Pet Relocation Journey
Pet Relocation from India to the UK
A step-by-step guide to relocating a pet from India to the UK, based on real experience
I’m really glad you’re here — and I hope you’ll find something meaningful, useful, or even life-changing in these pages.This blog began with one unexpected moment: finding a small, helpless kitten in a temple in India in 2014. I didn’t plan to adopt her, and I certainly didn’t plan the journey that followed — but I chose not to leave her behind.That decision led me through a long and complicated process of relocating her from India to the UK — a journey I’ve documented here so others don’t feel lost or alone trying to do the same.But this space is about more than just relocation.
It’s about:
learning
sharing
and finding inspiration in real experiencesI believe animals are not just pets — they are companions, friends, and part of our lives in ways that go deeper than we often realise.
I also believe that knowledge can quite literally save lives.While I was in India, I was bitten by a stray dog. At the time, I was in contact with someone who ran a small pet blog. She advised me to seek medical help immediately and get the rabies vaccination.
I followed her advice.That moment — simple as it was — may have saved my life.It also sparked a lasting interest in awareness, responsibility, and the importance of sharing knowledge.Because sometimes, the right information at the right time can change everything.This blog exists for that reason.A place to learn.A place to share.A place to find something that stays with you.Thank you for being here.
Pet Relocation from India to the UK (Step-by-Step Guide + Real Story)Moving a pet from India to the UK can feel overwhelming — complicated rules, expensive agents, and unclear information.
In this guide, I share my real experience relocating my cat from India to the UK, along with a step-by-step process you can follow yourself.
This journey started with rescuing a stray kitten — and ended with bringing her home.A journey from India to the UKItineraryBy planeTrivandrum-Delhi, 4.5 hoursDelhi-Munchen ,8.5 hoursMunchen-Brussels, 1 hourBy trainBrussels-Hook of Holland(port), 2.5 hoursBy ferryHook of Holland to Harwich, 8.5 hoursBy trainHarwich, UK to London Liverpool Street-2.5hoursBy undergroundLondon Liverpool Street to our home-45minutes🧾 Quick Checklist
Microchip (ISO compliant)
Rabies vaccination
30-day wait
Blood test (EU-approved lab)
90-day wait
Annex IV certificate
Approved travel route (EU + ferry)In Jan 2015 I was travelling with my cat from the south of India to London-we were returning to our home in the UK.It all started when on the 9th of August 2014 I found a small kitten sitting lonely inside the temple in the corner where she was crying and nobody was paying any attention to her. She looked thin and helpless. I asked the brahmin inside the temple to give her some milk but he only waved his hands and said it was not important. I was shocked by his response.I left the temple and went to buy some milk at the nearby shop but there was only frozen milk, so I got chapati which is a type of Indian bread similar to roti and puri.I got back to the temple and started feeding that kitten. When I saw how hungrily she was eating, I decided that I would take her to my home in India. At that moment I didn’t think where I would leave her later as I myself was renting a flat in India and in a few months I was to leave the country and go back to the UK.Anyway, I took her in hands and asked that brahmin again whether he was sure that the kitten was homeless. He looked displeased that I was standing with a kitten in the temple and so I left. Since that day I have never been to that temple. The person who can’t feed an animal that is hungry and needs help will not help a person either. How can one like that serve God?We got to the flat safely and I saw that the kitten had a problem with her back leg and was limping. She was very weak and couldn’t stand properly at all. As soon as she got up on her legs, she would fall down because she was weak due to starvation.For 24 hours she was lying, eating chapati and drinking milk. She slept a lot and after five days she started running and jumping on the sofa and everywhere she could get to as her leg got healed!Within two weeks I got attached to her and decided that I couldn’t leave her in India. I started exploring how to transport her with me from India to the UK. It turned out to be quite a lengthy process. Moreover, many people who are working in pet relocation agencies only care about the profit. More about it at the end of this guide.How you can move your pet by yourself from India to the UK for a bit over £200Let's outline the steps of the process:
