Dog Travel Crate

Name: Barb
Number of Pets: Two
Pet Type: Dogs
Pet Breed: Golden Retrievers
From: Frisco, TX (Dallas suburb)
To: London, England

Hi! We may be moving overseas ( we will know in about 30 days). We know the rules have changed. Question is: Our one golden is 10 years old and hyper and in great shape. Is she too old to travel nine hours? (Our other golden is only 5 years old.) Thanks!

Will keep you informed....

Barb
 

Hi Barb,

Thanks for your question. You're right, the UK pet import rules have recently changed, but of course it's normal to still have questions about how to move your pets overseas.

Here at PetRelocation.com we have flown dogs that were ten years old and older. There may be greater risks associated with older pets, so it's great news that your pup is in good shape. The best you can do is keep her fit and healthy in the weeks before the flight, choose a large crate that will allow for plenty of airflow, and finally, talk to your vet about the trip to see what she/he advises.

Please contact us if you have any more questions, Barb. We'd be happy to help you with your move if you do end up going overseas!

 

Name: Maria D
Number of Pets: Three
Pet Type: (One dog and two cats)
From: Dubai, UAE
To: NY, US

 

Hi,

We are planning to relocate to NYC with our dog and two cats in due course. All the pets are up-to-date with their vaccinations.

Could you talk us through the process so that we are 100% prepared when the time comes?

Thanking you in advance,
Maria

 

Hi Maria,

Thanks for reaching out to us.... We'd be happy to direct you with a few links and documents, and if you're interested in our door-to-door services you can also fill out our free quote form if you'd like.

Here are the pet import requirements for the United States as well as some information about pet travel crates and a few helpful resources. We also can't overemphasize the importance of choosing a pet-friendly airline and trustworthy customs agents/drivers who may be helping you along the way.

Hopefully this gets you off to a great start. Please contact us if you have any more questions, and good luck with your trip!

It's never too late for a few pet news links... Have a great weekend everyone!

 

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Preparing for pet travel -- how to crate train a cat.

ICYMI: our 5 quick tips for Easter pet travel.

 

Keeta shows us how a proper weekend should be enjoyed

Planning a relocation that includes your pets adds a fair amount of prep work to the equation. Not only do you have to research pet import requirements, schedule vet visits, and buy an airline-approved travel crate, you'll need to help your furry friend feel comfortable spending time in the crate as best you can.

Some pet owners are lucky to have dogs or cats that tolerate or even like stepping into their home-away-from-home, but others have a challenge at hand. Based on general personality traits it seems easier to help dogs gradually accept crates and learn to treat them as a safe and cozy place, but we all know that cats can be a different story.

Before you throw up your hands in defeat imagining a lot of hissing, scratching, and yowling from your one-of-a-kind kitty, take a look at the following tips and give crate-training a try. Your cat will probably never love the experience, but with time and patience applied to the situation, you can at least remove some of the discomfort.

Familiarity - It's a problem if cats only associate travel crates with being jostled around in the car and then taken into the vet's office to be poked and prodded. Try leaving the crate out in a room where the cat often goes so that the sight of it becomes less of an event and just a part of everyday life instead.

Treats - Always leave the door open and place toys inside the crate to pique feline curiosity. When the cat goes near it or inside it, offer praise and maybe a yummy snack. Soon your little skeptics will begin to put two and two together and will look to you for a handout each time they step inside.

Time - Don't expect change to happen overnight. It might take weeks to see any progress, but with steady exposure and positive reinforcement, even the most stubborn kitty will show signs of progress.

Practice - Once your cat no longer freaks out at the sight of the crate and begins treating it like just another box to crawl inside of, it'll be time for some practice runs. Take a car ride around the block to start, and then try some longer drives so that when moving day arrives, that longer journey won't be such a shock.

Talk to your vet if you have any particular concerns about cat travel, and don't hesitate to ask your Pet Relocation Specialist for their own tips and advice, as well. We have lots of experience moving pets of all breed, size, and temperament, so don't be shy!

