Quarantine Dogs

 

Name: Dale
Pets' Names: Chief and Sheera
From: Wildwood, Florida
To: Alice Springs, Australia

When my husband was offered a job in Alice Springs, Australia, the only stipulation I had was "the dogs HAVE to come with us!" I started doing some research and my heart sank when I realized that the amount of work it was going to take to get these dogs moved just might break me.

I was still working a full time job and going to grad school on top of organizing a huge move overseas, so I started to feel like this move for my pups, Chief and Sheera, was not going to happen. I then started looking around for someone to help me. That is when I read an article in the New York Times talking about this company, PetRelocation.com. From the moment I sent my initial email asking for information to the moment my dogs arrived safely in Alice Springs, PetRelocation.com has been my sanity.

Moving overseas is not easy for humans, and it is especially not easy for pets. My agents, first Scotty then Elaine, helped me crate train my "hillbilly" dogs to prepare them for their long flight. They walked me through all of my vet visits (and there were many!) and were always available during the visits if the vet had any questions or concerns.

Chief and Sheera were picked up from my home and taken care of their entire trip to quarantine in Australia. Elaine was available to me during the entire trip to let me know when my pups made it from one flight to another, or to tell me that they were enjoying a walk during a layover. Everything was taken care of, and all I ever had to worry about was missing my dogs or when I was going to see them again!

I could never have done this without their help, and when my time in Australia is done I will be utilizing their services once again! Thank you Elaine and PetRelocation! My dogs just arrived safely to Alice Springs after 30 days of quarantine and look better then the day they left my house in Florida!

 

Congratulations to Marshmallow for being named our Pet Move of the Month! This Dalmatian mix traveled from Maryland to the UK when her owners were called overseas, and we were happy to help them navigate the process during the hectic time that military families must so often face.

This was the family's first pet move and they had all the typical concerns (safety, paperwork, costs), but in the end everything turned out well and Marshmallow is enjoying life in the UK with all her favorite people. Her owner Tarnna, was kind enough to share the full story with us below. Read on to find out more about Marshmallow's military move!

What were some of your concerns going into the move?

We didn't want to put Marshmallow through the stress of a long flight only to arrive and have to be quarantined, that would have been devastating for her and our family.

Another big concern for me was how much is was going to cost. Moving internationally is not cheap, even if the military pays for some of it, so adding in this cost was a worry.

Did anything surprise you about the pet moving process?

I was shocked by the price to move a pet. Not just with this company, but every company I contacted and even trying to do it on my own. It is not an inexpensive thing to do and it made me change my thought process about military members who move around.

Most of the time military families will just give up their pets when they PCS, and I could never understand why until now. Luckily for us we had saved for emergencies and this seemed like a good time to use it.

Another thing that surprised me was how dismissive of my concerns some companies were -- luckily not this one -- but many that I contacted were and even the airlines directly. Getting these types of responses from other places is another reason I went with PetRelocation.com, everyone seemed genuine and like they actually cared that our animal got to us safe and sound.

How is Marshmallow adjusting to her new home?

Marshmallow loves our new home, just like we do! When she first arrived she was a bit scared and confused but she quickly settled in. The only thing that has changed is she has a bigger back yard to run around in, which keeps her happy. She has actually lost some weight from all the extra playtime she is getting. She was always a pretty laid back, good dog and nothing has seemed to change that.

How is life in the UK? Is it a dog-friendly place to be?

The UK seems to be a pretty dog-friendly place to be. We haven't searched out any dog parks yet, but we have taken her hiking, where she was loved on by everyone that passed us. Other than that we have only been here a little over a month so there aren't too many stories.

What advice do you have for people who might be planning a move?

To other people who are moving I would say that they need to understand that if they want their pet to arrive in good condition it will cost them, but in the end it is so worth it. I would also say to people to go with their gut feeling about a company who is moving their pet; if you get a not-so-good feeling there is probably a reason. They are your pet and they are a part of your family and they deserve to be as comfortable through the moving process as you do!

Anything else you'd care to share?

