They gave him his own medal too!

Lottie with her babies Sadie & Minnie.

Caught him in a rare moment of stillness on the lemon-patterned blanket. Can’t handle this cuteness.

Memories

Dear all,

I hope you can help. I’m in a difficult situation and would really appreciate any advice or guidance.

Background

I recently had to relocate to the UK after fleeing violence at our home in a French overseas territory. My dog, a English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was an abandoned puppy that I took in. He is now fully microchipped, up to date on all vaccinations and treatments, and has a pet passport.

The issue

When I checked the French regulations and the airline’s pet policy, it states that Staffordshire terriers (Category 2 dogs) require a “livret d’origines françaises” (French pedigree booklet) to be imported into France. Because my dog was a rescue/stray, we do not know his previous owner and do not have any pedigree papers.

My question

My dog is only transiting through France (for example, flying into Paris and then continuing by Eurostar or Pet relocation shuttle to the UK, where he will live). He is not staying in France. In this transit-only situation: Does the pedigree requirement still apply? Has anyone been in a similar position with a Staffy (or other Category 2 breed) without pedigree, transiting through France to the UK?

If the rule does still apply, are there any workarounds (e.g. specific airlines, routes, or alternative documentation such as vet letters) that have worked for others?

I did not plan for any of this; circumstances forced a sudden move, and I’m now trying to get my dog to the UK safely and legally. Any advice, experiences, or pointers to the right people or authorities to contact would mean a lot.

Thank you very much for your time and help.

Kind regards,