A research beagle during the last Beagle Freedom Project rescue

While we typically move household pets, we are currently assisting the Beagle Freedom Project with transporting forty one rescue research Beagles from Spain to Los Angeles, California. These beagles have spent their lives living in a laboratory being used as test specimens for human pharmaceuticals.

In a conversation with the project's founder, Shannon Keith, she explained to me how these beagles, who range from one to four years old and are all male, have lived in a lab their whole lives without seeing the outside, playing with toys or knowing what it is like to be a dog. Below is a video of the Beagle Freedom's Project last rescue where you can see the impact this organization can make.

How You Can Help the Spain Research Beagles

The Beagle Freedom Project is urgently in need of both donations and foster homes to help rescue these beagles. We also need assistance getting the word out so even if you are not financially or physically able to help, you can help save these beagles.

Donate to the Beagle Freedom Project:
Any amount of money will help the Beagle Freedom Project with the expenses related to this rescue effort. Click here to make a secure donation through PayPal.

Provide a Foster Home for a Beagle:
They currently have 15 foster homes and are in dire need of more individuals. Most foster commitments last two months or less. Foster homes must have at least one other dog so the beagle can learn how to be a dog again. If you are in the Southern California area and can provide a foster home for one of these dogs, please click here to fill out an application.

Share Online

On Facebook
Click here to go to the Facebook event for the Save the Spanish Lab Beagles! rescue efforts. Click "I'm attending" and then refresh or reload the event page. You will see a blue link that says "Share" underneath the title of the event. Share the event on your Facebook wall, send it as a message to your pet-loving friends and help get the word out!

On Twitter
Click on the button below to share this post and help spread the word on Twitter!

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Thank you for your assistance with these beagles. If you need to contact us directly regarding this move, please email us. 

This post originally appeared on PRNewswire.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PetRelocation.com, a provider of global pet relocation services, was recently honored with the first annual 'Lexicon World of Quality' award by Lexicon Relocation in a ceremony in Denver, Co. on October 11th, 2011. The awards reception, attended by more than 100 global mobility professionals, was held to recognize customer satisfaction and performance excellence in global mobility.

A total of 9 global services providers were recognized by Lexicon's Supply Chain Management professionals from among a field of qualified entrants within the global mobility industry. Award winners were chosen based upon internal and external service and performance metrics, as well as internal and external voice of the customer surveys based on the following criteria:

• Customer Service
• Value
• Technology
• Service Offerings

"Our customers and their pets are our top priority in everything we do," said Kevin O'Brien, President and CEO of PetRelocation.com. "To receive a customer service award from a company like Lexicon that is equally devoted to a high quality experience for their clients is an honor for PetRelocation.com."

About PetRelocation.com

PetRelocation.com offers door-to-door pet travel services using pet-friendly airlines for domestic and international pet moves.  Founded in 2004 in Austin, Texas, PetRelocation.com safely moves hundreds of household pets worldwide each year. For more information, please visit http://www.PetRelocation.com.

About Lexicon Relocation

Lexicon Relocation is a leading provider of employee global mobility services.  With a focus on providing flexible solutions for clients of every size, we support corporate and government organizations, their employees and their mobility programs throughout the world.  We offer a full array of customized relocation and global assignment services. By utilizing proven technology, supplier independence, quality performance metrics, cost-effective processes and the demonstrated expertise of our people, Lexicon brings the world to your doorstep, one employee at a time. For more information please visit www.lexiconrelocation.com.

Retirement, change of scenery, a military permanent change of station -- there are a lot of reasons people move around the world with their pets. One of the most common reasons people move with their pets to a new city or country is because they're moving for work.