1. Microchip your pet with a 15-digit ISO compliant microchip and document it. The cost is around 1500 rupees.2. Vaccinate your pet against rabies (500rupees) and document it;3. Wait for 30 days and collect a blood sample (500 rupees for blood sample collection to be paid to your Indian vet);4. Send the blood sample from India to an EU approved lab (the cost would vary but I took the blood sample to UK by myself as I was going there anyway, and my friend was looking after my cat in India at that time before I collected her in Jan 2015; her blood test was 45 pounds, which is 4 500 rupees).Within a week you will get a result, and if it is fine, you can travel with your pet from India to Europe or the UK within 90 days after the blood sample was taken.Let’s say you took the pet’s blood sample on the 10th October. That means that you can travel with your pet 90 days after 10th October, which is roughly 10th January the following year.So we microchipped, vaccinated my cat in India, got the papers from a vet, then waited for 30 days and collected her blood sample. Then I took her blood sample to the UK and sent it to the UK lab the following day after landing. Within a week we got a result and all we had to do is to wait for 90 days before collecting her from India.Ok, here comes the most important thing that not many people disclosed for some reason at that time. You need this ANNEX4 form or THIRD COUNTRY OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE in addition to microchip and vaccination record as well as the official paper from an EU lab. This third country official certificate is exactly the same thing as ANNEX4.On the 29th Dec 2014 there was a new version of this form released due to change of rules in terms of animal transportation and we were lucky to get one very unexpectedly from an US pet shop.Let’s just summarise. All in all, you need:1. Microchip certificate2. Vaccination certificateMicrochip and vaccination details can be mentioned on one document, even for the UK, which is generally supposed to be stricter than EU in terms of pets3. Blood test result from EU approved lab4. Third country official certificate signed and stamped by an official vet in IndiaWhen you land in the EU, they will stamp this third country official certificate and will let you through after reading the microchip on your pet.Now back to my story…there is a flight from Trivandrum to London but it is impossible to travel with your pet on board from Trivandrum abroad, so we took a flight from Trivandrum to Delhi with my cat first.For this flight I registered her as cargo because Air India didn’t allow a pet on board from Trivandrum to Delhi. All you need for the cargo department is a certificate of health and fitness to travel as well as a rabies vaccination certificate. The cost was 3 500 rupees.So when I landed in Delhi, I collected my cat in a crate from cargo department-there was sellotape and rope tied around the crate, and I thought that maybe the cargo department staff decided to use some extra protection but later the same day they called us from Trivandrum and said that when we registered our pet as cargo and left, she managed to open the top lid and came out from her crate!The helpful cargo staff saw it and started catching her. Thank God, our cat is friendly and didn’t run away from them, so they caught her and put her back in her crate. So we got our pet safely to Delhi.Our next flight was in the evening, so we went to have some rest in a Delhi hotel. In the evening we registered with Lufthansa airlines on our next flight Delhi to Munich and Munich to Brussels which cost us only 5 300 rupees for transporting our pet.Lufthansa airlines are really good for pets. First, they are an approved route of travelling by DEFRA organization, second, they allow pets ON BOARD so you can fly with your pet together as long as she/he is in a crate.However, you can’t fly with your pet from Delhi to London on board, but you can fly with your pet from Delhi to any European city ON BOARD.Also you need to consider the fact that if you fly from Delhi to London with your pet as cargo, you will need an agent in London to pick up your pet, which will cost you around £450-500. By travelling by the route I took and described above, you can travel WITH your pet, and it is cheap.To cut the long story short, we flew from Delhi to Munich with my cat on board, changed the plane in Munich and got to Brussels where they read our microchip, stamped and signed our third country official certificate and let us through.We took a train from Brussels airport to Rotterdam Central and then in 2 mins straight to Hook of Holland. From Brussels airport to Hook of Holland it is a bit over 2 hours by train.From Hook of Holland there is a ferry called STENA LINE which goes to Harwich, UK, and Stena Line ferry is also an approved route for pet transportation according to DEFRA.Vidar Nordli-Mathisen/UnsplashWe got on Stena Line ferry and relaxed as it was the final step of our journey. 20 euros only for pet transportation.On the ferry there is a pet section where you can leave your pet with food and water, clean the crate and visit your pet every now and again during the 8 hours of travelling.We got to Harwich and went to the immigration control where they only asked for the third country official certificate for my pet. Later we got a train to London Liverpool Street and then went home by underground.So we got to the UK from Trivandrum safe and sound without any delays and any problems.Wish you all love and peace and take your pet with you, don’t let him/her behind because pets, like humans, feel abandonment and lack of love.Hope my story was of help to pet owners!❤️ Final Thoughts
If you are considering relocating your pet — don’t give up.