 

Travel crate? Yeah, I'll think about it.

 

Traveling with a pet this Easter weekend? Here are a few quick tips that will help make the experience run smoothly.

Plan Ahead - Are your hosts okay with you bringing your pet? Do they have any special requests or rules? Having an honest conversation before you arrive will minimize the possibility for tension. And, if you're staying in a hotel, be sure you've researched their pet policy to avoid any surprises.

Pack Well - Don't forget the basics, like food, medicine, an extra leash, dog baggies, and whatever else your furry pal needs to be safe and comfortable away from home.

Keep Moving - It may be tougher to manage during a fun break from reality, but do your best to take your dogs on lots of walks and give them plenty of attention and playtime. This will minimize the anxiety and possibility for misbehavior that can go along with changing a pup's schedule.

Beware of Treats - Easter, when there tends to be candy everywhere (and within the easy reach of children, no less), is an especially important time to make sure your dog doesn't eat anything harmful. Keep a sharp eye on those baskets and plastic eggs to keep them out of paw's reach.

Drive Safely - Letting pets roam around the car isn't safe for anyone. Use your trusty travel crate or a restraint of some kind when you're on the road, and do what it takes to make sure the driver isn't distracted by any yipping passengers.

Find a few more pet travel tips on our blog, and lease contact PetRelocation.com if you have any questions.

 

(And don't forget to stop and smell the flowers)

Name: Stacy
Pet's Name: Neely
From: Connecticut
To: England

 

When I found out we were moving to England I was so excited and overwhelmed all at the same time! My biggest concern with the move was being able to bring my dog with me. The thought of leaving Neely behind was not an option, and the thought of transporting her overseas terrified me. At first, I was determined to get all of Neely's travel documentation and flight plans in order myself. However, with all the other stresses of moving and the possibility of me not being able to fly out with her, my husband decided it was time that I get some help.

My husband's employer had given me Cara's contact information so that I could talk to her to see what PetRelocation.com could do to help me. After the first phone conversation I instantly felt comfortable. Cara and Ashley had both walked me through every single step that I needed to take in order to get my dog over to England. They checked and double checked every piece of paperwork and answered any questions that I may have had. They kept on top of all the changes that were being made by DEFRA, and notified me immediately as to what those changes were. They made sure that Neely's crate was appropriate for travel, and even mailed us out a welcome pack!

When I found out that I needed to go over to England before I could get Neely out there, Ashley worked with my father to complete her travel requirements. On the day of Neely's travel, she was picked up at my parent's home and brought to the airport. Ashley had notified me when Neely was up in the air and gave me a confirmation number so that I could track her. They also kept in touch with my father to let him know the same. During her travel they made sure she had a pre and post- flight potty break as well as water and clean bedding. Once Neely cleared customs they called me to let me know that she would be delivered to me shortly.

When Neely arrived she acted as though she had been on one big adventure! She was so excited to be at her new home, and most importantly she arrived safely, clean, and happy!

It's now been close to three weeks since she arrived and she has settled in without a hitch! PetRelocation.com has made this moving experience stress and worry free. Cara and Ashley always took the extra step to make sure that everything was done right and that Neely would arrive home safely. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone who has to transport a beloved pet and I would certainly use their services again in the future!

Thanks again Cara and Ashley!!!

Name: Michael
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Rhodesian Ridgeback
From: Czech Republic
To: Scotland

 

Can you advise me about the best way to move my dog to Scotland?

Thanks,

Michael

 

Hi Michael,

Thanks for contacting us! These are the pet relocation requirements for Scotland. You can also find some information about travel crates and other pet travel details on the PetRelocation.com website.

Please let us know if you have any more questions, or fill out our free quote form if you're interested in our services. Good luck with everything, and travel safely!

