date of application of a tattoo will be in the passport.

Rabies Vaccination

As currently, the date of the primary rabies vaccination must not precede the date of identification. This primary vaccination (i.e. first vaccination following identification) must have been administered at least 21 days before arrival in Ireland.

The 21 day period does not apply to revaccinations/booster vaccinations, provided there has been no break in vaccination history. If there has been a break in vaccination, the booster vaccination is considered the primary vaccination and a period of 21 days must have passed since its administration.

Whether the most recent rabies vaccination has been a primary or booster vaccine, it must still be within its ‘valid until’ date as indicated in the passport.

Echinococcus (tapeworm) treatment

This treatment now applies only to dogs – date and time of treatment is certified in the passport, as currently. Dogs must be treated not more than 120 hours (5 days) and not less than 24 hours (1 day) prior to scheduled arrival time in Ireland.

Non-compliant pets

Identification

If a pet is not identified, or if the identification cannot be read, the pet cannot be accepted for travel. Owners will have to have the pet identified/re-identified, vaccinated and wait 21 days.

Vaccination

If a pet has not been vaccinated, or if 21 days have not passed since the primary vaccination, the pet cannot be accepted for travel. Owners will have to have the pet vaccinated where relevant and await the expiry of the 21 day period.

Tapeworm treatment for dogs

(a) In practical terms, given check-in and sailing times, treatment administered on the day of travel, even close to check-in time, does not present a problem and does not prevent travel. While in some cases a full 24 hours will not have expired before arrival, specific advice can be given to these travellers (we will supply leaflets for this purpose) to ensure that the treatment is effective.

(b) Dogs presented with no tapeworm treatment cannot be accepted for travel. If there is time for travellers to visit a vet before boarding then travel is permitted – see (a) above.

Stena Line Regulations

Stena Line Ltd has absolute discretion to accept or refuse any passenger, their vehicle, their pets or their luggage on board.

We will not accept bookings with pets that are:

• Presented on the day of departure

• For pets not holding a valid EU Pet Passport or Veterinary Certificate certifying microchip identification (or pre 3rd July 2011 readable tattoo)

• For pets other than Cats, Dogs and Ferrets

• For unaccompanied pets

• For those travelling by motorcycle or bicycle.

If a return booking is made Ireland to France, a return booking must be made for the pet. If a pet is not returning it will be necessary to provide evidence of this or the pet and passenger may be refused travel.

Passengers travelling with pets must check in at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure time, otherwise travel will be refused.

Access to pets on board is at the discretion of the crew. Arrangements to visit a pet can be made at Guest Services. Visits are dependent on the availability of a crew member to escort the passenger and on weather conditions.

If a dog is required to be muzzled by Irish/French legislation and is not muzzled, the dog and its owner will be refused travel.

Foot passengers may only travel with their pet(s) if they have pre-booked a kennel(s) in advance of sailing. Pets are prohibited from travelling with foot passengers where kennels are not pre-booked. Kennels are allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

While travelling with a pet with Stena Line Ltd you have a choice of leaving your pet in two places while the ship sales:

• Your own vehicle

• Allocated kennels onboard

Pets are not allowed into any of the passenger decks on the vessel at any time (with the exception of guide dogs).

Procedure to obtain a kennel on board for your pet:

1. Drive your vehicle to the deck in which you are directed;

2. Leave your pet in your vehicle and go to Guest Services stating that you have a pet and that you need a kennel. You will be allocated a kennel (subject to availability) Kennels are located in two places:

• Car deck (on deck 5)

• Deck 4

3. A member of the crew will take you to the kennel.

If you wish to leave your pet in the vehicle, simply leave the pet there while sailing with windows open slightly for ventilation.

Owners are responsible for providing food to their pets. Water will be made available on board.

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