What’s Included in a Pet Relocation Service? And Why It’s Worth It

If you’re moving abroad with your cat or dog, you’ll quickly realise there can be a lot to sort out for them too.

Alongside the packing and sorting out your new home, you need to arrange your pet’s flights and make sure the paperwork is correct, because different countries have their own rules about vaccinations, health checks and bringing animals across their borders.

You could organise many of these things yourself, but the pet shipping process does take some time and you’ll need to know exactly what your destination country and chosen airline require.

This is where using a pet relocation company can make life a lot easier. Keep reading to learn what to look for in the best pet travel company and the benefits of a pet relocation service.

What’s Included in a Pet Relocation Service?

Pet relocation services vary quite a bit.

That’s because some owners will only need help with one particular part of the move, but others want a professional and experienced cat and dog shipping team to manage everything from the paperwork and flight booking through to getting their pet to their new home safe and sound.

A pet travel company can help with:

• International pet flight bookings and route planning
• IATA-compliant travel carriers that meet airline requirements
• Veterinary paperwork and health documentation
• Import and export permits (where required)
• Customs clearance and airport handling
• Collection and delivery arrangements
• Guidance throughout the entire relocation process

What you need exactly depends on where you’re moving to in the world, because every country has its own rules for bringing cats and dogs across the border.

If you’re comparing companies to find the best pet relocation company for your move, look at what’s actually being handled for you and, importantly, what isn’t. A cheaper quote can look appealing until you realise you’ll need to arrange parts of the international pet transfer yourself or pay hidden additional fees later.

Getting Your Pet’s Paperwork for Relocation Right

There’s a lot of paperwork when moving your pet overseas. And the process of obtaining them is often underestimated.

The documents you need depend on where you’re travelling from and where you’re going, with some countries requiring completion weeks or even months before your pet can enter.

You might need proof of microchipping and vaccinations, veterinary health certificates, blood test results or an import permit.

Another factor is the order of these requirements. For example, rabies vaccination given before a microchip was implanted might not be accepted by some countries, while blood tests and health certificates can have their own timing requirements.

This is an area where using a reliable pet relocation company can save you a lot of time researching and potentially prevent an expensive mistake.

Your cat and dog shipping team can tell you what your pet needs for that particular relocation, when it needs to be done and which documents you’ll need to provide, while checking everything is in place before your furry friend is due to fly.

Requirements can change though, so always work from the current rules for your destination and don’t rely on what another pet owner you know needed when they made the same move a few years ago.

Planning the Right Journey for Your Pet

You might assume your pet can travel on the same flight you’ve booked for yourself, but unfortunately, that isn’t always possible. Airlines have different rules for carrying animals, so the options available can depend on your pet’s breed, crate size, destination and the time of year you’re travelling.

Your professional pet relocation company will check which airlines will accept your cat or dog and find a suitable route.

A direct flight is usually preferable when available because it reduces journey time and avoids another round of unloading, transferring, and boarding.

If your pet needs a connecting flight:

When a connecting flight is required, you’ll likely be wondering where your pet will wait and how long the stopover is. Your relocation company can explain exactly what will happen at the connecting airport before you even book the flight.

Weather and dog breed restrictions can also narrow the options, as airlines may stop accepting animals when temperatures are particularly high or low and flat-faced breeds such as French Bulldogs and Pugs face additional restrictions due to their increased risk of breathing problems during air travel.

If you’re looking for the best pet travel company for your upcoming move, you want a pet-loving team that thinks about more than getting your pet from one airport to another. Choose a pet travel company that plans routes around your pet’s individual travel needs, checking flight times, connections, airline restrictions and any breed-specific requirements before making arrangements.

We’ll also explain the route we’ve recommended and what will happen at each stage, so you know where your cat or dog will be and how their trip will be managed before they take off.

Making Sure Your Pet Is Comfortable in Their Travel Carrier

Your pet spends several hours in their travel crate, including time at the airport as well as the flight itself.

The best pet travel company will provide professional assistance in choosing the correct size for your cat or dog, ensuring there’s enough space for them to stand naturally, turn around and settle into a comfortable position.

Airlines also have specific requirements for crates used to transport animals.

Professional pet movers will check these against your pet and their journey, including any additional requirements that apply to larger dogs or particular breeds.

To keep your pet’s stress levels low, try to have the crate at home well before you travel and leave the door open so your pet can investigate it in their own time. Meals or treats inside can help them become relaxed and familiar with it, then you can gradually increase the time they spend there.

By the time the big moving day arrives, the pet carrier should be a place your cat or dog has already spent time in, instead of a completely new environment they’re being placed into just before a long journey, which can be jarring and anxiety-inducing.

Moving Your Pet Abroad Without a Professional Service

You can move your pet overseas alone, and plenty of owners do.

This is usually best for a straightforward flight to a country with relatively simple entry requirements, especially if you’ve moved a pet internationally before.

But the difficulty is knowing whether your move really is straightforward. You need to be on top of connecting flights, breed restrictions and blood tests with a mandatory waiting period that can change what needs to be arranged, sometimes months before you’re due to leave.

Using a trusted pet travel company means you don’t have to become an expert in international animal transport for the sake of one move.

Transfur Animals already knows what to check, who needs to be involved and which parts of the process tend to cause problems, so you can spend less time researching pet import regulations and more time dealing with your own move.

What Are You Paying a Pet Relocation Company For?

The real value of a pet relocation service becomes clearer when you look at how many decisions have to be made for one journey.

Which airlines will carry your pet on that route? Does their carrier meet the airline’s specifications? Will they need an import permit? What happens when they land and who handles customs clearance?

These are things some of the best pet travel companies deal with every day.

We already understand the processes involved, know what needs to be checked and can spot potential issues before your pet is due to travel.

If a flight is cancelled or a route is no longer available, we’ll look at the alternatives and reorganise the arrangements, so you’re not left to work out what happens next while you’re dealing with your own international move.

The cost of pet international pet relocation will depend on where your pet is travelling and how much of the pet shipping you’d like us to manage. We’ll make it clear what’s included in your quote and flag any separate veterinary, government or third-party fees, so you have a realistic idea of the overall cost before making a decision.

Moving Your Pet Abroad With Professional Support

You don’t have to use a professional pet shipping company to move your cat or dog overseas, but having an experienced team handling the arrangements can make a complicated process so much easier to manage.

Professional pet movers help with as much of your move as you need, from planning flights and checking paperwork to travel crates, customs and onward transport. You’ll know what needs to happen, when and who is taking care of each stage.

If you’re looking for the best pet travel company for your move, speak to our team about where you’re travelling and what your pet needs. We’ll talk you through the options and explain how we can help get your pet to their new home safely.