Traveling Dog

Traveling Dog

This post is for the dog-smitten traveler…who, like me, just may be living in France…and who, like me, may need to get from France to Ireland (or vice versa) with their dog…and some peace of mind if at all possible.

We knew we were going to be spending a long Christmas holiday in Ireland this year. We knew that boarding our dog, Rufus, for that length of time was not an option. A) We’ve completely ruined his fortitude by spoiling him. B) We haven’t found a pension in France that pampers the dogs anywhere close to what we had in the states. Thus, it was decided he was coming with, albeit amid warnings to the family members hosting us that he considers our bed to be his bed and it wouldn’t be such a hot idea to put the 300-thread count sheets into service while we were there…just saying…but thanks!

Anyhoo, we our transportation options for this trip were, no surprise, limited.

We could fly, or not. Air France is the only major carrier that takes pets, and it would cost a zillion dollars. Not for the dog, mind you, but for two economy class tickets for the people owned by the dog. Plus, doggy would have to travel as cargo. None of the budget airlines allow pets, nor does Aer Lingus.

Seeing as there are no trains running from France to Ireland – nor any hot air balloon or zeppelin operators that take pets, people, and cars – this left us with one choice: drive to port where we can catch a car ferry.

There are several ferry operators who go between France and Ireland, but most have routes only between April and October and not all are authorized to transport pets. Only one – Irish Ferries – have a winter schedule between France (Cherbourg) and Ireland (Rosslare) and will take pets. So, that’s what we booked.

When we went to Corsica in September we took a car ferry from Toulon to Bastia. It was fabulous. Not only was Rufus allowed to be in the cabin with us, but dogs were permitted in all public areas of the ship provided they were on a leash and well-behaved. Howlers and biters and nervous pee-ers, for obvious reasons, wouldn’t be greeted warmly. There was even a designated area for the dogs to do their business. Not that the dogs restricted themselves. They went where their noses told them to go, but all the dog owners tried their best and most cleaned up after their dogs. (Not all of them, unfortunately, which is very, very bad form.)

The ferry operators between France and Ireland approach the transportation of pets a bit differently. On Irish Ferries there is a kennel area where they have to stay for the duration. (During the busy season, the kennels probably fill up quickly so book in advance.) The kennels themselves are OK. Not as comfy as the cabins, of course. But fine. Once all the dogs have been squared away in their kennel, the door to the kennels is kept locked and you can only check on your dog if accompanied by a crew member.

But that’s the good news. There are visiting hours throughout the day, so you can check on your dog, feed and water them as needed, and take them out for a pee break. The ship rep stays nearby for the duration of the visit, so they tend to be brief. But better brief than none at all. If the ship is packed with cars, it will be difficult for the dogs to stretch their legs and do their business. Also keep in mind, that if the seas are rough, the kennel visits may be suspended for safety reasons until things calm down. But you know, sometimes you have to work with what you have and make the best of it.

We checked on Rufus every four hours or so. Each time, we were greeted by two rows of saucer-eyed dogs hoping we were there to free them from this crazy ship business. Luckily, the seas weren’t too choppy, and none of the dogs appeared to have a case of mal de la mer. They were weirded out. As to be expected.

All the cars with pets, by the way, board the ship together and you’re parked in the deck area right outside the kennels. So, it’s easy to retrieve the dogs at the end of the trip, get everyone and all the gear in the car, and high tail it off the ferry.

All in all, thumbs up to Irish Ferries. (Except for the fact that they sent us an email yesterday cancelling our return trip and bumping us to the ship leaving two days later.  What gives?)

The other ferry operator that allows pets, Brittany Ferries, has routes between Roscoff and Cork but only between April and October. We have NOT used this ferry operator, so I do not have first hand experience with them. However, according to their website they have some number of kennels for some of the French routes. If on those trips the kennels are full, the pets have to stay in the car. (I wonder about how hot it gets in the car deck area during the summer.) It sounds like they permit you to visit your pet – either in the kennel or in the car-deck area – if accompanied and by arrangement, but they do say it’s at the discretion of the crew. It’s also not clear if the dogs are allowed out for a pee break. I don’t know why they can’t cover some of these practical matters in their stated policy. Why can’t they say, look here people with pets, you can’t let your dog run amok on board but you will be able to take them out of the kennel to do a whiddle. Is that so difficult?

Anyway, this is a full account of what I know about getting your dog from France to Ireland for Christmas on a boat. Saving the Pet Passport run-down for another day.