Relocating Your Pet Overseas

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Relocating your pet internationally is a time consuming, expensive process that requires specialized knowledge of import and export documentation, necessary veterinary procedures and ensuing paperwork, airline policies, travel crate requirements, quarantine laws, boarding accommodation in the new country, proper animal identification, and more.

To correctly handle the required paperwork, it could take a full six months before you even move to get everything in order.

To make sure that you have all of the correct, up-to-date information, as rules and regulations can change quickly, your first order of business should be to contact the consulate of the destination country for their specific requirements. Some countries may require that your pet be quarantined upon arrival for up to six months, and that may alter your decision of whether or not you want to take your pet overseas. Other countries only accept pets at certain airports, which you will want to know to coordinate your flights.

When you contact the consulate, here are a few basics that you will want to be sure to ask:

1. What documents are required to import my pet?
2. Are there any special vaccinations or tests required?
3. What are the quarantine requirements? Are the quarantine facilities available at the planned time and place of arrival?
4. Are their age restrictions on imported pets?
5. How will my pet clear customs? Does the owner need to be present for the pet to clear customs?
6. What costs will be involved?

Once you figure out all of the import requirements, you need to find an airline that will work with you. Get to know their pet policy inside and out, especially when it comes to the crating requirements. On the day of travel, ask a flight attendant to confirm that your pet is indeed on board. You will want to know of any possible mix-ups sooner rather than later.

Make sure you pack your pet´s crate efficiently and effectively. A blanket or special toy from home will help to ease the transition. The number one health problem for pets when they fly is dehydration, so look into buying some dehydration gel. The gel form keeps them hydrated and cuts down on the number of times that they will have to use the bathroom, making the trip overall more comfortable for your pet. As much as you may be inclined to indulge them with extra treats before the big trip, try to limit food intake the day of and the day before the trip for this same reason.

Taking your pet overseas is not easy and not cheap. To move one pet, it could easily cost thousands of dollars. In some cases, pet relocation is tax deductible as a moving expense.

Once you factor in cost and effort, be honest with yourself on the life that your pet will have in the new country. Will the stress of quarantine be too much on a sensitive or older pet? Will your pet have access to green space near your new home? Would they (even if it would make you sad) be better off staying with a relative or friend in the old country?

If you decide that you could not possibly move overseas and leave your pet behind, please check and double check all details. Nothing could be worse than having your pet impounded overseas or lost because or a simple oversight or lack of knowledge.


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