 

 

Name: John
Number of Pets: Two
Pet Type: Dogs
Pet Breed: Westie and Schnauzer
From: New Jersey, USA
To: Bogota, Colombia

What's the best way to ship my dogs overseas?

Thanks,

John

 

Hi John,

The best way to relocate dogs from the United States to Colombia is to check out the Colombia pet import requirements, plan out your vet visits (vaccines and health documents are required), find out about travel crates and choose one that's airline approved, and look into selecting a pet-friendly airline with established pet policies.

If you have any quesitons or if you'd like to find out more about our services, please contact PetRelocation.com. Thanks for the question, and good luck!

 

 

Thanks again for reaching out to us... Talk to you again soon!

 

Name: PC
Pets' Names: Jaja and Leia
From: San Jose, Costa Rica
To: London, UK


Jaja and Leia are sisters, both 10 years old, and of mixed shepherd dog breed originally from Turkey, the first country I lived in overseas with my husband. My husband brought them home when they were pups on the day they were about to be taken away from his factory grounds by the local municipal who were rounding up strays.

Since then, they've moved with us to Honduras, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Costa Rica and now UK! Though they're seasoned travelers, we still dread the day when we have to pull out the carton boxes for packing.....the reckoning of what's coming and the resigned look in their eyes says it all.

The difference with this move is for the very first time, we're using the service of a door-to-door pet agent. For every single relocation in the past, I've personally handled all related paperwork, from the vaccinations to the relevant country's import and export documents, using agents only for certain route of the journey. The reason why we used PetRelocation.com this time was due to the trauma my husband and I experienced at Los Angeles airport when we had to fly with the doggies from Bangladesh to Costa Rica.

We were patting each other on the back after our first two flights went without a hitch, from Bangladesh to Hong Kong (overnight to rest the doggies), and then from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. During our last leg from Los Angeles to Costa Rica whilst we were on board, no one would tell us if our doggies were in the hold! After threatening to walk out of the plane, they finally told us that the doggies are still on the ground and have not been loaded due to missing paperwork! The airline then had to reopen the cabin door, remove our luggage and we then made a few frantic calls to try and retrieve our doggies from the cargo building. This all happened at 2 a.m. at the Los Angeles airport, us standing at the airport with two large dogs and crates, four suitcases, no taxis and no one in sight! To cut the long story short, after finding a taxi kind enough to accept the doggies we then hopped from hotel to hotel to search for a pet-friendly hotel. The following day was equally stressful because then we had to rebook all our flights and cargo space for the girls!

When we heard we were relocating to UK and knowing the quarantine laws have changed effective Jan 1, 2012, we both decided that we definitely cannot afford to have a repeat of our last experience and we wanted to make sure that everything goes smoothly this time. Not even the snow at Heathrow airport posed a problem....just unbelievable!

The girls went on their first walk in the woods today. We're introducing them to their walks slowly to acclimate them to the freezing weather in UK now. How I wished I could've read their mind when they saw snow since the last time they saw snow was almost 10 years ago in Turkey.

Everyone involved from Costa Rica to Houston to London were wonderfully attentive and professional. It makes such a huge difference not to worry about the "what ifs"! We'd like to thank Andreas and Dr Jose in Costa Rica and Jayne in London, and last but not least dear Ashley and Sarah. Your prompt replies by email and more importantly how you never hesitated to pick up the phone to call really makes all the difference. Thank you for bringing our girls home safe and sound.

Name: Kevin
Number of Pets: 2
Pet Type: Cat & Dog
From: UK
To: USA

My pets were originally born in the USA and moved to the UK two years ago. We are planning on moving back to the USA. Do the requirements change at all in this situation?

Thanks,
Kevin


Hi Kevin,


Thank you for contacting us with your pet travel question! Basically you need to review the pet import requirements for the United States (which are not as complex as the rules you previously faced moving to the UK); also it's important to secure airline-approved travel crates and be sure to select a pet-friendly airline.