It may seem complicated, but it is possible.
I did it — and you can too.
Because they are not “just pets”.
They are family.P.S.: I had originally published my story of relocating my pet on another forum in 2015 after I returned to the UK with my pet; however, I decided now to create a separate section dedicated to pets on my own forum, hence this post was republished with some editing.P.P.S.: In my original post in 2015 I heavily criticised some pet relocation agencies that I came across in India for the level of service and/or terms and conditions they were providing.Although I still believe that what they did or/and said was not professional, I decided not to republish fully my negative experiences with them. Just a brief mention of such agencies so as to warn others.1. http://www.petfly.in/ were very poor in customer communication and seemed very keen on selling pet accessories (on top of their transportation service) for much higher prices than you could get yourself from anywhere else in India.2.http://www.furryflyers.com/ from Mumbai wanted more than 2 lakh (2 000 pounds) to transfer my cat to London. For a blood test they wanted around 20 000 rupees(the cost I paid is 500 rupees as mentioned above).After this I decided that enough of these “helpful agents” and I must do everything by myself but before that there was another “helpful” agency.3. Number three and the last one was WorldCare Pet Transport (www.WorldCarePet.com) who wanted 6000$ for my cat transportation to the UK. After I refused to pay them this amount, one of their staff said “you wouldn’t be able to move your pet by yourself”.I DID.Only this person was very helpful to me at that time with her information and advice: http://strayassist.blogspot.co.uk/You can read about how her advice saved my life and sparked an interest in infectious diseases here(about page)P.S.: I have posted today some answers regarding pet relocation to the UK based on the questions that I recently got asked by email. Have a look in the section below.🕊️ ❤️ On 28th June 2025 our beloved cat has passed away. Rest in peace, always loved, always remembered🕊️ ❤️
Pet Relocation to the UK: Common Questions & Important Update (From Real Experience)This is an update to my original article about relocating my cat from India to the UK.Since publishing it, I’ve received many messages from people trying to bring their pets to the UK — some just starting, others already in the process.I’m really glad this guide has helped so many of you.I always try to respond and support where I can. However, I want to clarify something important before we continue.This website is not an agency, and I don’t offer relocation services.Everything shared here is based on my personal experience, with the intention of helping others who are willing to go through the process themselves.I’m always happy to answer specific questions if you are already taking steps — researching, contacting vets or airlines, and working through the process.
But pet relocation requires your own involvement.If you are looking for a fully managed service, it may be better to use a professional relocation agency.This guide is for those who want to understand the process and take action themselves.🐾 Frequently Asked Questions
Can microchipping and rabies vaccination be done on the same day?
Yes.
You can contact your vet in advance and request both procedures during the same visit.What documents should I get after microchipping and vaccination?
Ask your vet to provide a document confirming:
Microchip number and date
Rabies vaccination date
Vaccine details
You will need this later for your pet travel documentation.Where can I send the blood sample?
You must use a UK/EU-approved laboratory.
Example:
BioBest Laboratories
Always check:
Shipping requirements
Whether your courier allows biological samplesWhat must be included in the vaccination record?
According to DEFRA guidance:
Date of birth
Microchip number
Vaccination date
Vaccine manufacturer + batch number
Validity period
Vet’s signature and contact detailsWhere can I check official UK rules?
