I've done a search but can't seem to find what Im looking for. Has anyone imported a pup/dog from the US or other third country since the EU pet travel rules were tightened up last december? If so I could really use some guidance.

I now have the opportunity to get the pup I have been waiting for from America. It would seem though that as of dec 2014 any dog not accompanied by its owner (within 5 days) is classed as a commercial import, which has added paperwork/costs. Problem is I can't make heads or tails from the defra website of what this actually means and what extra heartache and expense it will involve. Does anyone know/have any experience? I can't get the time off work to fly across to bring the pup back myself. I have gotten a quote from a transport company but this doesn't include the customs fees associated with an unaccompanied pet. And they haven't been able to give me much guidance yet as to how much this will be and what other paperwork this involves.
I thought about flying the pup across to Europe then going an collecting it from there but it doesn't seem like this is such an easy or a cheaper option with these new rules either??

I'm finding this all so very stressful and would really appreciate anyone else's experiences.

Friends of mine have just had this headache, and one of the owners did fly over to get the bitch, and did come via Brussels as it was more cost effective than flying to Heathrow.

They still had to complete a form that it was not a commercial import and that the dog would nto be transferred to new ownership within a specified time frame.

It has to be owner or agent, so |I think the transport company can act as agent.

Anyway there is a link for the form for unaccompanied will see if I can find it again.

This seems helpful: http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/England.cfm

If I'm reading it right then as long as you travelled part of your journey with your pet, the Brussels to Uk part it would not cause an issue???

confused.  I think you'd need to ring DEFRA

My friends did have a bit of bother with the border folk at Calais not understanding that the Third Country Certificate (which is just like the original pet passport before they became proper booklets) is the Pet passport.

Thanks Brainless. If you can find the form that would be great.

The timing is very frustrating. The breeder is coming to Europe just a few weeks before the pup is old enough to travel and I just can't get the time off to travel abroad when it will be old enough.

I wonder if using a transport company to fly it to brussels or paris and me collecting from there would be allowed under the law? But then there's the stress (I would assume?) of getting a pet passport issued once in europe but before travelling into the UK - or can they enter the UK on the same paperwork as they had to fly to Brussels?? Agghh, it's all just so confusing!!

Sorry we posted at the same time. Thanks for the link, I will take a look. And I think you have answered my other question.

My friends brought their girl in on the Certificate.