Going on holiday with your dog to England? Definitely do it! England and Scotland are fantastic for dogs. What struck me most is that the people ‘across the street’ treat dogs so well. You are regularly approached about your dog on the street, and in most restaurants (especially in pubs), your four-legged friend is allowed in.
Attractions & eating out with your dog in England On dogfriendlybritain.co.uk you can find overviews of attractions where your dog is allowed in. Even in various museums and castles dogs are allowed! For example, in Scotland (Edinburgh) we were allowed to go to ‘Camera Obscura’, a museum with optical illusions, together with our dog. It immediately makes for some nice photos!
Eating out with your dog is also no problem. In pubs you are almost always allowed to take your dog in, in restaurants this is not always the case. Just ask before you go in. Spending the night with pets is also no problem. In many hotels and B&Bs in Scotland and England you are allowed to take your dog with you. Please note that there will be additional cleaning costs.
Taking your dog on the ferry – is that possible? Yes, you can take your dog on board the DFDS ferry. Both on the ferry from IJmuiden to Newcastle and on the routes Dunkirk – Dover and Calais – Dover. On the latter two routes, your dog will remain in the car during the crossing. Good to know: there are ‘Pet Water Stations‘ in the ports where your dog can have a drink of water before boarding.
On the route IJmuiden – Newcastle you can also choose to reserve a kennel for your pet, and there are a few cabins on board where you can take a pet (these cannot be reserved online, only by telephone). If you travel with KING Seaways, you can visit your dog during visiting hours (every hour, for half an hour). The kennels are spacious and clean, there are food bowls and a tap so you can give your dog water. There is a sandpit outside on the deck where your dog can do its business. There are no visiting hours at PRINCESS Seaways, you will receive a keycard with which you can visit your dog whenever you want. There is also a ‘walking box’ at the kennels at PRINCESS Seaways.
Handy to take with you when you board with your dog are an (absorbent) blanket, food and some familiar items (a toy for example, and I also took my dog’s own food bowl with me). Taking a long walk before boarding is also recommended. Tip: park your car on the Kweekensteinsweg, there you will find a beautiful forest/park where you can take a nice walk. From there it is another ten minutes drive to the ferry from IJmuiden to Newcastle. If you are on your way back to IJmuiden, you can also walk your dog in a park near the terminal in Newcastle. You will find the park at the penultimate roundabout before the terminal and is indicated on the roundabout as ‘Wet ’n Wild’.
With your pet on holiday to England or Scotland If you want to take your dog to England or Scotland, there are a few formalities that you need to comply with. So start planning your holiday in good time, because a few visits to the vet are necessary. At the moment, your dog must have:
- A pet passport - A microchip - A rabies vaccination (at least 21 days before departure, your dog must be chipped before that time) - A treatment against tapeworm (between 24 and 120 hours before arrival in England)
You can read the current legislation and all details about the requirements below on the DEFRA website. I wish you a great holiday with your dog in England or Scotland!
