Pet Move of the Month: Relocating Deuce and Bobby to the UK

Congratulations to our moving pets of the month, Deuce and Bobby! We're happy to hear they're living life to the fullest in the UK after moving there from Texas. Read on to learn about their owner Samantha's experience working with Catie, Natalie, and our trusted partners to safely transport her two pups across the pond.   

What brought about your move to the UK?

This move was due to a job opportunity/ relocation for my husband Daniel with his current outfit. It was the right time for us to leave Houston and explore a new country. 

Did anything surprise you about the pet travel process?

Well first off, you guys were extremely organized and had excellent communication, so for us we were pleasantly surprised on the ease of it all. When originally researching, the paperwork, exact timeline for shots, etc seemed a bit overwhelming. Not something I imagined would go as smooth as it did. 

How did Bobby and Deuce handle the move and how are they settling in? 

I think like most dogs, they thrive on routine. They typically get a little anxious when they see us packing a suitcase for a typical trip, so when they saw all the boxes they showed some additional signs of anxiousness and curiosity, plus I'm sure they were feeding off of our energy of all the moving pieces going on around the household. But all in all, on moving day, the moment they were picked up they were happy to hop in the crate and were very comfortable with Melinda from Pets on the Go. She was very nice.  Because we had such a smooth process thus far, we were calm and confident that Bobby and Deuce were in great hands as we then focused on making our way across the pond. Bobby and Deuce's flight was due to arrive 4 hours before we landed, so they had time to clear customs. Once we landed in Heathrow I contacted HARC (Heathrow Animal Reception Centre) and I was told they were doing great and were ready to be picked up.  It really couldn't have worked out better.  They were ecstatic to see us at pickup and were in excellent form. A clear sign all had gone well. It was Bobby's first time flying, so we were a bit concerned and curious about how he would handle the flight. Deuce had only ever flown onboard on a 4-hour flight, so this was definitely a first for both.  We've officially now lived in Aberdeen for 4 months and the boys are enjoying their new environment. We've gone from living in the suburbs to the city life. Aberdeen is full of dog-friendly parks all in walking distance, and though it's a little cooler in temperature than these Texas boys are used to, we take advantage of those sunny days with trips to the beach, parks, local pubs and cafes which are all dog-friendly and a short walk away.  We've even joined a local schnauzer meet up group! Thanks to the smooth journey over, it was a positive start to the transition and they are safely home.  

What advice do you have for people who might be starting to plan their pet’s move?

Well first, book with PetRelocation! Second, have your list of questions ready. If you have any concerns be as specific as possible in communicating these concerns. I'm quite confident PetRelocation would have a solution for you, if not be able to ease your worries. In saying that, My mother-in-law also moved her two schnauzers using a different relocation company a week before we moved. I can't even tell you the stress she went through.  I felt terrible for her, and actually quite concerned for our other two family schnauzers.  One obvious difference was you allowed us to use our usual Vet and communicated excellently with them in walking them through the paperwork and your process.  My MIL had a random guy pick the dogs up to do the vet visits with an offsite vet. A vet we were not familiar with, a vet the dogs were not familiar with. This caused a lot of stress.  Not only were they taken away from my MIL on a couple of occasions before having to endure travel, but the said transport guy taking them to the vet could not answer our questions with confidence.  Instantly I saw the difference in service.  Also, when it came to getting the paperwork back to Austin for approval, that same guy actually told my MIL ... oh it should make it back before you have to leave, I've even had to run the paperwork to the airport last minute right before the flight takes off.  The look on our faces!! :-0 ... we could not believe the disorganization.  Anyways, long story short, night and day, I wouldn't even think of using anyone else for my sweet boys' transport. 

How pet-friendly is your new home? Feel free to share the names of any dog-friendly places you’ve found! 

Aberdeen is superb!  We have our local pub Dizzy's that we frequent for dinner with the boys.  They are allowed in their posh bar area.  The waitstaff is super awesome with them, giving them extra loving, water and even chicken! Number 1, Brew Dog, and Long Dog Cafe are also fabulous establishments here in Aberdeen that allow dogs to join their owners for a sandwich or pint 😉 The Parks here are quite beautiful and allow dogs to be dogs. Owners here tend to take responsibility, it's a nice change in that for the most part as long as you have a well-behaved dog and pick up after your pet, everyone is quite friendly and goes about their day without feeling the need to tell you to put your dog on a lead. I'd say Aberdeen is very dog-friendly with a progressive pet-friendly mindset. You will also see many dogs enjoying the beach with their owners, and really just walking all over the city.  Very cool. 

Thank you to Samantha and her family for trusting us with Deuce and Bobby's big move! We wish you the best in your new home of Aberdeen.

Pet Travel Details:

Name: Samantha
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Schnauzer
Pet Name: Deuce and Bobby
From: USA
To: the United Kingdom

Moving with your dogs (or other pets) soon? Contact us to learn about your pet's move plan options.