Generally speaking, if corporate transferees are moving with pets, their pets are their top priority during the move. Since moving a pet isn't like moving a car or a couch, emotions can often run high when it comes to corporate pet relocations. In honor of the SHRM convention happening this weekend in Las Vegas (if you're an attendee, be sure to stop by booth #930 and say hi!), we decided to put together some simple steps you can take to make a corporate pet relocation easier:

1. Start as early as possible.
If there's even a remote chance that you might be moving with your pet overseas at some point, particularly to an island country, it isn't a bad idea to start now on all of the necessary vaccinations and blood tests. For example, the UK requires a six month quarantine for all pets being imported from the US. One way to avoid having to undergo this quarantine is to issue the necessary microchip, rabies shot and blood test at least six months in advance here in the States and then wait six months prior to moving the pet to the UK. Upon arrival, your pet will be cleared immediately and can go home with you on the same day.

2. Talk to your employer about pet relocation benefits.
Many of the stresses that come from moving a pet internationally surround the oftentimes high costs surrounding international pet transport. Between the vet appointments and the pet airline tickets and the customs clearance fees, the costs can quickly add up which can mean added stress on your pocketbook. We often hear from corporate transferees that they don't care whether or not their company pays to ship their couch to their new home, but they definitely want to make sure they get to take their dog with them. Talk with your HR department about whether your company offers pet relocation benefits. PetRelocation.com offers group discounts and preferred pricing to many companies -- you may find out your company has a discount negotiated with a pet relocation service like ours. If they don't, consider asking your HR manager "Why not?" According to an Atlas Van Lines survey, nearly a third of companies now cover pet relocation expenses. If your company is considering offering this valuable benefit, we've put together a list of PetRelocation.com serivces [PDF] that your company can take advantage of.

3. Keep things in perspective.
With all of the myths and confusion out there surrounding pet flights and international pet shipping, it's easy to get quickly concerned about your pet's safety and well-being when facing a big move. Keep in mind that we move pets worldwide all the time (you might enjoy reading through some of our customers' stories about their own experiences). Knowing that others have made the same move before you can help ease your mind about your own pet's travel, and can help take some of the worry away.

Let us know: Have you moved for work recently? Let us know in the comments below how you manged to keep yourself sane during a corporate pet relocation.

Charlie, the dog pictured above, is the author's Golden Retriever. He often offers free pet relocation consultations, in between his frequent naps.

We take a lot of pride in our pet relocation customer service and over the years, it's definitely shown. In 2009 we won the Rackspace Fanati award for outstanding customer service as well as Re:locate Magazine's Service Provider of the Year: Specialist Supplier award.

We're excited to have been nominated this year by Re:locate Magazine as their Relocation Service Provider of the Year. We are looking forward to finding out the winner in early May, but already feel as though we have won!

The 2011 Relocation Service Provider or Team of the Year nominees are as follows:

• BRS Relocation Services
• HCR Group
• ICUnet.AG
• Interdean International Relocation - BP Team
• Pricoa Relocation - BP Intercultural Services Team
• PetRelocation.com

It's always an honor to be the only pet relocation service provider on an awards list such as this. Thanks to the sponsor of this category, Newland Chase!

AUSTIN Texas – April 5, 2011: PetRelocation.com today announced its expansion plans to include the recent purchase of a 9,500 square-foot office building at 612 Brazos, located on the corner of 7th and Brazos in downtown Austin.

PetRelocation.com, a privately-owned company that provides door-to-door pet transportation services for individuals relocating with their pets, has grown over 600% since 2005 and plans to double its workforce in the next two years. The company, which has been self-funded and bootstrapped from its inception, owns its current 4500 square-foot office location off of Highway 71 west of Bee Caves.

“Our company’s success has been fueled by smart investments in the company and its employees,” said Kevin O’Brien, CEO of PetRelocation.com. “By purchasing a building on one of the busiest corners in Austin, we’re solidifying our position as one of Austin’s fastest-growing companies as well as one of its best places to work.”

The building, which was the original Austin American-Statesman office, most recently was the IFC Crossroads House during South By Southwest. PetRelocation.com co-founders, Kevin and Angie O’Brien, closed on the property on Friday, April 1 and renovation of the building is expected to begin this week, with a target move-in date of early July.

