To export a pet may seem like a daunting task at first but it should not be. Whether you are doing it through an export company or yourself it is possible. We always suggest that owners use well-established export companies as this will reduce a great deal of stress and unnecessary costs that could have been avoided.
Depending on which country you are relocating to will affect the duration of pre-export preparation of your pet. It is therefore important not to delay in the veterinary pre-export preparation.
Pet-flight is owned and managed by veterinarians with our primary focus on veterinary pre-export preparation. Our state veterinarians provide us with the most updated worldwide information on pet preparation to ensure that customers are not surprised by unforeseen expenses due to criteria changes. This should give you peace of mind.
Basically your pet preparation will include, but is not limited to: vaccinations and titre tests, flights, crates, veterinary health certificate, state vet clearance, flights, transport to and from the airports and (in most cases) an agent to clear your pet on arrival. Our package options offer you an affordable option where you can choose which of these you want to DIY and with which we can help you. No matter which package you choose we will be there every step of the way to guide you if needed.
Well established companies are well aware of the safety of the pets and should take all the correct safety precautions and policies.
Pet-flight is fortunate to have more than 40 years combined experience within all our services and therefore we can provide you with the certainty that we only use reputable airlines. We always ensure that pets are not left unattended in foreign countries or without supervision at airports. Your pets are part of our family and we take care of our family.
The airlines we use to transfer your pet, may not be the cheapest but it is affordable and definitely trustworthy.
The cargo area of the airlines we use must have controlled pressure and temperatures to ensure our family is kept comfortable during their flight.
Our veterinarians will ensure that your family member is safe to travel and will screen them for any health conditions we may see. As veterinarians we also make recommendations on the optimal weight for your pet to travel and can also provide crate training methods to make the experience as comfortable as possible for your pet.
The crate size and dimensions are determined by the size of the pet. This is to ensure that pets are comfortable during their flight. This means they can stand without difficulty, they can also turn and lie down during their flight.
At this stage different countries prefer different crates for animals to travel in. Plastic containers are used for pets travelling to North America. Wooden crates are preferred for the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa.
During flights and transfers there is always the possibility that things might get lost
Therefore, we recommend that you only provide a blanket/pillow or a familiar object such as a T-shirt or soft toy.
It is very important to note that no animal- or meat products are allowed in the crate with your pet.
Crate training can always familiarise a pet to their new situation. (Please ask our veterinarian, who is passionate about behavioural training for more assistance if needed.)
All travel crates have water bowls in it. The bowls will be filled with water frequently.
Food is not provided during the journey and we recommend that pets travel on a starved stomach.
Please do not feed your pet at least 4 hours before their departure time.
Starving your pet might feel incorrect, especially if they have a long journey ahead, but pets can endure less food for a long period of time. This air-travel situation will only be short term and you can spoil and treat them as much as you want after they have arrived safely and have familiarised themselves with their new surroundings.
An empty stomach also ensures that they do not soil their crate and will be clean and comfortable during their flight. This also ensures that if your dog may be sensitive to any motion they will not feel nauseous during the flight and should prevent any vomiting. We therefore really recommend that these rules are adhered to.
During the journey it may be necessary for a stop-over for your pet. This is a great way to make a long trip feel shorter.
During these transfers pets stay over at a pre-approved airport animal hotel or transit facilities.
Your pet will be handled by qualified airline animal handlers during these transfers.
Their crate will also be cleaned for the next departure date.
In the meantime your pet will be allowed to stretch their legs, have a meal and rest in the kennels while waiting for the next departure date.
As veterinarians we do not recommend any medicine or tranquilizers to be given to your pet pre-flight.
Medicine can alter the physiological response of a pet especially when air travelling.
It is therefore safest to not give any medicine, so that the pet is well aware of their surroundings.
Pre-flight crate training can help tremendously with stressed pets. Some owners do not choose to perform crate training and their pets also do very well during flights. It is really up to the owner.
The short term stress that your pet may experience during their journey should not cause long term behavioural changes in your pet.
Airlines also provide the correct environment during the flight which should leave your pet as comfortable as possible in terms of temperature.
Please follow our guide on the measurements of your pet.
It is extremely important that you do the measurements accurately so that your pet is not uncomfortable during their flight.
It should provide you with peace of mind that thousands of pets travel around the world each year.
The large amount of travelling pets has already paved the way of how pets handle quarantine and what quarantine facilities will provide.
You can therefore know that quarantine facilities will provide the best care to your pet by trained professionals.
From our experience pets handle these quarantine facilities really well and there are no long-term behavioural changes.
There are certain airlines that do allow pets to travel as excess baggage.
Unfortunately we only provide cargo travelling for your pets.
You are most welcome to make direct contact with an airline if you want to inquire about their rules.
We can however still do the pre-export veterinary preparation or advise you on which tests need to be done, regardless of the way they travel.
You are allowed to leave it with your pet.
We will attach the lead and collar to the outside of the crate but please note that there is always a chance that it might get lost during their journey.
Pets are observed before the flight take off.
During the flight there are no other checks done.
We do not recommend that pets travel in the same crate.
The dominant pet may not allow the submissive pet to relax.
We recommend that each pet travel in their own crate. This allows them to have their own space without any potential behavioural challenges between pets. This way we ensure both pets get sufficient rest during the flight.
No pet is allowed to be loaded onto the aircraft with a soiled crate.
If a pet has a soiled crate our staff from Pet-Flight will clean the crate and make sure the pet is comfortable.
It is important to starve your pet as this will ensure that there are no delays of the flight due to soiled crates.
Unlike people, pets’ final flights can only be finalised 2-3 weeks in advance.
During the pandemic bookings may only be finalised 1-2 weeks in advance due to airlines changing their flights according to rules made by the country of destination. Please note that this is not in our control and airlines will decide whether they fly to a certain destination or not.
In some countries it is mandatory to use an agent to clear your pet for you.
Other countries may not request this and you can arrange to clear the pet yourself.
Your pet will be ready for collection at the cargo section of the airline they have travelled with.
You can go to the airline warehouse and please provide them with your ID/passport and the AWB (Airway Bill) that we will provide you.
At the airline warehouse you will be guided how to proceed and here may be additional handling fee charges. These charges are not included in your quotation.
Our veterinarians, around the country, can complete the VHC and they are all aware of regulations and how to complete the documents correctly to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
This VHC must then be endorsed by the state veterinarian before your pet will be allowed to fly to their destination.