Please contact PetRelocation.com for a free quote or if you have any more questions about your upcoming move, and good luck!

Name: Kara
Pet's Name: Bandit
From: San Diego, California
To: Newtown, Pennsylvania

My family and I just relocated from San Diego, CA to Newtown, PA. As anyone reading this knows, relocation can be somewhat chaotic! Add to that the fact that your pet (who is most likely your best friend) can often not travel closely with you, and this can add a great deal of stress to the relocation. Two weeks prior to our move, however, I contacted PetRelocation.com after receiving a recommendation from our relocation company. My husband and I were concerned about putting the welfare of our dog in someone else's hands - but after my first conversation with Amber of PetRelocation.com, I knew that Bandit was in the best of hands!

For the two weeks before Bandit's move, my husband and I had what seemed like a million questions a day. Amber was always available to answer our questions quickly and completely and she NEVER made us feel like we had too many questions! She was a delight - Amber took care of all of the tiny details that we just would not have had time to complete. Everything from tips for crate training to getting Bandit's health certificate in order! By the time my husband and I were to drop Bandit at my in-law's house and fly out of San Diego, we knew the PetRelocation.com staff would take care of everything and make sure Bandit made it to us safely.

On Bandit's big travel day we were already in PA but we received CONSTANT contact letting us know that Bandit was safe, healthy, and well on his way to his destination. There was not a moment that we were worried about him! Considering some stories we have heard about pet travel, having this level of comfort was huge. When Bandit was dropped off at our new front door he was happy, healthy, well rested and ready to play :)

I'd say that, for us, the best part of Bandit's move was when he was dropped off and he and Mike (the PetRelocation staff member that dropped him off) looked like they had been friends forever. Bandit is settling in nicely in PA, he spent the whole day exploring!!

Thanks so much PetRelocation.com! We don't plan on relocating again, but if we do you will be sure to hear from us! For now - we look forward to sending Bandit's friends your way if they are going to be taking a trip :)

Name: Maya
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: English Lab
From: Miami
To: Costa Rica

Is the flight on American Airlines as checked baggage safe? The flight alone is 2.5 hours. My research shows that a certificate is needed from Costa Rica and the dogs vaccination papers must be kept with us. Will cabin pressure and temperature be comfortable for our dog? Costa Rica's high temperature this time of year is around 85 degrees, will the dog be allowed to travel now?

Thanks,
Maya



Hi Maya,


First of all, in case you need them, here are the pet import requirements for Costa Rica. Let us know if you have any questions about these rules.

There are many misconceptions about pet travel -- one being that cargo travel is somehow inherently risky. The most important thing is to choose a pet-friendly airline (we often use Continental) who will diligently see to all the details. When handled correctly, the cargo area is pressure and temperature controlled, and pet crates are secured and kept apart from the luggage. Animals shuold not be left on the tarmac (thus weather doesn't play as big a role because your pet is not subjected to the outdoors for more than a few moments). Finding a pet-friendly airline who follows these conventions is vital.

The bottom line is to investigate the airline you plan to use to find out about their most up-to-date pet policies -- the last thing you need is to encounter surprises on travel day. Please contact us if you have any more questions, and good luck with everything!

Name: Michelle
Number of Pets: 2
Pet Type: Dogs
Pet Breed: Bichon Frise/Miniature Poodle mix
From: Ottawa, Canada
To: Peru or Israel

My oldest dog is a stress licker. Is he able to wear his e-collar in the crate during transportation?

Thanks,
Michelle


Hi Michelle,

Thanks for checking in with us! Generally all "extra" items (toys, treats, etc.) are not permitted by airlines or recommended by us when it comes to traveling. For the safety of the pets, it's simply better to keep the travel crate environment free of any clutter or foreign objects (we do often leave a towel or something similar on the bottom of the crate to absorb any messes).

Feel free to give us a call if you have any more questions, and take some time to check out our blog and our Facebook page for more tips and stories from other pet owners. Good luck with everything!