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Your Guide To Moving Abroad With Your Pets

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moving pets abroadAre you moving abroad with your pet and worried about the next steps to take? Moving to another country with your pet will give you a special and unique experience. The rules and regulations of every country are different when it comes to taking care of the health and well-being of your furry friend throughout the move. Moving internationally with your pet can't be planned at the last minute. There are multiple things that you need to plan and arrange before you start relocating. Moving your pet to a new country can give you headaches. To relocate, quarantine, and register your pet are a few such aspects that can give you stress.

Moving counselors will supervise the move of your furry friend. You can't just hand over your pet to a pet relocation company. However, there are many other things that you need to do according to the law of the country to which your furry friend needs to be relocated. If you know the process thoroughly, half of your stress would be reduced, and you can ensure a smooth transition of your pet to another country.

Tips to move your furry friend overseas

Here’s what you need to know about taking your pet abroad:

The key concern in most countries regarding moving your pet overseas is the possibility of transmitting diseases. Here, the biggest issue would be the transmission of diseases like rabies or even Avian influenza. Both rabies and Avian influenza spreads from birds to human being and needs to be taken care of while you ship your pets overseas.

  • Rabies can be an issue for cats, dogs, and ferrets, so you need to present a rabies vaccination certificate while you move abroad. This is a mandatory requirement in most countries, while in a few cases you may also have to do a blood test to ensure your furry friend is free from rabies.
  • We recommend you find if the country you are moving to has a long quarantine period for your pet, that can even last up to six months. The high quarantine cost will not only increase your expenses but will keep your pet away from you for a long time.
  • You need to check the mandatory import requirements for cats, dogs, turtles, birds, or small mammals that can spread viral infections.

Here are a few mandatory requirement checklists applicable to most the countries:

  • You need to submit a health certificate assuring that your pet is in good health and free from any viral infections.
  • A health certificate that you obtain from your local vet should be also certified by the USDA veterinarian.
  • Make sure all the vaccination of your pet is up to date and you submit all the mandatory documents before moving abroad with your pet.
  • You may also be required to notarize the health certificate of your pet at the foreign consulate of your present country.
  • European Union and a few other countries have made it compulsory to implant a microchip transponder on your pet like a dog, cat, or even ferret. This will help in the identification of your pets and linking them to the vaccination as well as the health certificate you submit before moving overseas. Ensure to get the correct microchip as the encryption code and radiofrequency aren't the same for all the countries.

Overall, you need to check for the possible health threats to your pet before moving with them abroad. Your pet might be protected against rabies, however, there is no immunization yet to fight against Avian flu or another dangerous virus.

How to ship your pet abroad?

You need to decide how you will transport your pet to your new residence abroad. Here are a few important points that might help you in making your decision:

  • There are a few airlines companies that may allow you to carry your pet with you in the airplane’s cabin. However, the cage should be small enough to be accommodated under the seat.
  • Alternatively, there are a few other airline companies that will only allow small birds in the airplane’s cabin. But you can’t carry a parrot or other tropical birds in the airplane’s cabin.
  • You can transport your pet in the checked baggage if you have a big cage that doesn’t fit under the seat. However, this might raise health concerns for your pet.
  • Try to obtain a piece of detailed information about the air pressure and temperature of the cargo bay before you book the tickets. The outside temperature affects the temperature of the cargo bay, so at specific times the airline companies will bar you from shipping your pet by the flight.
  • Airline companies also have mandatory rules regarding the containers both in the cargo bay as well as the cabin. We recommend you go through these protocols in detail before you buy a cage or a kennel for your furry companion.

Tip: It would be a good idea to help your pet get well acquainted with the cage or kennel you buy for them, much before the moving day. Perhaps, you can put a toy they enjoy playing with or clothes that might give them a feeling of familiarity. Avoid sedating your pet, until it’s the last thing you can do to keep them in control.

Moving cost of your furry friend

Transporting your pet abroad can be expensive, we recommend you estimate the various costs involved before you book the flight. Here are a few areas for which you need to pay:

  • Transportation cost
  • Health certificate and vaccination certificate
  • Certificate translation cost
  • Cost of a notary from the consulate
  • Microchip transponder
  • Kennel or containers

Overall, the minimum cost of transporting your furry companion to another country would be around $80 in the case of an airplane cabin and it would be a few hundred dollars if you have to ship it in the checked baggage. Moreover, a few airlines will consider your four-legged friend in the checked baggage as additional luggage and will calculate its cost based on the size and weight of your pet as well as its container. While other airlines will calculate the charges based on the distance to be traveled.

In case you don’t want to travel with your furry friend you can ship them as luggage in the cargo compartment of an airplane. You need to pay a price based on the size, weight of the kennel or crates, and the distance between your current and a new destination. In a nutshell, this option would more costly than transporting your pet in the airplane cabin or checked luggage.

Hire a pet relocation company

If the thought of making an international move with your furry companion makes you nervous and you don’t how you will execute it, consider hiring a pet relocation company. You can choose between Happy Tails Travel Inc., PetRelocation, and International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA). Working with these companies will reduce your stress and will ensure that you follow all the pet import rules as well as arrange for the transportation of your furry friend.

A pet moving company may also accompany you through the customs and complete the various paperwork for you. They may even motivate you by sharing success stories of pet transportation and helping you overcome your nervousness. Here are a few tips to choose a reliable pet relocation company:

  • Don't hire companies that promote themselves on Craigslist or ask you to complete the payment process through Western Union or other methods. Mostly such companies are scams, so you need to be careful.
  • Check the online reviews as well as the responsiveness of a pet relocation company before you choose to hire them. You don't want to work with a company that doesn't respond to your calls or messages.

Of course, as pet owners, you would be the happiest when your furry baby reaches your new destination safely and securely. Overall, proper planning and clear communication with your pet relocation company will ensure that your reach safely the new destination, following the laws of your destination country.

Transporting your furry friend to a new country is just a small part of your move. However, you need to take care of other tasks as well like planning your move, decluttering your possessions, packing your items, and a few other important things. Moreover, your work will not end just by hiring a pet relocation company, however, you need to choose a reliable moving company that will help you move all your belongings safely to your new destination. Perhaps, you can connect with us at Movers.com and check out the services it provides.

Staff Writer  Posted by Staff Writer on May 6, 2022

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