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Posts Tagged ‘Pet relocation’

Expat Pets – Moving to London with a Dog (Part 3)

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Author:  Colleen

There are many varieties of commercial dog foo...

If you’re moving to London with a pet, I’m just finishing up my three-part series on owning a dog in London. I myself am not a pet owner, but my friends are, so one of them has so graciously shared her experiences as an American expat living in London with a dog. Man’s best friend is sometimes also an expat, so here’s more information on how your pooch can smoothly transition after an international relocation. (For commentary on London’s dog-friendliness, see “Expat Pets – Moving to London with a Dog (Part 1),” and for advice on dog-walking and finding a vet, see “Expat Pets – Moving to London with a Dog (Part 2).”)

Let’s talk SHOPPING! Do you have any recommendations on where to buy pet food in London?

Pet food can be found in any grocery store from Asda to Waitrose. For those wanting to give their pet a little more than Alpo, there are some other options: Lily’s Kitchen is based in North London but sold in stores throughout the city (including Whole Foods and Pet Pavilion) and offers a variety of human grade foods and treats for dogs and cats. Darling’s Real Dog Food out of Pewsey in Wiltshire offers fresh, raw foods for dogs who are “living clean.”

Where else might you go to really pamper your pooch? :)

Harrods has a brand new pet spa on their fourth floor that is truly unbelievable and will pretty much do anything for your dog. From massage to treadmill workouts to grooming, this is the place where doggy divas get beautified. Our dog prefers a more “understated” environment for his pampering, so we have not become regulars at the Harrods dog spa, but it must be seen to be believed!

Now that we’ve walked the walk, let’s talk the talk. I regularly blog about “British English” to help other expats speak like a local. Is there any London lingo that an expat pet owner should likewise know?

Yes, there is definitely “Brit Speak” for dogs:

“Walkies” = Walk: People are not being silly when they say it’s “time for walkies.” It is an accepted part of dog vernacular here!

“Stroke” = Pet: Children always ask if they can “stroke my dog,” and it has caught me off guard a couple of times. They are simply asking if the dog can have a little pat.

“Bickies” = Biscuit: Our dog knows the word “cookie” by heart and goes crazy whenever he hears it. Apparently, the British equivalent is “bickies” (short for biscuit), and while he hasn’t quite figured it out yet, I am sure he will be in the know shortly.

“Sausage” = This term of endearment simply means nothing more than “love” and is often used in the phrase “my little sausage.” It has become a personal favorite and makes me laugh!

SO cute! Before we wrap up here, is there anything else an expat relocating to London with a pet should know?

I think the UK is about to—if it has not already—lift the quarantine on pets coming from the US to three months rather than six months, which is great news if so. The DEFRA website should have all the info a pet owner needs for bringing an animal into the country.

Also, it’s possible to make a difference with your dog in London! Last year, I did a fundraising walk with ours. We raised money for the walk, which went to Dogs Trust—a lovely organization that shelters and rehomes abandoned or abused dogs in Britain—and then showed up on a Saturday for a 10K walk with other people and their pets.

Having my dog in England has added to my experience here considerably. Life without a member of the family just isn’t quite the same, and with all the fun things there are to do here for people and their pets, it would be crazy not to consider it. And we have nothing but good things to say about how the Brits have treated our dog during his expat time in the UK!

Awww…quite an endearing interview, don’t you think? Gobs of thanks to my dog-owning friend for contributing this canine commentary. And if you still have more questions related to a pet relocation (e.g., transport, finding London apartments that accept pets, etc.), please do contact a London Relocation agent for advice prior to your London move.

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Posted in Americans Moving to London, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues | 1 Comment »

Expat Pets – Moving to London with a Dog (Part 2)

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Author:  Colleen

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: A man walks hi...
Continuing on with our series if you’re relocating to London with a pet, here are a few additional tidbits my dog-owning friend had to share with me about pet ownership after a London move. Yesterday, we talked about London’s overall pet-friendliness, so today let’s get more specific about rewarding your pet with a pleasant London experience for making that international relocation with you:

Where are your favorite places for walking your dog?