About PetRelocation.com: PetRelocation.com, the pet travel and pet transportation industry’s leading service provider, offers full-service arrangements using pet friendly airlines for domestic and international pet transportation. Founded in 2004 in Austin, Texas, a strong emphasis is placed on assisting companies with relocating employees who own pets. For more information, please visit http://www.PetRelocation.com.

Media Contact: Rachel Farris, Rachel@PetRelocation.com / +1-512-264-9800 x 124

If you're a pet lover who's been following the devastation in Japan, you've probably found yourself wondering how you can help.  This heart-wrenching video of a Spaniel refusing to leave another injured dog's side during the aftermath of the tsunamis hit at the bone of the issue that many pet lovers feel: our pets' loyalty is enduring and we can only attempt to be as loyal as they are to us.  If you haven't seen the video, you can watch it below, but be prepared: it's pretty hard to watch.



Everyone at PetRelocation.com is a pet lover, so we found ourselves wondering how we could get involved to help the pets of Japan.  We've been providing assistance to pet owners in Japan all week by helping them sort out paperwork issues to get their pets to safety.  Bu we still wanted to find a way to help the pets who need it the most:  the ones who were stranded and separated from their owners in the aftermath.

That's why we're joining forces with Be the Change for Pets to benefit World Vets, an organization that has mobilized to be on the ground in Japan with much-needed veterinary supplies to help render aid to the pets of Japan. 

A little bit about World Vets:  
World Vets is a non-government organization (NGO) providing veterinary aid around the globe and is actively helping pets affected by Japan earthquakes and tsunamis.  World Vets teams are already assembled in Niigata, Japan right now with a shipment of veterinary supplies and World Vets veterinarian Dr. Koji Fukumura will be arriving in Tokyo on Friday.  Dr. Fukumura will be staying long-term as an in-country coordinator and to provide direct assistance to animals in need.   In the meantime, World Vets is in dire need of donations to keep sending veterinary supplies and teams of veterinarians overseas.

What PetRelocation.com is Doing to Help Pets in Japan:
In participation with Be the Change for Pets and Paws for Japan Day, we will donate 10% of proceeds for every new customer who signs up with PetRelocation.com today.  Through the help of our customers, we'll be donating up to $5000 toward helping World Vets and their noble mission in Japan.

What You Can Do to Help Pets in Japan:
Even if you're not moving your pet with us, you can still make a donation to World Vets using the widget below.  All donations provided through the form below go directly to World Vets.  Even $5 or $10 can make a difference to a suffering pet who needs a bandage or painkiller.  Update: So many people have been donating to this event that ChipIn.com, the company processing the donations, is sometimes taking too long to respond. Please try reloading.
You can also help spread the word by sharing this post on Facebook or tweeting it using the buttons below.

PetRelocation.com is lucky enough to be based in Austin, Texas and we're never more aware of that when we're out spending time with our favorite pets.  We've got over 13 off-leash dog parks, plenty of pet-friendly restaurants and shops, and we've even got some pretty cool self-serve dog washing locations in Austin called Dirty Dog.  So we were excited to hear about a new "urban challenge" that will let both pets and their owners explore this great pet-friendly city -- all while supporting a great cause!  

Scamps and Scoundrels is a fundraising event that will lead teams (consisting of a dog and up to four people) from one Austin establishment to another, where they'll tasked with competing various dog-friendly feats.

The top three groups will win prizes, and the competition ends with a party for everyone at the new Austin Pets Alive! headquarters, which opened just last September.

Every team will receive a goodie bag, the after party is free, and all (leashed) dogs are welcome to attend. The wrap-up shindig will feature (what else?) music, drinks, a silent auction and adoptable pets, so stop by to show your support for one of Austin's most hard-working organizations.

Austin Pets Alive! is a Nonprofit devoted to minimizing instances of euthanasia in Central Texas. To date, they have saved the lives of over 4,000 dogs and cats and operate with the goal of making Austin a no-kill city.  We featured a few of their pets during the BlogPaws Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week adoption drive.

