Bringing Pets to the US?

[britty 1]

I brought two cats from the UK to the US. I used a pet travel company who arranged all the travel aspect, from picking up my cats the night before travel, ensuring they were safely secured in cargo on a BA flight in very large travel crates, with ample water, and calling me when they arrived at the animal reception center at DC airport.

Before they could enter the US they had to have a health check by a vet, a rabies shot (this must be done some weeks before travel), certain paperwork completed, a selection of other shots, and a passport issued by said vet with full specifics of each cat, and a list of all their shots.

The websites below will give you a lot of information. Please bear in mind that this process isnt cheap !! Including veterinary attention, travel, paperwork etc, 2 cats cost me $1800 !!

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/animal.htm

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/index.htm

[Agentes 0]

Ouch!!!! $1,800. That is quite a bit. I know I have $1,100 off the top the first year just in pet rent where I live.

I ran across the CDC site last year and couldn't remember it, I'm glad you posted that.

[Dan and Lynne 0]

bringing your pet to usa...let the fun begin!! you think waiting for a visa is bad!? lmao

with continental airlines:

they cant fly if the tempreture at either departure airport on arrival airport (and any changeover airport) is less than 8deg (about 27) unless you have a headed letter from your vet stateing that this isnt a problem. summer travel also has a guideline tempreture ( i travelled winter, didnt need to know summer temps)

rabies vacination is advisable though not needed...varies state to state....check! your SO should call a good vet in USA to find out what exactly is required.

a pet passport isnt needed unless your pet is going to return to europe.

all airlines are strict on crate/pet mesurements, be accurate, get someone to help. dont think squeezing him/her in a smaller crate will work!

speaking to the girl who answers the airline switchboard isnt the best option, you need to speak to someone who knows what they are talking about, even explaining a 1000 times that it is a pet you are transporting will send the operator into a bout of cluelessness!

requirements vary state to state...check!!

signed health certificate from vets is needed at least 10 days prior to travel.

try to have your pet on the same flight as you.

not all airports will rush you through just because you have a pet.

DEFRA (UK) are useless! they think an akita is a snake!

be early for pet check in, any delay can delay you on your boarding.

use a good reputable export company who can answer all your questions without flustering or 'checking elsewhere'

carry-on isnt always the best option, how would you like to be crammed under the seat?

using cargo isnt as bad as it sounds though i found that all the airlines i spoke to will no longer let you sort out your pet travel yourself, you need a weighbill and this is only available through an export company...and there are lots of cowboys out there...if you value your pet enough to bring him/her here...then it is going to cost...lots!!

$2600 to transport an akita from glasgow UK to newark for this the export company only provided the crate, weighbill and customs clearance. if the option to do it myself was available it would have cost around £600 + $50 customs clearance flying from heathrow to JFK.

some airlines will let you strap some dry food to the crate (i took about 4 days worth)...but it gets xrayed...this IS a good idea, unless your dogs usual munch is available on this side? its good to have something to mix in with the new diet...take it with you, if the airline says no you can always bin it.

dogs definatly need to be registered (annually) on this side, we had ours registered at the local municipal building (town hall) it cost about $11 and they get a tag for the collar (which must be worn all the time) a little tip on this, if it is supplied with an aluminum clasp...ditch it get a different one...it stains the fur. you need to take the rabies certificate and health records when you register.

some helpful sites i found:

Department of Agriculture

NWA - travel with pets they cant make their mind up if they do or dont.

Continental Airlines - travel with pets

Delta Airlines - travel with pets though delta told me (after being transfered across the world a few times) they no longer transport pets since sept 11th and their website needs updateing to say this!!

American Veterinary Medical Association

hope this helps...

oh, and when you get your pet on this side...remember...their journey was more stressful than yours...they got flung to the back of the crate on take off...their breakfast was in thier mouth whenever the plane hit an air pocket and they bounced around like a ping pong ball on landing...they have no seatbelt option....huggles and kisses are a requirement!! i wish i had her on webcam!!

my poopie took about a day to get over it...me? longer.

good luck.

[Jeraly 4]

Thanks so much for this... Delta don't take pets anymore?! AHHH!! They were my first choice of airline...

Now I'm worried all over again *sigh*

[Dan and Lynne 0]

Thanks so much for this... Delta don't take pets anymore?! AHHH!! They were my first choice of airline...

Now I'm worried all over again *sigh*

lol my experience of delta wasnt good at all! totally clueless! i am guessing a got the dumb new starter in every country i was put through to...i started by calling london, got put through to USA, then france...he was abusive...he put me through to holland, where the lady said they do transport pets but they have a layover in frankfurt, no direct flights from the UK and with the crate size (i think the max was varikennel 500) she couldnt go on the flight to frankfurt!!...guess i got moved to germany...where they disconnected me before even talking to me...and then it started again...london...usa....france...holland and back to cargo in london...by this time i had totally lost it with delta.

i was told that i couldnt export my dog on a flight that lasts more than 12 hours, i was told that 12 hours in a crate is long enough (an hour in a crate is long enough!!)...in total my girl was in a crate for 16 hours...god knows how long she would have been in there going via frankfurt...had she been allowed. this was from continental.

another tip before you buy a crate...find a store which stocks the crate size you need, try your pet in it before you buy it...moreso with the large breeds...no room for error! i found 'canine kennels' (google it) in the UK are the cheapest online, and they are also good with refunds!

good luck!