UK Government pet travel guidance
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)Do airline rules differ?
Yes — and this is crucial.
You must contact each airline directly to confirm:
Crate size requirements
Weight limits
Cabin vs cargo rules
Policies change frequently.If you’re going through this process right now — don’t feel discouraged.
It can seem complicated at first, but step by step, it becomes manageable.I’ve done it myself, and I shared this so you can do it too.Take your time, stay organised, and most importantly — don’t give up on your pet.🕊️ ❤️
In Loving Memory
On 28th June 2025, our beloved cat passed away.
She was more than a pet — she was the reason this journey began.
🕊️ In Loving Memory of My Beloved Cat — Friend, Companion, Forever Part of Me28th July 2025
Today marks one month since my beloved cat passed away.
She was more than a pet. She was my companion, my friend, and part of my life in a way that words can never fully describe.I once wrote about how we travelled together from India to the UK — a journey that began with rescuing a small, helpless kitten, and became one of the most meaningful chapters of my life.Her final days
She lived a life full of love, care, and joy.In June 2025, the kidney disease she had been fighting reached its final stage, and there was nothing more that could be done.This is one of the last photos of her, taken at home just days before her condition worsened.
June 2025 - one of her last quiet moments
The pain of losing her is something I still carry every day.This bond was special, deep, and irreplaceable.The ferry moment
On the day she passed away, we drove to the Liverpool embankment, trying to process what had just happened.We walked to the very end, then slowly turned back.And then — unexpectedly — we saw a Stena Line ferry passing by.The same ferry we had taken together in 2015, from Hook of Holland to Harwich, when I brought her home to the UK.It felt like something had come full circle.The beginning and the end of her life in the UK marked by the same journey.I stood there, watching it pass, feeling both heavy and strangely grateful — as if it was a quiet sign that our journey together had reached its end.
🎨 Painting her
After she passed, I painted her — so I could still see her every day.Each brushstroke felt like holding onto a memory.
🕊️ The last bird
A few days before she passed, I saw a parakeet outside and lifted her to the windowsill so she could see it.
She had started losing interest in the things she once loved — but I wanted her to see one more bird.
That was the last one.
One month later, I painted that bird.
🧡 Rest in peace, my beautiful girl.
You are forever part of me, and forever in my heart🧡
28th December 2025
Six Months Without You — Remembering My Beloved Cat, Paru❣️Today marks six months since my cat is no longer here.I wrote a post one month after her passing, trying to put into words what felt impossible to express.Six months later, the silence is still there — just different.
In Loving Memory of Paru❣️Always loved, always remembered 🐈❣️🙏
9.08.2014 – 28.06.2025
Grief
The past six months have not been easy.
There were days when simply continuing felt difficult.But I know she would want me to keep going — to live, to create, and to find meaning beyond the loss.🎨 Art as healing
Creating art has helped me process grief in a way nothing else could.Through painting, I found a way to stay connected — not to hold on, but to transform memory into something that can still be seen and felt.🎥 Videos
Here are a few pieces created in her memory:
A portrait created in acrylics, shortly after her passing.
A short piece bringing together memories and quiet “signs” that stayed with me
On 17th of August 2025 I drew another oil pastel portrait of her that is now up on the wall.
And here is the speed drawing video of the latest oil pastel portrait of her.
And here is the very first watercolour portrait I drew of her in 2023.
🖼️ Art inspired by love, memory & connectionOver time, this became a series of paintings — each one exploring grief, connection, and what it means to say goodbye.The Gatekeeper
Rainbow Bridge
Guardian Angel
What I Saw in My Coffee Cup
On the Other Side
Cat Paradise
Dancing Cat
🌿
She is still with me — just in a different way now.In memories.In quiet moments.In every piece of art I create.Always loved, always remembered 🐈❣️🙏
9.08.2014 – 28.06.2025🧡 Rest in peace, my beautiful girl.
You are forever part of me, and forever in my heart🧡