Pet Move of the Month: Ebi & Kenzo’s Move to Sweden

Ebi and Kenzo are two cool cats who have been on the move lately -- they started their journey in California and ended up in a high rise apartment in Sweden.

How did they get here? How are they doing now? We're glad you asked! Read more about their journey in this interview with their owner, and join us in congratulating them all on a move well done!

What surprised you about the pet travel process?

We had no idea there were so many things to consider and legalities involved when relocating pets to another country. The notion of our cats being refused entry into Sweden because they didn't have the correct shots, EU-approved microchip, or USDA paperwork made an already stressful situation terrifying.

We were also quite surprised (and relieved) to learn that a company such as PetRelocation exists to take care of all the painstaking logistics both in the U.S. and in the destination country. An international move is stressful enough and the peace of mind we gained by working with PetRelocation was immeasurable. 

How did you prepare your cats and how did they handle being in their crates during the flight?

We had Kenzo and Ebi in their crates about 30 minutes before PetRelocation arrived at our home to collect them. We were not with them en route to the airport and we took separate flights so we will never know exactly how they handled the flight, but PetRelocation texted pictures of them in the airport pet lounge waiting to board their flight and again after they landed at their layover stop so we knew they were receiving excellent care and doing great. We can’t tell you how relieved we were to receive photos of them!

Penney also texted us a link so we could track their flights. A representative called us right after they arrived at the airport with an update on how long it would take for the cats to clear customs and be delivered to our door. Every step of the way the communication was excellent and we always knew where our cats were and what was happening.

How have they handled the transition so far?

When they arrived, Kenzo and Ebi were in perfect condition. They immediately started exploring their new home, and were very quickly back to their playful selves.

How do the United States and Sweden compare in terms of pet friendliness?

Sweden is very pet friendly. It's winter now and most of the dogs we see at the park are wearing doggie coats to stay warm. We'd say the pet culture in Sweden is very similar to that of the U.S.  

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

Don't even think about navigating the process on your own. Every country has different requirements, which sometimes change, and their websites may not always have the most up-to-date information posted. Information you find on your own can be confusing and conflicting. Before PetRelocation stepped in, one of our local vets was about to implant our cats with the wrong microchip because there is more than one EU-approved chip.

Having gone through this process, our strongest piece of advice would be to call PetRelocation. You cannot put a price on the peace of mind that your pets are receiving great care and will be delivered to your doorstep with no hassle.  

What made you decide to hire PetRelocation to assist you?

The idea of putting our young cats on a long, international flight with a connection made me very nervous to say the least, but Ashley immediately put me at ease. She had answers to all of our questions, and reassured us with stories about other clients who moved cats. They even handled all the communication between our vet and the USDA.

It was clear by Ashley’s answers that PetRelocation had dealt with every possible situation before. Then, when she found a way for our cats to clear customs in Copenhagen rather than Stockholm (preventing our cats from having to take a third flight), we knew that working with PetRelocation was the right decision.

Thanks to Ebi and Kenzo's mom for answering our questions and trusting us to handle their big move overseas! We wish them lots of luck and fun in their new home.

Looking for help with your upcoming pet move? Contact us to get started.

Author:

PetRelocation Team

Topic:

Move of the Month, Incredible Experiences

Pet:

Cats

Country:

EU