And now, the dog...

[emily29 2]

So my fiance has officially had his K-1 visa approved!! 

But now comes the point where we need to figure out how to get his dog here with him. He's coming from Sweden, and so his dog has not had a rabies shot - and from what I gather, we will need to get him one prior to coming to the US since they aren't really effective until 1 month after they've been vaccinated. 

Has anyone gone through this before that might be able to give us advice about this or travel in general - especially with a big dog and a long flight. Obviously, we want the safest, best option for his dog getting here - so any feedback I can get is greatly appreciated!! 

Thanks so much! 

Emily 

[trudi 1,317]

I brought my boxer dog from the U.K., It was fairly straightforward but expensive!

The required vaccinations are country specific so I can't help with that but rabies is definitely going to be one of them so get that shot done.

For US customs all they wanted was the vaccination record and a vet report to say the dog is in good health.

 

The airlines have their own list of requirements, in the U.K. this meant I had to use the services of a pet transporter, the travel kennel has to conform to strict guidelines, this is for the dogs comfort and safety, Oscar was in a giant crate and I covered the floor in non slip vet bed and a blanket (no toys, collars or harnesses are allowed).

 

Check with the airline as most will not carry large dogs (they travel in the hold) in extreme heat or cold.

 

It was worth the effort, Oscar arrived in Charlotte a little confused but otherwise fine and loves his life here in the mountains

[emily29 2]

6 minutes ago, trudi said:

The airlines have their own list of requirements, in the U.K. this meant I had to use the services of a pet transporter, the travel kennel has to conform to strict guidelines, this is for the dogs comfort and safety, Oscar was in a giant crate and I covered the floor in non slip vet bed and a blanket (no toys, collars or harnesses are allowed).

Thanks so much for all of this information! 

By a pet transporter - is this someone who you work through to figure out the requirements and make sure they're met? Is there a place to locate these services? I'm very interested in seeking assistance to ensure we do this the right way, but I want to also be sure I'm using a reliable source. 

Thanks again!

[trudi 1,317]

3 hours ago, emily29 said:

Thanks so much for all of this information! 

By a pet transporter - is this someone who you work through to figure out the requirements and make sure they're met? Is there a place to locate these services? I'm very interested in seeking assistance to ensure we do this the right way, but I want to also be sure I'm using a reliable source. 

Thanks again!

They can do as little or as much as you want, mine boarded Oscar the night before as he was on a different flight to me  and did the pre flight vet check the airline required.

I got his sky kennel because I wanted to have plenty of time to get him used to it but they would have provided it if I wanted

 

I didn't have any recommendations so googled pet transportation, checked reviews and spoke to all the companies, I was more than happy with their service, they dealt with my panicking, stressing and Oscar tearing his cruciate ligament 2 weeks before we flew with ease

 

If you are flying from/to a regional airport you may have to travel from/to a bigger airport as the cargo space on the smaller planes can't accommodate dogs

 

My flight was from London Heathrow to Atlanta where I caught a connection to Asheville NC

Oscar had to go from London Heathrow to Chicago and he connected to Charlotte - this was due to cargo restrictions to Atlanta and the planes hold being too small on the Asheville leg.