Hi all,

First time post here, although i have lurked through a few old posts that popped up on a google search on the same subject. I thought it would be best i ask though as i might get different responses.

I've been in talks with a breeder from Sweden for quite a while now and her bitch has just been mated and i'm interested in a puppy from the litter if all goes to plan. We're currently discussing the importing process and while they have exported to various other countries they've never exported here so we're both a little confused.

The bit i'm most confused with is what pet agent company to use. I contacted SAS who directed me to the company that deal with live animals etc so i contacted the agent in Sweden and have heard nothing back so far. The company is called trustforwarding, has anyone heard or used this company with importing a puppy before? I tried Ladyhaye too but they don't cover Sweden unfortunately.

If anyone knows of any other airlines that do a direct flight from Sweden, to preferably Manchester ( because i've read about the additional costs Heathrow charge! ) then please let me know. Anything else i'm missing? The breeder has asked me what type of crate i want, but again, i'm not entirely sure. That is something that will be done on their end right?

Thanks in advance

Hi

I am Swedish so go backwards and forwards quite a lot, have shown in Sweden so brought a dog over and back, took a kitten over last May etc. Unfortunately it's not the easiest country to get to or from with animals. There is NO direct flights to or from Sweden that allow animals, it would have to be a change of flights in Finland or Holland or similar -can't remember offhand now which airlines allow animals. I have no personal experience of companies that bring animals to the UK from Sweden, again I have only heard of Trust Forwarding in recent years. (Have you tried phoning their Swedish office?) I'm in the opposite situation as I want to get a cat over there in the spring, and I don't fancy the long journey myself again. Most people I know (such as people coming over to Crufts to show) will travel with the animal, and there are plenty of different ways in which to do it, but none are quick. For instance you can take the ferry from Harwich to Denmark (20 hrs or so) and the drive through Denmark and into Sweden -if you need to be in Stockholm or further up the car journey through Sweden alone will be 8 hrs minimum. You can take the ferry to Holland and drive through Holland, Germany, Denmark and into Sweden. You can take the channel tunnel and start off from France, then Belgium, then Holland etc. You can get to Germany and take a ferry from there to Gothenburg in Sweden, etc.

Hi, thanks for the reply.

There is no direct flight from Sweden? According to DEFRA SAS do a direct flight to either Manchester or Heathrow and i think the breeder mentioned BA too although i haven't checked into that one. The pup would be flying from Gothenburg.

That's a real pain if that information is wrong.

ETA: Actually DEFRA don't seem to have that info on their site, my mistake, even though i'm positive i read that somewhere!

Hi, a friend and I are in talks with a Swedish breeder about bringing a puppy over next summer. She wants us to collect it so the only way for us is to get the ferry to Denmark and then drive, luckily she is in the south of Sweden so the journey isn't to bad. The cost of the ferry is very expensive 
but it will be nice to meet this lady and her dogs.
One thing that we hadn't originally factored in was how bad the exchange rate is at the moment so ,if it remains the same, the price of this pup will be twice what the breed costs here but we need the new bloodlines.

There are no longer any direct flights that allow animals, where you can travel yourself. The animals would have to go as cargo and again that is where Trust Forwarding comes in. Without animals it's easy. :)

I think the OP was referring to Cargo all along (hence the mention of not using Heathrow with the extortionate charges over and above cargo).

On the other hand there is nothing to stop you flying on the same flight as your pup/dog does as cargo, this is how I returned from Finland with Lexi in 2006, even though excess baggage was an available option on the flight out.

Yes, thanks, i did mean the pup would be travelling in Cargo. I'm not to worried about that arrangement as it's a short enough flight over. Contacted SAS today and they do do direct flights so that's a relief. It's just a case of getting hold of Trust Forwarding now then.

Should the breeder be talking to Trust Forwarding too? Seen as alot has to be done on their end.

i imported a dog from sweden and i used scandipets. they were very good.. not sure about going to manchester mine came into heathrow with nothing to pay when he was picked up, yet i had one come in from malaysia and i had to pay £165..

I imported a dog from Sweden a couple of years ago we had him fly into Manchester
will look out the details for you who he traveled with .
We used animal couriers they have a uk office and they put us in touch with someone in
sweden who we delt with direct will go and find them details for you .

Here's the link to Defra's list on what flights are approved for carrying animals under the PETS scheme;

http://www.defra.gov.uk/files/pets-air-routes.pdf

It's arranged by airline not country unfortunately but SAS is approved by Defra for all their flights into Heathrow and Manchester.

Thanks for the replies guys.

I've contacted Scandipets and they've given me a quote. I didn't expect this to be cheap, but it is quite a bit more than i expected.

Also @Brac  ( Sorry don't know how to quote ) - Do animal couriers do flights? From what i can make out on their website they offer a pick up and drop off service. I'm pretty sure they'd be more expensive in the long run than Scandipets when you take into account all their fuel costs etc and the length of time it would take them to drive from Sweden etc. If you can give me the details of who you used though that would be great! Any help is appreciated.

I got quotes from animal couriers a couple of years ago for bringing in 3 from Sweden, 1 was mine and 2 for another person.  Grouped together 2 or 3 dogs was much cheaper than flying, 1 dog was a little bit less than flying and it did save any possible airport charges.  They drove the dogs in a purpose built van.  Have you tried finding out if there is anyone from another breed planning to bring anything in that you could split costs with for a courier service?

animal couriers to arrange flights as well as road transport
the company who our dog flew in with was Pets on Jets at Manchester airport web site is www.petsonjets.com
we contacted Animal couriers and they put us in touch with a agent in sweden who got everything sorted and we just picked our boy up our boy flew out from Arlanda airport just checked the invoice and it is scandipets who sorted it all out for us .
hope this information helps

Hi, me again. I know there is a number of these topics on the top page at the mo, but i have another question.

Is it possible to import a puppy without the help of a transport agency? Like the whole import process organized between the breeder and myself? I'm thinking it might be more cost effective that way. I'd only have the puppies flight to pay for, right? Or is there other hidden costs i'm not accounting for?

Clearance/Handling/Kennel charges can be as much as the Cargo charge at Heathrow, some countries require you use an Agent (I think Sweden may be one).

You will probably find, as I did, that the airlines just won't deal with you in person and insist that you use an agent

To fly my two to Turkey the cost breakdown was;
Flight £460
Airline Handling £110
Fuel Surcharge £25
Travel Kennel £120
NES HM Export Certificate £30
Agency Fee's £120
Agency Meet at Airport £65

All in the vast majority of the costs are related to the flight and cannot be avoided.  I was surprised how much of the original estimate was for other costs - I thought the agency would take a bigger chunk than they did.