Registration for the Challenge is limited and APA! asks that you RSVP if you're planning to attend the party, so go to the site today. Good luck to all the furry competitors!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Pets influence holiday travel plans, survey shows

International pet travel survey finds travelers pick holiday lodging, destination with pets in mind

AUSTIN, Texas - November 9, 2010:  PetRelocation.com released today the results of its first annual Holiday Pet Travel Survey of more than 7000 pet owners worldwide, finding that sixty-three percent of pet owners say they travel at least 50 mi. (80 km.) with their pets during the holidays.

Staying Stateside

Of pet owners who travel with pets, a majority of them (71 percent) choose to travel within their state of residence during the holidays.  Twenty-eight percent travel out of the state, and eighty-five percent of those who travel with pets for the holidays said that their pets influence the distance of how far they'll travel for a holiday vacation.

Short and Sweet

Pet owners keep their holiday travel short and sweet.  Most pet owners surveyed (45 percent) typically spend between $50-$100 on pet-related products and services during the holiday season.  Eighty-five percent of those who travel with pets take holiday trips which last seven days or less, with the remainder of pet owners indicating their trips can last up to two weeks.  A majority of pet owners (57 percent) said their pets do not influence the length of their holiday travel.

Friends and Family

While a third of respondents said they stay at pet-friendly hotels during their holiday travel, 66 percent said they stay at the home of friends or family during the holidays.  This may have something to do with the availability of pet-friendly lodging during the holiday season-a majority of pet owners (85 percent) said that their pets influence where they choose to stay during the holidays.

Pets are Family, Too

Of those who travel with pets during the holidays, nearly all of them indicated they only travel with dogs.  When asked why they choose to travel with their pets, a majority of pet owners (71 percent) said it was "because pets are part of the family and should be with the rest of the family during holiday occasions."

Holiday Challenges

When traveling with pets during the holidays, 42 percent of pet owners listed making sure their pets don't become stressed as their biggest challenge.  Finding pet-friendly transportation or airlines was the second biggest challenge according to 28 percent of travelers with pets during the holiday season.  This is a similar sentiment to the 2010 Summer Pet Travel Survey (http://www.petrelocation.com/summer-pet-travel-survey) results in which pet owners indicated airline fees and airline selection as the most difficult road blocks in their pet travel plans.

About PetRelocation.com

PetRelocation.com, the pet travel and transportation industry's leading service provider, offers full-service arrangements using pet friendly airlines for domestic and international pet travel services.  Founded in 2004 in Austin, Texas, PetRelocation.com places a strong emphasis on assisting companies with relocating employees who own pets. For more information, please visit http://www.PetRelocation.com.

Media Contact: Rachel Farris, Rachel@PetRelocation.com / +1-512-264-9800 x124

 

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A conference for pet shipping experts?  Yes, while it sounds quirky, the pet shipping industry is a tight-knit yet global industry full of people who genuinely care (and, admittedly, get a little bit geeky) about the safe transportation of peoples' furry loved ones.

The Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) was established in 1979 by a group of pet transportation professionals looking to increase awareness of pet transportation, implement safety standards and share knowledge of best pet shipping practices.  IPATA members share a lifelong commitment to pet shipping and since getting started, IPATA has hosted an annual conference for its members to come together.  One of its founders, Dr. Walter Woolf, is still active in the pet transportation business today. 

This past week, my coworker Matt Kincaid and I (pictured above) were lucky enough to go to the 34th annual IPATA Conference held in Montreal, QC, Canada.  While the Texan in me was a little skittish about a 40-degree drop in temperature, I packed up my warmest coats and scarves and headed north last Saturday to meet my colleagues in Canada.  We shared lessons learned and attended sessions on country import requirements, new government initiatives and more.  Here are a few pet shipping tidbits I picked up during the conference:

1.   "What is your skiboots factor?"  