At first I was put off by the cost, but after dealing with other companies and the airlines I realized that I could not do this on my own and saw that PetRelocation.com was actually the best company to go with. Like I said earlier, everyone I dealt with from my first call to the gentlemen who brought her to our home in England seemed like they really cared about her and animals in general, and they didn't put my concerns on the back burner. There are good people working for this company!

Once I decided to hire Pet Relocation.com it was like a huge stress filled ball was lifted off me. I had enough stress just trying to get me, my daughters and my house ready all while worrying about my husband, who was still gone. I felt defeated for awhile in the process and was feeling I could not get her here, but once I hired this company I knew it would be okay.

That may sound dramatic but this was the most stressful move I have had during my husband's military career, and we have moved a lot. Nothing was working out and everything seemed to be happening to hinder our move, so when the things with the dog worked out it brought some much needed sunshine. I enjoyed all the people who helped us through the process, everyone had their part, and they did it well. We are planning on using PetRelocation.com for our next move and I have referred my sister and brother-in-law to PetRelocation.com to move their dogs during their next move. They are also in the military and coming to the UK in November. 

Hopefully I didn't get too mushy, but we are very grateful for everything this company has done. We really feel like everyone went above and beyond and worked with us and their team to get us our dog!

 

 

Name: Michael Nelson
Pets' Names: Hunter and Lulu
From: New Jersey, USA
To: London, UK
 

PetRelocation.com offered a worry-free service, and with all the hassle of moving a family internationally it was well received. They were very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about what it takes to move our family dog and cat around the world.

Hunter and Lulu were picked up one morning in New Jersey and arrived the next afternoon in London at our new doorstep. There were no customs or quarantine issues as they took care of all the paperwork.

The pets arrived safely and a little jet lagged, and for that we appreciate and recommend their services.

The Nelson Family
 

 

Name: Finn
Number of Pets: Two
Pet Type: Dogs
Pet Breed: Mixed, small dogs
From: Brasil
To: Portugal

 

What are the required documents I'll need? Will there be a quarantine for the dogs in Portugal?

 

Hi Finn,

Thanks for submitting a question to us. Here are the pet import requirements for Portugal. There is no quarantine at this time, but you'll need to satisfy a few guidelines.

Please contact us if you have any more questions, and feel free to fill out our free quote form. Good luck and happy traveling!

 

The prospect of moving can be both exciting and overwhelming -- that's according to Stacy, the owner of our featured Pet Move of the Month. That seems to be how most of our customers feel about pet moves, which is why PetRelocation.com is happy to step in and help move treasured dogs like Neely when the family is called overseas (it was for military reasons in this case).

Military moves can be especially daunting, but Neely made the trip just fine and is doing well in her new place. Read on to find out the whole story (you can also check our blog for even more info about this pet move). Congrats, Neely! We're so glad we could help you in your journey across the pond!

 

Is this the first time you’ve ever moved a pet?
Yes it was.

What were some of your concerns going into the move?
The two major concerns that I had when it came to Neely’s move were her safety and the possibility of her needing to be quarantined.

Why did you decide to use PetRelocation.com to help out with your move?
I decided to hire your services because it took the work out of trying to figure everything out. Also, after reading all the great testimonials I knew Neely would be in great hands and would arrive home safely.

Did anything surprise you about the international pet moving process?
It wasn't that I found anything surprising, but I would say that some of the steps that were required in order for Neely to travel were a bit confusing at times. We were traveling to the UK during a time where a majority of the rules were changing rather quickly, thus making it difficult to keep up. That is why I am SO glad that we had the people at PetRelocation.com there to help us. With all the things that you have to remember to do in order to prepare for moving, it was a relief to know that I didn’t have to worry about keeping track of all the rule changes and requirements for Neely's travels.

How is Neely adjusting to the new location?
Neely is loving England! On her first day here she just slept the day away in an attempt to recover from doggy jet lag. It has taken her about a week or so to settle in and adapt to all the new sights and smells, but now its like she’s been here forever!

What is life like in the UK? Is it a pet-friendly place to be?
The town where we are living at in the UK is in the Lakes District and is very pet friendly. Many of the dogs here are very socialized and are often off leash. Some of the pubs and stores even allow pets in, just as long as they are well behaved. There are plenty of footpaths where we can go on walks and there is a very nice park in our area as well. On weekends we often go out for long hikes, which Neely loves!