I LOVE Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park for our dog—there are always other dogs and people out and about and loads of squirrels to chase. AND the Honest Sausage snack bar is, of course, a personal favourite of our furry friend.

Battersea Park is another great place for dogs—ours heads out with his buddies to BP a few days a week. AND on the weekends, Richmond Park is doggie heaven with acres and acres of trails, open space and swimming opportunities for our four legged friends. All off leash—but you do have to be mindful of the deer and the horses in the park, so it’s wise to know that your dog is good with recall. Regent’s Park, Hampstead Heath, and Primrose Hill also all have large leash-free areas.

What if you aren’t home to walk the dog?

For those people who work at an office and don’t want their pet home alone all day, there are a number of dog walkers and doggy day care options in and around the city. A good place to start in finding a walker is through your vet—who may have an approved list of dog walkers in the area—or from other pet owners in your local park.

Speaking of vets, how can expats go about finding a good one for their pet?

A good vet is a MUST, and I highly recommend our vet, Dr. Peter Culpin at Pets Naturally in Notting Hill. Cannot say enough wonderful things about him—gentle, kind, sweet, and incredibly knowledgeable about pets large and small: www.petsnaturally.co.uk. He is one in a million.

I hear, though, there is also one near Marble Arch that is good as well, and another expat friend who recently got a dog just found the local vet in her neighborhood, which is a privately owned chain of three locations in north London: St. John’s Wood, Primrose Hill, and Finchley. They’re called Hamilton Veterinary Clinics: www.hamiltonvets.com. There is another bigger chain called Village Vet (www.villagevet.co.uk). University of Cambridge apparently also has a cutting edge animal hospital for serious pet illnesses.

Like healthcare for humans in the UK, your experience is largely dependent on whether or not you find a good doctor or not. So do the research, ask around, and take referrals seriously. I received referrals from two people who did not know each other for the same vet and took that very seriously. I would also suggest getting insurance, which is offered by many companies; I got mine through Tesco.

Well, this is all very valuable information to know if your London relocation involves a pet, and we’ll follow up tomorrow with more. Meanwhile, if you have questions about the logistics of actually moving a pet overseas, don’t hesitate to ask any of our London Relocation company staff—they’re highly knowledgeable on all aspects of an international relocation, for humans and animals alike!

 

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Posted in Americans Moving to London, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues | 1 Comment »

Expat Pets – Moving to London with a Dog (Part 1)

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

Author:  Colleen

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 29: Jack russell '...

I’ve written a lot about moving to London with an accompanying spouse and/or children, but many expats make the relocation to London with another loved one in tow: their pets. As I do not own a pet myself, I had the pleasure of picking a friend’s brain about her experience owning a dog in London. Like me, she relocated to the UK from the US with her husband, and in getting settled into this city, it was just as imperative that their dog felt at home. Here’s a few of her pet pearls of wisdom:

How pet-friendly is London?

London is AWESOME for dogs in general. They can go to most pubs and many parks are leash free. Even many of the restaurants and shops are much more open to having pets in their establishments than in the US, so while it’s always good to ask beforehand, don’t be shy about bringing your dog with you when you head out and about. Our dog has shopped for furniture and clothing with me on the odd day out and is never afraid to offer up his opinion when asked. 

I guess the thing that has struck me most about being in London with a dog is that the British seem to really LOVE their furry friends! I have met more people on the street, in shops, at the dry cleaners, etc. with our dog in hand as people are always wanting to know about and love on the old boy.

Are pets even allowed on London’s public transport?

Yes, pets are allowed on the tube and buses—though some tube stations only have escalators (no stairs). If your dog is too heavy to pick up for the ride on the escalator, be sure you educate yourself about which stations have stairs and which do not so you can adapt your trip accordingly. Black cabs will take dogs if the driver allows it. Those that don’t will usually pass you by when they see you with your dog. When a driver does pull over for you and your pet, make sure you ask before you get in and all should be fine.

A lot of expats relocating to London do so for the experience of travel. How do you manage this with a pet?