Edited March 27, 2008 by Dan and Lynne

[Jeraly 4]

Well I've got a cat and I am hoping to take her on as hand luggage - I bought her a nice new airline-approved sherpa bag (she seems to like it - she sleeps in it quite often and I have never known her to do that before!!)...

I think I just need a big list of airlines that will let me take her on as hand luggage during the heat embargo and go from there... Why does this have to be so complicated!!!

[Agentes 0]

Yeah, that was a great write up! My searches in this turned up few detailed results, so that was much appreciated!!!

All kinds of good info here, and this really caught my attention too, it is an excellent point:

Oh, and when you get your pet on this side...remember...their journey was more stressful than yours...they got flung to the back of the crate on take off...their breakfast was in thier mouth whenever the plane hit an air pocket and they bounced around like a ping pong ball on landing...they have no seatbelt option

You know, I never even thought about this part and never would have. That is very interesting. I am going to try and help prepare for this in any way I can, but something is telling me to avoid the direct details.

[Mags 112]

Well I've got a cat and I am hoping to take her on as hand luggage - I bought her a nice new airline-approved sherpa bag (she seems to like it - she sleeps in it quite often and I have never known her to do that before!!)...

I think I just need a big list of airlines that will let me take her on as hand luggage during the heat embargo and go from there... Why does this have to be so complicated!!!

As far as I am aware the heat embargo ONLY applies to the cargo area because of the drop in temperature - or the raise in temperature. In the cabin the temperature is kept steady for the passengers.

Note: I took my cats in the cabin in December - when they don't allow pets to fly in the cargo area because of the cold.

[Mags 112]

Thanks so much for this... Delta don't take pets anymore?! AHHH!! They were my first choice of airline...

Now I'm worried all over again *sigh*

Delta DO still take pets - I've just checked. They just don't take them as cargo during the heat embargo. Cabin travel is fine. Do your own homework - don't rely on information ONLY from a message board.

Book your cat into the cabin at the SAME TIME as you book your own flight. They check then if there are any other animals flying at the same time. They only allow 2 cats per cabin per flight.

You then pay $35 (or more if it has gone up in price) at the help desk when you check in.

[Jeraly 4]

Thanks Mags - We've already checked the Delta website and couldn't find the info that they didn't take pets anymore but then we hadn't called and spoken to anyone directly yet either so...

Ahh - I think I just have to have something to worry about... I am not sure if I prefer worrying about bringing Daisy over or about the interview/medical...

[GabiandVi 34]

I can tell you my experience bringing a cat from Greece to the US. It won't be of much help to the OP, but others looking for information might get a little help.

I had all the paperwork that others have described. I carried him on the plane. I had to make a reservation for him. There is a limited number of animals allowed on each flight.

At the POE I was told, since I had checked "animal products or a live animal" on the customs card, I had to go to a certain line. He had sh*t as the plane landed and I had taken him into the bathroom and cleaned things up as best I could. I was afraid they were going to think he was sick and quarantine him for however long, a death sentence for him.

The customs officer asked me if the animal product I had was cat food. I said yes, I had cat food, and showed him the food. The labels were in Greek and he asked me what they said. They were fish products. He said, "There's no beef in there?" I said there wasn't. He said okay and turned around to finish his conversation with the other customs officer. He didn't even want to look at my cat.

As for the problem of sh*tting, something he did at all three landings of that trip, I consulted my vet in the US because I was taking the cat with me to China a couple of months later. He said I should start cutting in a little cooked rice with his canned food about a week before the trip. Each day I should increase the portion of rice and decrease the portion of cat food, until finally, on the day of the trip, it was basically just rice with a little food to make it smell like food. It worked beautifully. Apparently rice creates no waste product.

I also gave my cat a mild sedative. I truly believed he would have died otherwise, and I know he would have died if he had been put in the hold. Besides, they didn't allow animals in the hold in the summer, or so I was told by airline officials.

Edited March 27, 2008 by GabiandVi

[Jeraly 4]

I never heard that about the rice which is interesting... I am getting a direct flight so hopefully if she has to go poo then we can clean up at LAX and get her home reasonably quickly My vet has suggested to not feed her 24 hours before the flight (which sounds so mean - she is going to hate me!!) but then she is also not going to eat on the day of travel either so she is going to be one hungry kitty...

The ice idea sounds good though - Daisy doesn't drink a lot of water but I am sure it will help especially if she isn't eating...

[Mags 112]

Standard practice is no food for 12 hours before hand and no water for 7.

[Jeraly 4]

Aww she is going to so hate me!!!

[Dan and Lynne 0]

Delta DO still take pets - I've just checked. They just don't take them as cargo during the heat embargo. Cabin travel is fine. Do your own homework - don't rely on information ONLY from a message board.

i agree with you 'dont just rely on a message board'...my post was just from my experiences with different airlines, exporting a largish dog.

best advise is to check and double check and use the message board for additional tips.