When we first arrived here I had set up a vet appointment for Neely to make sure that there were no other vaccines that she needed, especially because there is so much livestock around where we are. I also wanted to make sure that her current heartworm prevention and flea and tick treatments were appropriate for the region. The vet we took her to was extremely helpful and thorough. We had copies of Neely’s vaccination records from the states which definitely helped the vet figure out what she had already been vaccinated for and what she needed boosters for in the future.

There are plenty of small locally owned pet shops in our town as well as some chain pet stores in some of the larger towns (which are not that far away) for pet food, toys, etc. One thing I would advise pet owners to do before moving is to make sure that the local pet stores carry the brand of food that your pet is currently eating. When we came over here we found out that the brand of dog food that Neely was currently eating was not supplied here at the local or chain pet stores. As a result, we had to switch her food over to something else, which was kind of a pain because Neely is a fussy eater. The only un-pet friendly thing we found about the UK was trying to find a rental property that allowed pets.

What advice do you have for people who might be planning a move?
The advice that I would give for anyone who might be planning a move is to prepare as far in advanced as possible, educated yourself on the process, and ask TONS of questions. This will greatly help in reducing the amount of stress that is involved with moving because you won’t find yourself running around trying to do things at the last minute. Also, make sure you have copies of your pet’s full vaccination record as well as any records in regards to illnesses or procedures that he or she may have had.

And just out of curiosity, where does the name “Neely” come from?
Neely was a rescue dog that my mom had found for me through Petfinder.com. When I had adopted her that was the name that she had came with. I was thinking about changing it when I brought her home, but she already new her name at that point. However, she does have a nickname of “Bean” that I call her very frequently. She earned that nickname because she was only a tiny eight pound pup when I got her.

 

 

Name: Richard
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Yorkie
From: Texas, USA
To: South Korea

I am being offered a two-year contract in South Korea. I would like to accept the position, but my wife will not leave her dog. What are all the requirements, and is there an quarantine in Korea for the dog?

Thanks,

Richard

 

Hi Richard,

Thank you so much for contacting us. It's definitely a challenge to plan an international move and make all the decisions associated with one. Of course your wife wants to bring her dog along (we're pet lovers, too -- we understand!), and we're happy to help.

These are the pet relocation requirements for South Korea. You'll need to have updated vaccines and a few documents endorsed by the USDA, and we recommend spending some time to choose a pet-friendly airline. At this time, there is no quarantine if all requirements are met.

Please contact us if you have any questions or if you'd like a free quote. Thanks again, and good luck with everything!

 

 

Name: Tarnna
Pet's Name: Marshmallow
From: Maryland
To: England

 

Being that we are a military family we are pretty used to moving, but this time it was a little more difficult than usual. My husband had already been out of the country for almost a year and it was up to me to get myself, two children and our dog ready to move to England.

After researching about getting pets into the country, our biggest fear was that something would be done wrong and Marshmallow would have to be quarantined, yet I still pressed on trying to do it on my own. As the day got closer we hit a few more bumps; my husband informed me that Marshmallow could not come until five days after us due to our hotel arrangements, which meant our friends would have to take her to the airport (and the airline I had booked her flight with was not very helpful when it came to someone else dropping her off).

Also, the new guidelines for getting into the country were making it almost impossible for me to do anything before I had to leave, thus putting a burden on our friends. I then decided to contact PetRelocation.com and get some much needed support and help. Our specialists Matt Kincaid and Rebecca Klenk were there to help us through every step of the process, and they even got in touch with our friends who were keeping her. They made it incredibly easy on us, from getting all her correct tests and forms in order to enter the country to getting her to our home two hours from the airport, all while keeping us informed of her whereabouts and even her moods!

Though initially she was a little frightened, Marshmallow arrived to us healthy and as happy as she could be after a long flight, and we couldn't be more grateful for everything that Pet Relocation did for us!

 

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

Laura had never moved a pet before, let alone two pups all the way from one continent to another. Feeling overwhelmed by the process and unsure of where to begin, she turned to PetRelocation.com for some help.

