Learning about the Pet Shipping Business: My First Week at PetRelocation.com!

March 15th marked a new beginning for me when I started my job as a PetRelocation Specialist here at PetRelocation.  Upon first hearing of my new gig, people typically had a few different reactions.

“What will you be doing?”

“I have a cat I want to get rid of. Can you find him a new home for me?”

“What is PetRelocation.com?”

It turns out I will be relocating pets all around the world. I will not be able to “get rid” of your cat for you. And what is PetRelocation? It’s a company with amazing owners, amazing employees, and a big heart. 

We relocate pets across the United States and across the world. If you’re moving and you think your cats will scratch and claw in the car all the way from San Diego to Miami, send them via air, shipped specially by PetRelocation.com!  If your company tells you you’re moving to China, Germany or South Africa, we can make sure your pets make it there safely, as well. 

When asked why I wanted to work at PetRelocation.com, I had a few things to say.  I have a passion for animals, and since I would never leave my dog in the hands of strangers, I wanted to find out more about this niche in the market. I wanted to find out how this company shipped pets. Were they just tossing them in with the luggage? Do they get left in a warehouse? What in the world does ‘quarantine’ mean?

After working here for a week, I found my answers:

How does the company ship pets?

It’s literally a door-to-door service. Our agent picks up your pet from your home and takes him to the airport. He flies to your new home and another agent picks him up and hand delivers him to your door. The day of the move, the pet owner literally doesn’t have to lift a finger. 

Were they just tossing the pets in with the luggage?

No way! PetRelocation.com works with pet-friendly airlines, such as Continental, KLM and Lufthansa. These airlines have policies and procedures in place to ensure your pet is the last to board the airplane and first to be taken off. They are not left on the tarmac while staff rearranges luggage. They are never “tossed” anywhere. They all travel with name tags, water and blankets. Airline personnel can say hi personally to “Buddy” or “Elvis.” Imagine if your dog left you, was unsure of what was happening, and then as he was getting on the plane a stranger called him by his name and gave him some water.  The last thing he hears is something we all love to hear: our own name! It’s those little personal touches that make the difference.

Do they leave pets in a warehouse?

Not a chance! PetRelocation.com works with agents and airlines who treat your pets as they would their own. They are never left on a tarmac or in a warehouse unattended. In fact, some airports are set up to let pets out of their crate during a layover to stretch their legs and run around a bit!

What does ‘quarantine’ mean?

Quarantine sounds like a scary word. Webster has many definitions, including "a state of enforced isolation." So my dog has to be locked up? Like solitary confinement? Not exactly! Everyone here reassured me that quarantine just means making sure an animal isn’t going to transport rabies or another disease from one country to another. Sometimes it means they have to enter a facility (kennel), but most times the quarantine period can be completed at the owner’s home. Nothing changes except they get their rabies shot and they can’t leave the country for a short period. They can still go to the park, the lake, the vet, etc…

So now I’ve worked here at PetRelocation for a little while. In our office, as I type this, we have a Labradoodle named Aussie, a Golden Retriever named Charlie, and an Airedale/lab mix named Draper. It’s obvious we are a bunch of animal lovers, and just about everyone who works here has a pet of their own. That’s why we’re so good at what we do. We treat your pets as if they were our own, we’re friendly, we thrive on our great customer service, and there is no move too big or small.

We have pictures all over the office of pets that have been to Spain, Italy, India, China, the Caribbean and more! At the end of a move, there’s a little sense of joy when you get that phone call saying the pet owner and pet have been reunited in their new home, and you know you made it happen. It almost gives you goose bumps.