The first day we were entertained and educated by a keynote speaker from New Brunswick named Martin Latulippe, CSP.  In his presentation "Awakening the Invisible to Achieve the Impossible," he told us about the importance of slowing down our lives to help us go above and beyond for our clients and their pets.  In a story about a man who ran a ski equipment store, Latulippe explained how the man had to seek out an additional pair of skiboots to fit a very tall teenager who came into his shop with his dad one day.  A few months later, the man received a letter from the boy's father thanking him for enabling them to ski that day because the next day his son died in a tragic car accident.  The keynote really set the tone for the rest of the conference in reminding us all that it really is the little things we do that matter in the end.

2.  The USDA Veterinarian Accreditation Program is still a work in progress.

We've written a lot about the recent changes to the USDA veterinarian accreditation program, which is required for veterinarians who would like to issue health certificates for live animals.  However, as we learned at IPATA, the USDA was overwhelmed by applicants wanting to be accredited, so the cut-off date for accreditation has been pushed back significantly (until May of 2011 or later).  Dr. Gerald Rushin from the USDA explained why this was and we live-tweeted his talk. 

During the Q&A portion after his talk, I asked if there would ever be a database available to the public that listed USDA-accredited veterinarians. He said that he would take this back to the USDA for consideration. A database for looking up USDA-accredited veterinarians would be a huge service to the public as currently it is difficult to know whether a veterinarian is legally able to issue a health certificate or not.

3.  More animals travel each day by air than humans.

This fact surprised me as well but if you factor in day-old chicks and tropical fish, the numbers add up.

4.  Internet "puppy scams" are a widespread problem, but progress is being made.

On the third and final day of the conference, we heard from a representative from Fraudwatchers.org regarding the issue of Internet puppy scams.  By aggressively pursuing puppy scammers, Fraudwatchers.org (which is entirely volunteer-based) has been responsible for over 21 arrests of these types of scams.  Check out our "How much to ship a puppy?" post for more information on these terrible scams.

5.  "Pet shipping experts" are fun people, too.

While most of the time we are pretty focused on making sure all of our clients' pets get safely to where they're going, we're also definitely not afraid to have a good time.  Over 100 pet shippers from 43 different countries were in attendance at the 2010 IPATA conference this year.  We all had a great time exploring Old Montreal, checking out various historic landmarks, heading out to a group dinner and even watching a few World Series baseball playoff games at local pubs.

While at the 2010 IPATA Conference this past week, one of our employees, Matt Kincaid, gave a short presentation on moving pets to the British Virgin Islands.  If you're considering a move to the British Virgin Islands, feel free to check out the video below which offers routing information as well as suggested airlines.  You might also want to download the accompanying handout from for moving pets to the British Virgin Islands.

If you still need help moving your pets to the British Virgin Islands, feel free to contact us and one of our Specialists will be in touch to help you!


Moving Pets to the British Virgin Islands

The Washington Post has a feature article up today about pet air travel and the sometimes stressful act of putting your pet on a plane in the hands of someone else.  Reporter Joe Yonan writes:


The article was primarily about his experience with PetAirways, a boutique airline that came onto the scene in June of 2009 and made a big splash by announcing they'd only accept pets.  As we mentioned at the time, PetAirways is not responsible under Department of Transportation rules to report live animal deaths or losses.  Despite this, many people feel safer knowing their pets are in the hands of a person whose sole responsibility is to tend to their pet -- and why shouldn't they?  Airlines, including Continental, Lufthansa, and KLM, have spent the last few years improving their pet air programs to cater to pets by keeping them in climate controlled conditions and offering "pet hotels" at their major hubs.  Yonan touches on this in his article:


If you're planning a pet move, it's important to also keep in mind that pet air travel is still relatively new, which means that while you might not think much about hopping on a plane for a quick weekend getaway, your pet's health and well-being should still be seriously considered when making your pet travel plans.  Anxiety, underlying health conditions and improper travel crating can all cause your pet's flight to be a bit more turbulent than your own, and have very little to do with the airline itself. 

You can read the rest of the Washington Post article here.

This op-ed initially appeared in The Oklahoman.