We were glad to step in and offer our assistance (working with such cute pups made it that much easier!). Here's what Laura had to say about Jake and Eddie's move to Australia.

What were some of your concerns going into this move?

Everyone we spoke with advised us that Australia is one of the strictest countries in terms of the process for relocating pets, so our biggest concern was ensuring we first got educated on the process as a whole, including requirements needed, timing, costs, options for help, etc.

Our second biggest concern was ensuring our US vet was not only government approved, but also willing to go through this involved process with us. Our ultimate goal was to ensure our boys served the minimum 30 day quarantine period and that they'd remain healthy during that time.

Why did you decide to hire PetRelocation.com to help with your move?

We were impressed by the information available on the site, as well as the super-informative blog. We spent quite a bit of time perusing the PetRelocation.com site, where we immediately felt at ease about the process and level of knowledge available through your services.

Also, plain and simple. . .  because of Scotty!  First, having a relocation specialist familiar with the country you're relocating to is a huge benefit and was a must for us.  More importantly, even when we didn't yet have a contract for services with PetRelocation.com, Scotty was corresponding with us via email on questions we had a long the way, and that said a lot about your company.  

We knew PetRelocation.com was in this business for all the right reasons. Also, having been in the process of corresponding with and courting multiple pet relocation companies at the same time, Scotty was always the most responsive and informative in his responses.

Did anything surprise you about the international pet moving process?

It was definitely a learning process every step of the way. We were surprised at how much preparation was required, the level of approvals the boys would need, the time-sensitivity of the various steps along the way, and oddly, that the boys got their import permits before our visas were even approved!

How are the dogs adjusting to the new location?

Jake and Eddie are loving their new Aussie lifestyle; their tails didn't stop wagging for the entire ride home when we finally were able to take them home from quarantine! It took them a few days before they completely let their guard down and realized they were in there new "home" with us to stay, but they've adjusted extremely well. They were able to be quarantined together and we were able to go visit them while in quarantine, which helped their mental and physical health tremendously (and ours too!).

What is life like in Australia? Is it a pet-friendly place to be?

Australia is a pet-friendly place in terms of people having pets and loving to socialize with Jake and Eddie, however, it is very pet-unfriendly in terms of securing housing as a renter. Having pets, especially two dogs, has made it extremely difficult for us to find rental properties that will accept us as tenants; most properties are not pet-friendly here, unfortunately, especially in the city center.

What advice do you have for people who might be planning a move?

Research and educate yourself on the process, requirements, etc. of relocating your pet(s) to your specific relocation location (for Australia, the AQIS website was invaluable), do everything you can to ensure your pet(s) serve the minimum quarantine period if applicable, ask lots of questions, ensure your local government approved vet is fully onboard and involved in the process and fully educated on the requirements for your specific relocation location; we couldn't have had such a smooth relocation without ours!

On a side note, getting our boys to Australia safely and in good health was a huge concern for my husband and I as we planned this relocation and we can't thank PetRelocation.com enough for your big part in ensuring this happened for us. THANK YOU!

 

Happy Travelers!

 

 

Name: Shahrzad
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Pekingese
From: Iran
To: Australia

Hi,
I have a Pekingese and he is seven years old. I'm immigrating to Australia as a permanent resident and I want import my dog too. Unfortunately, Iran (my country) is non-approved country for importing. I choose United Arab Emirates for indirectly importation. Can I have your help on this matter? I need some information about quarantine duration in UAE and any useful information.

Thanks in Advance,
Shahrzad

 

Hi Shahrzad,

Thank you for your question. These are the pet import requirements for Australia -- there are quarantine rules to contend with, so it's a wise idea to start your preparations well in advance of your travel date. We advise checking out the official Australia site to find out about the details of quarantine, and please contact us if you have any further questions or if you'd like a free quote.

Good luck!

 

 

Name: Kristen
Pet's Name: Little
From: Orlando, FL
To: Shanghai, China
 

Christina, our PetRelocation.com agent, was fantastic in helping us relocate our toy poodle, Little, from Orlando, FL to Shanghai! She walked us through every step and went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. She even set it up so that Little only had to do a 24-hour quarantine instead of the typical seven days in the public facility.

