Dog Travel from Italy to the United States

Name: Carole
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Cane Corso (110 lb.)
From: Sicily, Italy
To: Atlanta, GA

Dear PetRelocation,

I need cost estimate, where to buy a large pet kennel for the flight, any special paperwork that's required, etc. I already know about getting the Health Certificate from an authorized Italian vet, and the CDC said they don't require any special papers, but I don't know things like, if it's better to fly the pet via Delta, Alitalia, etc. or are there special pet transporters?

My son has been in Sicily for 11 years and is returning to the US. He asked me to find out how to transport his dog.

Thanks,

Carole

Hi Carole,

Thanks for contacting us with your question. To start, please take a look at the pet import requirements for the United States. The US requires that you have an international health certificate and proof that pets are up to date on the rabies vaccine.

You can review this information about choosing the correct travel crate, as well. Many people visit a pet store to "try on" the travel crate before they buy and then buy the crate there or, if no pet stores are available to your son, he can buy one online. It sounds like his dog may need a custom crate (we have information about custom crates that you'll find through the above mentioned link, and if you have questions we can tell you more).

The price of our door-to-door services depends on a several factors, but in general international moves begin at around $2,500-$3,000 USD. If you'd like to continue to research your options, another great resource for pet travel information and finding local pet agents yourself is IPATA.org.

Finally, in terms of airlines, it's very important to choose a pet-friendly airline. We often use KLM, Lufthansa and United due to their established pet policies. Since you're flying a large dog, it will also be important to check with the airline ahead of time to make sure the cargo space in the plane will be able to accommodate the crate.

This is a lot of information, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions about anything, including our comprehensive services. Thanks again, and we hope to hear from you soon.