Pet firm ends trips to islands over ferry costs

An animal transport firm will no longer service the Channel Islands due to rising costs linked to new ferry contracts, bosses say.

The Pet Bus said the route had become unviable after the islands chose separate ferry operators - Jersey is serviced by DFDS while Brittany Ferries operates in Guernsey.

Lesley Ford, who co-owns the Oxfordshire-based company, said the loss of a reliable inter-island service had doubled travel times and increased costs. Since launching in Jersey in 2025, DFDS has put forward proposals for a new inter-island ferry.

The BBC has contacted the Government of Jersey, the States of Guernsey, DFDS and Brittany Ferries for comment.

Ford said the company used to bring animals to the Channel Islands in one round trip, but it now had to do individual journeys to Jersey and Guernsey, while a reduction in high-speed crossings had also proved challenging.

"It's become more complex and more expensive," she said.

"For us as a business, we have to ensure that the route is profitable because we have to be able to invest back into the business at some point."

Ford the decision to cut services had been "emotional" and the company's staff would miss visiting the Channel Islands.

She said there was the possibility of returning in the future if services change.

Ford said: "I think we will always really need the back up of the ferry services, especially for when we bring larger animals, so we're always going to need to use the ferries.

"I think the inter-island service and high speed service for us certainly needs to change and maybe that will in the future."

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