We got an update on how he was doing via e-mail just hours after he got to quarantine to let us know he was doing well. It was so nice and put our minds at ease. They brought Little to us yesterday afternoon and he is doing wonderful! You would never know that he had been on a plane or in quarantine. We could not have been more pleased with the service we received and will absolutely call again when we head back to the US! Thank you all so much!

 

 

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: Christina
Pet's Name: Annuska
From: Atlanta, GA
To: Hanapepe, HI

I chose PetRelocation.com to move my Annuska because I was in Afghanistan and I needed someone who was familiar with the laws of the quarantine in Hawaii. Both women who helped me out so much were amazing and did a wonderful job in getting Annuska to me.

Elaine was very knowledgeable and helpful, and very patient with me the 2-3 months leading up to moving Annuska, and the woman she had in Honolulu coordinating Annuska's Direct release from the airport and then managed to get her on a flight on the same day to the island that I currently live on, that was just pure amazement!

When she realized that my dog wasn't going to be able to make it on her scheduled flight, she immediately called me and let me know that she had already gotten her on the next (and final!) flight out and that the delay would be minor. I feel very lucky and I will definitely use this service again! Thank you both so very very much!

Name: Yin
Number of Pets: One
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: GSD
From: Peninsular Malaysia
To: Sarawak

What is the quarantine period in Kuching, if required?

Thanks,
Yin




Hi Yin,

Thanks for contacting us with your question. Malaysia can be a confusing place to move pets in and out of, and we recently discussed how to move a pet to Sarawak on our blog. It looks like, since you are coming from Malaysia, a "category 2" country, you will face a minimum 30-day quarantine.

Please take a look at this information and contact us if you have any more questions. Good luck!

Name: Beth
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: German Shepherd
From: United States
To: United Kingdom

Hi, I'm thinking about purchasing a 10-12 week old puppy from the US and I need to know what I need to do to bring the puppy into the UK without quarantine.

Thanks,
Beth




Hi Beth,

The pet import requirements for the UK have recently changed (it's easier to move there now), so if you meet the basic conditions you will not face a quarantine. Note that we here at PetRelocation.com do not recommend moving dogs before they've reached the age of four months old so that they can get all their vaccines and will be strong enough to handle the stresses of travel.

Please contact us if you'd like a free quote for our services or if you have any more questions. Good luck!

Name: George
Pets Names: Quinn & Shadow
From: Atlanta, Georgia
To: Shanghai, China


About a year ago we found out we would be moving to China. During a discussion with some people that had gone before us, PetRelocation.com was mentioned. We needed to move with two dogs, one of which was a rescue with severe epilepsy. His condition requires medication every 12 hours to prevent cluster seizures, which would kill him. Ashley worked with us to research what would be the best way to get there. We settled on flying from Atlanta to Detroit, stay overnight there, and start fresh the next day on a direct flight to Shanghai. As it turns out, this was a very good choice. Detroit had a snowstorm that day and our connection would most likely have been missed. When traveling in the winter, it is always a good idea to choose a direct flight or leave enough time between connections.

During our house hunting trip to Shanghai, James, with Pet Relocation in China, came over to our hotel to go over our special needs for Shadow. This was apparently about a two hour drive each way from the kennel. Having the chance to meet who would be responsible for our dogs in quarantine and go over the requirements really gave us peace of mind and allowed both of us to better prepare for the upcoming trip.

Our pets traveled on Delta as accompanied luggage. Delta went out of their way to allow us to stay with Shadow and give him his medicine at the last minute. Thankfully the first officer of the 747 let us know that our pets were on board. Had they not we would have disembarked prior to closing the boarding door.

Upon arrival in Shanghai, by the time we had gotten through immigration there was James with our two pets in customs. Once reunited we were able to feed, water, and medicate our pets, however I am not sure which they were more interested in, the food or us.

It wasn't long after quarantine that James was able to deliver our dogs to their new home in Shanghai! Overall we would highly recommend PetRelocation.com. Without their support and advice, this move would have been nearly impossible.