England itself has everything a dog and his owners could ask for—from trips to the beach, to lovely country walks amongst the sheep, to hikes in the hills of Scotland and Northern England. Many hotels take dogs for a small surcharge (usually £10-20 extra), so don’t hesitate to bring your dog along.

For those heading to mainland Europe with a dog, no worries—just make sure your vet has provided and stamped a pet passport for you and follow the instructions for re-entering Britain. Travelling in Europe with a pet is quite easy, and the entry back to the UK is a breeze if you follow DEFRA guidelines to getting back in.

Well, I for one am impressed with the UK’s pet-friendliness, and I hope this gives you pet owners some peace of mind if you’re debating whether to relocate to London with a dog. My friend has more to share with us about a pet’s quality of life after the London move, including grooming, walking, and veterinary care. So check back in with us here at the blog, and, if you have any logistical questions about pet relocation, please do get in touch with one of our London Relocation agents!

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Posted in Americans Moving to London, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues | 2 Comments »

Moving to London: Some Relocation Resources

Friday, May 27th, 2011

Who you gonna call? Getting the 411 (or 118-118 in the UK!) on London relocation resources. Image via Wikipedia

Author:  Colleen

I’m in a list-y sort of mood today. Now, I’d mentioned the other day how my visit home in the States right now brings back all sorts of memories of the logistical relocation matters my husband and I had to sort out before officially moving to London from the US and renting our London apartment. So I figure this might be a good time to share a smattering of resources we continually blog about here and suggest to clients at the London Relocation office, a directory of sorts for some key aspects of moving internationally and, specifically, to London:

UK policies, public services, consumer affairs, etc. 
UK Home Office
Direct.gov.uk
Adviceguide.org.uk

UK visas
UK Border Agency

UK taxes
HM Revenue & Customs

Foreign embassies in London
Directory of Consulates & Embassies

Healthcare
National Health Service (NHS)

School search
Good Schools Guide

Pet relocation
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Petrelocation.com

UK mobile phones
Carphone Warehouse

Insurance comparison
comparethemarket.com (not to be confused with comparethemeerkat.com :)) 
gocompare.com
confused.com

London public transportation
Transport for London

Driving in London
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Vehicle Tax and other owner advice on direct.gov.uk
Zipcar
AutoShippers & CarShipUK

Self-help for expats
Expat Expert
Impetus Coaching

Guidance on other logistical issues
Packing & other move advice
UK voltage differences
UK utilities (TV, phone, internet)
UK banking codes
Negotiating an expat package
Grocery shopping (and click here for discounts!)
Learning British English :)

You can find elaborations on many of these resources right here in our blog archives if you search for the keyword(s) of interest, some of which are already linked above under the last section above. The key to knowing how to initiate and execute your move to London begins with knowing where to look, so I hope you find the above useful in addition to your one-stop resource on all-things-London (from renting London apartments to getting acclimated to your new city and culture) here at London Relocation – give us a call or ask us your questions via our online web form today!

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Posted in London Relocation & What People Say About Us, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues, Rent in London: London Apartment Tips | No Comments »

Relocating to London with Man’s Best Friend

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

Image credit: Dunham/AP

In a previous blog post, I briefly listed a few resources you can consult if you’re moving to London and planning on bringing your pets.  Most pet owners do, after all—not doing so would, for them, be akin to leaving a child or a leg at home.

In any case, over the last few days, I’ve participated in discussion threads on forums like London Living and The London Expat American Meetup Group that address pet relocations in terms of London’s pet-friendliness, so thought I would also do so here.

Overall, London is quite pet-friendly—dogs can run without leashes at many city parks and are permitted entry to various shops and pubs.  I never cease to be impressed by how docile these animals manage to be, especially when they ride the Tube :)   But I have to say I think the local dogs are more reserved than some of the Yankee renegades that come over, as my friends’ American dogs will tear through out of control like cowboys riding the untamed Wild West.  I had a good laugh at one of my friend’s tales about his puggle at Hampstead Heath:  while the British dogs were trotting at their owners’ sides and only required a single command at an indoor-voice volume for them not to stray, his dog proceeded to run ragged and fall into ponds, then rub his muddy hide up against the Burberry raincoats of proper older British ladies.

