Air Animal® has cemented its position as one of the longstanding leaders in the pet relocation industry.
Established in 1977, we have successfully shipped and relocated over 100,000 animals of all shapes and sizes. From furry friends to scaly companions, we possess the knowledge and expertise to move pets overseas or domestically.
With our esteemed founder and in-house veterinarian, Walter Woolf, V.M.D., alongside a seasoned team of pet relocation specialists,rest assured that you'll be in capable hands.
Moving a pet on your own can be daunting. Each region varies in pet import regulations and paperwork requirements. If that doesn't sound intimidating enough, external factors, ranging from approval delays to airline strikes, can impact the travel timeline. It's highly beneficial to be assisted by knowledgeable, skilled pet moving managers who are ready to face all obstacles.
Rosa, an experienced pet mover at Air Animal®, encountered a lengthy waiting process while relocating Denise’s beloved fur baby. Denise planned to move back to her home in Australia from the US. She booked an International VIP door-to-door service with us to relocate her 6-year-old Jack Russell with her. Rosa began working with Denise in June of 2023 and anticipated that this move would take close to a year due to Australia's complex and ever-changing regulation
requirements.
Although Charley was already microchipped and vaccinated for rabies, she required further preparations before embarking on her journey.
At the beginning of 2023, Australia officially extended its quarantine requirement for imported pets to thirty days. However, further verification and testing could shorten that time to ten days. Rosa was able to research and confirm that Charley would obtain the necessary series of identity verifications to keep the quarantine period as short as possible. Charley underwent all testing and vet visits with the Sebring Animal Hospital, and Rosa communicated with them weekly to prevent hiccups.
The process proceeded smoothly, and we applied for the import permit in September. Australia approved the permit in December, and we immediately applied for the quarantine process. From here, it took a few more weeks to get Charley's flight date, April 9th.
Denise planned on traveling around the same time as Charley, but unfortunately, she got sick in February and had to return home to Australia early. From there, Charley stayed with a trusted family friend and departed for Australia at her scheduled flight time.
Thankfully, she arrived safely and only had to stay in quarantine for ten days. However, the quarantine facility workers informed Denise that Charley stopped eating during her isolation, presumably due to stress and missing her family. Denise immediately ordered chicken to the quarantine facility.
She began eating again, and before long, Charley reunited with her owner, greeted by a "welcome home" plate of chicken.
While lengthy relocation processes are often prolonged and intricate, Rosa's knowledge, expertise, and clear communication allowed everything to progress swiftly.
Another Air Animal® pet mover, Jessica, adapted to a last-minute change while moving her client's pup. Veronica was headed to the US from Cape Town, South Africa, with her Australian Silky Terrier, Princess Leia.
Veronica wanted to take Leia in cabin with her, but due to South Africa's regulations requiring that pets arrive as Manifest Cargo, she decided to workwith Jessica. During many discussions with Veronica, Jessica offered additional options for accomplishing her desired mode of transportation for Leia. Working with her agent in South Africa, she could request and receive the additional dispensation permit for bringing her pet into the cabin.
We received the dispensation permit two days before Leia’s flight departed. Jessica swiftly made the necessary changes to their plan, and Leia could fly with Veronica without obstacles. Jessica sent the final pet owner instructions, booked the flight, and arranged the origin and destination
pick-up agents.
Leia's return trip to the United States from South Africa was uncomplicated, as she did not require a CDC import permit. This was because her rabies vaccine was administered in the US and retained validity. This illustrates the importance of checking all vaccinations when planning to relocate to a high-risk rabies Country, as it ensures a smooth return for your pet.
Jessica and our move managers expect frequent changes and adapt quickly. "Everything is solvable," Jessica says. "If you don't see me panicking, don't panic."
Further exemplified, Maritza, a pet mover at Air Animal®, had to find a rapid solution last February when moving Luis' beloved Peruvian Inca orchid, Xili.
Luis signed up for a book and fly service and planned to move Xili from Texas to Romania to be with him. Xili was ready to go until Maritza received an email the day before the flight. The airline, Lufthansa, announced the flight cancellation due to a strike.
Luis was already in Romania. His wife planned to travel to Romania on the same day as Xili to ensure he made it safely. Maritza contacted the pet owners when she found out about the cancellation and was already working to get him on the next flight.
Luckily, Maritza found a flight on the same day through a different airline, KLM. Unsure if KLM would accept her booking, she submitted the request. Although the client booked a book and fly service, which entails airport-to-airport services only, we constantly adapt for pets to travel safely. Maritza reached out to a partner in Texas in case Xili was rejected from the flight, as he would need somewhere to stay and be taken care of. Luckily, within 4 hours, KLM approved the booking. A fast response from an
airline is rare, but thankfully, Maritza could communicate with them promptly.
On the day of the check-in, there was one last hurdle: KLM had a different kennel regulation for Xili's kennel than Lufthansa, and the owner needed mesh material for the kennel. Maritza's partner provided nearby locations where the pet owner could find the mesh piece they needed, and soon enough, KLM cleared Xili for takeoff.
Thanks to Maritza's swift actions, Xili arrived safely in Romania on the scheduled day.
At Air Animal®, our team of move managers has encountered nearly every roadblock regarding pet moving. Updated airline regulations, strikes, document delays, and weather disruptions are no match for our seasoned team members. Pets are our family, and we understand how valuable it is for every family member to have a seamless, risk-free travel experience.
Please request a quote here to inquire about moving with one of our team members.
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