Hi all , I am aiming to import a 15 week old puppy into the UK in May/June.( From Sweden)  I have been trying to find info on the best, safest for pup and most reasonably priced options to do this. Anyone with any tips for me please and also I am wondering if there are any others coming over to a show or wanting to import from similar area so we could share costs , any help gladly received!

Sent you a message.

I'm importing a puppy from Sweden in May too. Not sure you can PM here, but if so drop me a message and I'll share details of the company I'm using.

DogloverLOu and Mcat it would be really helpful for everyone else reading the forum, or people searching for the topic in the future if you could simply answer in the post instead of sending pms :)  It's ok here to say you used such and such company and it was x amount, this is an information exchange :)

We imported a puppy from Sweden last year, and my husband collected him. He drove to Paris via Eurostar, then flew to Gottenburg was met there by the breeder and stayed overnight with them. The next day he flew back to Paris with the puppy as 'accompanied baggage ' which cost approx £50 then drove home via Eurostar which was £25 for the puppy.
Flight prices were around £200  total but could have been much cheaper if we had been able to book the flights further in advance (we only booked the flights about a week in advance) as there was the possibility that the puppy may have been able to travel with someone coming to Crufts, but that was not possible in the end.
The puppy had his pet passport sorted out by the breeder so we didn't have any problems, but do watch the window for worming treatment. Beckis had been wormed at the vets on the Friday and was coming into the UK  on Sunday late afternoon and the timing was just inside the the window allowed.
You can also travel by ferry to Denmark then drive into Sweden, but when we researched this the journey was significantly longer and cost more than flying once all the additons to the ferry price were added, ( meals  and cabin which you have to have and cost extra) plus the ferry only travels about twice a week so you have 3 days between getting there and return sailing. Not too bad if you want to make it a short holiday too.

>Beckis had been wormed at the vets on the Friday and was coming into the UK  on Sunday late afternoon and the timing was just inside the the window allowed.

The window was extended in January 2012 - the worming has to be between 24 hours and 5 days of entering the UK.

I looked at importing a pup from Sweden last year. The cheapest way is the flight into France and then driving back through the tunnel. The journey by sea was a 3-4 day mission. I was ok because the breeder I was looking at lives just over the bridge from Copenhagen to Malmo, another friend's pup came from the top of Sweden which was a lot further.

The window was extended in January 2012 - the worming has to be between 24 hours and 5 days of entering the UK.

And it's just as important to check it has been at least 24 hours (and it is 24 hours when you have the pets passport check, NOT 24 hrs when you leave on the train if going via France -so in reality this means more than 24 hours) as it is to check it has been no more than the maximum. We just recently imported from Belgium and had to sit and twiddle our thumbs in Calais for a few hours as the breeder had mistakenly thought the worming had to be done LESS than 24 hours before travel rather than more.  It meant we had to re-book our train, pay extra, and got back home hours later than expected.  But better that than being too late!

I'm using a company called animalcouriers.com. Puppy will be travelling over via road. Price is not exact yet as it depends on whether there is interest from others in sharing the trip or not.

I'm using a company called animalcouriers.com. Puppy will be travelling over via road.

This would worry me with a journey as long as from Sweden to the UK. Where will the puppy be kept overnight for instance? Will it be in a cage all this time? Depending on where in Sweden the puppy is, the journey to the channel tunnel in England will take at least 2 days, possibly as much as 4. Unless the company has two drivers sharing, and can drive without stopping, in which case it can be done in under 24 hours if starting from southern Sweden.

Puppy travels in an air conditioned van and the company always stop over in secure locations etc. I'm not concerned really as they've done it plenty of times before and I like that the pup is supervised and with people the whole time and is very good travel experience for him on top! Pup is coming from Gothenburg area.

thanks everyone, most helpful, will try animalcouriers as they are traveling at right time in May, if the pup can have his rabies done at 12 weeks and not 3 calender months!

The May trip is the one my puppy will be travelling on :) Would be good to share the trip with someone else. Do drop them an email.

The rules are 3 Calender months.

That's what Defra confirmed to me last year, 3 calendar months(+21 days).

So why does everywhere else I've looked state that a puppy CAN legally enter the UK at 15 weeks old? That's the earliest a pup can travel here from the info I've gathered. Also when I contacted DEFRA they made no mention whatsoever of it being three calendar months...just three months old which could easily be understood as being 12 weeks old...and even that was dependent on what the rabies manufacturer data sheet recommended. They really should make it crystal clear that it's three calendar months if that's what they mean.

12 weeks is 3 lunar months.

All the rabies vaccine manufacturers state 3 months of age, whch are calendar months & not lunar months. QED

Isn't it 21 days after that Rabies vax? So 15 weeks is earliest.

Isn't it 21 days after that Rabies vax? So 15 weeks is earliest.

Yes but it will typically be at least a few days more than 15 weeks as 3 months is longer than 12 weeks, so 3 months + 21 days. Pups born today would be 12 weeks old on the 13th of June but 3 months on the 21st, so pets passport would be ready at 12th of July at 16 weeks 1 day. Depends a bit on how the months fall as well.

Gotcha.