Anyways, see below for a list of sites that offer up pet-friendly locales:

Pubs:  DoggiePubs.org.uk

Hotels:  VisitLondon.com, GoLondon.com

Services (e.g., groomers, kennels, etc.):  DogFriendlyBritain.co.uk

And do consult Yelp for Londoner’s ratings on assorted pet-friendly venues:  Yelp.co.uk

Now when it comes down to pet-friendly flats, we’re entering different territory.  The biggest obstacle you will encounter in this respect is finding a building that allows pets; if the building doesn’t allow them, it doesn’t matter if the individual unit’s landlord doesn’t mind them.  If the building says no, it’s a no.

If the building says yes, but the landlord says no, that might rest at a no as well.  However, while many landlords may not be keen on having a dog or cat in their owned property, they may be willing to negotiate.  Ways to sweeten the pot for them when negotiating your lease is meeting the asking price rather than trying to haggle it down, if not offering more than the asking price (indeed, some landlords may require an additional fee).  In addition, they may be inclined to allow it if you are able to offer them additional months’ rent in advance as a way of bypassing additional costs.

There’s no way around the fact that having a pet versus not will be more of a property-finding challenge.  BUT it’s possible, so keep faith.  And if you’re employing the services of a relocation specialist like London Relocation Ltd., that expertise on your side will give you that much more of an edge, as we know the local contacts to call.  I’m just sayin’…

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Posted in Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues, Rent in London: London Apartment Tips | 6 Comments »

Pet Relocations – For the Love of an Animal

Monday, October 5th, 2009
A Puggle researches his aristocratic family lineage (the Pug side) at an English country pub.

Clark, an American Puggle who recently relocated to London, researches the Pug branch of his aristocratic family lineage at an English country pub.

If your pet is relocating to London with you, the complications surrounding shipping Man’s Best Friend over here might become Your Worst Enemy.  Nah, it shouldn’t be too insurmountable an obstacle for you as long as you do your research plenty ahead of time.  To get you started, below are several websites that may prove useful resources in answering your questions (as well as relocation services):

PetRelocation.com – UK import rules and requirements; also provides pet relocation services

About.com: Moving:  What About My Pet? – article on pet travel, including a comprehensive list of questions you should be asking

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) – general UK regulations on animal transfers

Air Animal – flight FAQs & relocation services

Additional pet relocation services from which you can obtain quotes for comparison:

Airpets

Jet Set Pets

TransFur International Pet Relocation

Pets On The Move Ltd.

Non-pet-people (including myself) may find it difficult to understand why anyone would go through the extra aggravation of transporting a pet internationally.  In response to this moving issue is a moving (in another sense) poem that I recall Jimmy Stewart reciting on the Tonight Show years ago about his dog Beau.  I’ve never even owned a dog, but this coupled with ‘Marley & Me’ reduce me to a weeping infant and teach me to never place judgment on another’s love of an animal as a member of the family.

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Posted in Moving to London: Tips & Culture, Relocating to UK: Visas, Banking, & Other Logisitical Issues | 3 Comments »

Property of the Week: Chelsea Flat if you’re moving to London

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
What a Fantastic Chelsea flat

What a Fantastic Chelsea flat

What a place for under 500 a week–London Relocation gives thumbs up!!!! Read Below!

King’s Road (the price is per week)
This Chelsea Flat has stunning views across Chelsea and West/London. On the 9th floor of this purpose built, portered apartment, this property has been finished to Perfect standards. The flat has been newly refurbished and has modern fixtures and fittings the area. It further benefits from underfloor heating and private parking if needed. The popular King’s Road is on your doorstep and Sloane Square (near Circle & District Line).

Nice London Relocation Kitchen

Nice London Relocation Kitchen

Moving to London? Call us, London Relocation Services.

Speak tomorrow.

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