September 7, 2010

In August, as a survey of baby boomers found that “pet care” and “travel” have become part of the boomer generation’s basic needs, the two topics collided in the most horrifying of ways: seven puppies died in the cargo hold of an American Airlines flight from Tulsa to Chicago.

The public backlash was immediate and the bite, it seemed, was as big as its bark: The Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Legal Defense Fund called on government officials to investigate the incident, prompting a letter sent to the US Department of Transportation from Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) asking the Department to modify legislation passed in 2000 that became known as the “Boris Bill.”

The Boris Bill, named after a dog that was lost (but later found) after a cross-country flight, was proposed initially by then-Congressman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. Undoubtedly, the act was a step forward in promoting air travel safety for pets and established standards, where before none had existed, for monitoring pet fatalities and losses on airplanes. Since then, the Department of Transportation has required airlines to provide detailed reports on pet losses, injuries and fatalities on a monthly basis. Under the new modifications, the airlines would be required to expand their reports to include incidents of fatalities in pets belonging to commercial breeders, as well as handlers for dog and cat shows, who arguably tend to transport pets in higher quantities and with less attention to detail.

As the seven puppies who died in cargo proved, there is still progress to be made on behalf of pets traveling by air. While the three Senators’ letter expressed dismay that some lost or deceased pets “slip through the cracks of the reporting requirement,” it did not address the more important issue of how and why pets are dying on airplanes in the first place.
While it is easy to place the onus on the airlines—the confusing terminals, hot tarmacs and busy employees—it’s critical that pet owners understand that their pet’s air travel safety starts at home, long before the flight is ever booked. If all pet owners approached air travel for their pets the same way they might consider undergoing a major surgery, ultimately pets would travel safer, experience less stress and arrive alive at their destinations more often.
Establishing whether your pet is even safe to fly is an important first step. Age, overall health and even your pet’s attitude can be a factor when traveling by air. Owners of elderly pets should obtain a screening of their pet’s vital organs prior to travel and consult with their veterinarian to find if, knowing their pet’s full medical history, the veterinarian would feel confident issuing a health certificate stating that the pet is healthy to fly. This requires a frank conversation with the veterinarian and a willingness on the pet owner’s part to accept the answer if it happens to be “No.”

Snub-nosed breeds require additional considerations prior to travel. Because of the Boris Bill, the Department of Transportation was able to issue a report in July that showed snub-nosed breeds of dogs were more likely to die on airplanes than other breeds. This confirmed what most pet transportation companies already knew: in most cases, snub-nosed breeds should not be flown. For US residents, the answer to how to move a snub-nosed pet is simple: Load up Sparky and make the drive! Not only is it safer, but you might even make some memories along the way.

Assuming the pet is fit to fly, the pet’s travel crate will play a crucial role during a pet’s flight. Purchasing a crate that’s too small can restrict airflow and cause pets to hyperventilate. While it can be more expensive to ship a larger-sized crate, having a pet arrive safely at its destination is priceless. Crate training pets ahead of time is as important, if not more-so, as the size of the crate itself.

Air travel for pets, while not new, is still evolving. And while hundreds of thousands of pets fly around the globe each year, the loss of any four-legged family member during travel is a tragic reminder that we can still do better to protect other animals from a similar fate. Accurate reporting of losses and fatalities is important, but until the government’s focus is centered on the precautions pet owners can and should take prior to travel, pets like the seven puppies in Chicago will continue to fatally slip through the cracks.

Kevin O’Brien is the CEO and co-founder of PetRelocation.com.

For the second year in a row, PetRelocation.com was listed on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the country's fastest-growing privately held companies.  We ranked #1825 out of the 5000 top companies in America and #39 in the Austin metro region against some pretty popular local companies like Birds Barbershop and UShip!

Despite tough economic times, and the rising cost of airline fees and charges, our customer base has stayed loyal thanks to our award-winning customer service that garnered a 94% net promoter score on a recent independent survey.

After experiencing a three-year growth of 150%, we're finishing out 2010 with a bang and looking forward to an even better 2011.  Thanks to everyone near and far who have helped us get to where we are today.