Exec Pets

Exec Pets: pet and owner transport between the UK and Europe

Exec Pets is a British company specialising in road transport for pets and their owners, both for local journeys within the UK and international travel across Europe. Its approach focuses on transporting one family's animals per trip, avoiding sharing the vehicle with pets from other clients, and carrying out door-to-door journeys using the Eurotunnel whenever possible.

The company operates with Mercedes Vito vehicles equipped with climate control, air purification, pet CCTV, temperature monitoring system, onboard WiFi and a pet shower. Drivers are ex-forces, CRB checked, trained in pet and human first aid, and have a minimum of four days of specialist animal handling training. The team also includes advanced canine behaviourists and nutritionists.

Domestic and international transport services

The company offers several service options:

• Pet and owner transport: the owner travels with their animal in the same vehicle, door-to-door, without airports or cargo holds.
• European trips: door-to-door transport to France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and more than twenty additional EU countries, with planned overnight stops adapted to pets.
• Local UK trips: transport within the country, for example to London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Cardiff, for short vet visits or full relocations.
• Special care: specific handling for elderly, anxious, disabled or medicated animals, with advanced canine behaviourists and first-aid trained drivers.

Advertised international routes include connections between the UK and Spain, France, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece and Denmark, as well as journeys from Gibraltar to the UK and from Paris to the UK, among others.

Booking process and logistics

The service begins with a quote request via WhatsApp, phone or web form, in which the client details their pet's characteristics, the journey and any special needs. From there, the company handles verifying documentation, booking the Eurotunnel, arranging pet-friendly accommodation and preparing all logistical details. An ex-forces, CRB-checked driver collects the animal from the home and accompanies it during the journey, with regular WhatsApp updates, photos and reassurance messages until arrival.

Licences, documentation and guarantees

Exec Pets states that it holds DEFRA and DAERA approval, as well as an EU licence with number IE/0221. Its UK certificate number is 33107309. The company offers a free document check service to verify microchip, rabies vaccination, EU pet passport and, for animals from the UK, the Animal Health Certificate. It also applies a price match guarantee against legitimate quotes from licensed competitors.

Safety and welfare during the journey

The company maintains an operational standard focused on animal welfare. In addition to temperature control and CCTV monitoring, drivers stop every three or four hours so pets can exercise and get fresh air. For long journeys, the vehicle has a pet shower and WiFi connection. The company states it is one of the few pet transport companies in the UK fully legal to operate in the EU.

Founder profile and experience

Darren Brookes is the founder of Exec Pets. He presents himself as an animal lover, with ex-forces training and studies at the British College of Canine Studies. The company highlights his experience with disabled animals or those with special needs, as well as his ability to manage anxiety, diet and stress during journeys.

Carriers with scan port

Among the resources the company shows on its website is a cat carrier with a scan port that allows the microchip to be checked without opening the door, reducing the risk of escape and the animal's stress during international checks.