Has anyone moved their pets to Europe?

[Writer]

There is a very slim chance - VERY - that we may move to Northern Europe next year. We have two wonderful fluff buddies who we'd hate to leave behind (a cat and a 15 lb. dog). Has anyone transported a pet overseas before? Is it advisable? Is it complicated?

[wickerwoman]

1. It's very, very expensive and pretty stressful but not undoable.

I shipped two cats from China to the US. It cost probably about $1500 per animal after all the medical tests and plane tickets. It might be less depending on where you are in the US. My cats had to overnight in Amsterdam because you have to book particular routes so the temperature in the cargo hold doesn't go above or below a certain temperature.

Also, it depends on the regulations of the country you're moving to. Some require a quarantine period which can be in your home or might have to be in a government run facility (really expensive and stressful for the animals).

I wouldn't do it again because my cats are pretty neurotic and it stressed them out a lot. You can't give them drugs because the animals aren't monitored during the flight and they haven't approved them for the effects of altitude.

Anyway, I would say if you're pretty sure you're never moving back, then go ahead and bring your pets. It's not something I would subject my cats to regularly or casually though.

[Writer]

8. My dog is fairly neurotic...

he already medicates for anxiety. So that would be a concern.

I'm fairly sure this wouldn't be a permanent move, although it depends on how long my husband's company would ask him to stay there.

Thanks!

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

2. I brought Piglet from the US to Germany

It was a very simple procedure and not expensive at all. It depends on the country you will be living in though. Germany requires all animals to be micro-chipped, there were some forms that needed to be filled out by the vet in the US and I had to pay a couple hundred bucks for her to fly over here.

Once your fluff buddies are in Europe, they will get passports, so you can take them all over the continent if you want to travel or go back to the US with them for an extended stay. Piglet became an international dog of mystery. Good luck!

[Heddi]

3. Did you have to quarrantine her?

My husband and I are RN's and looking forward (one day....one day) to working overseas for the kicks of it, but we have 2 cats. We've flown the cats across the US, so they're used to flying in cargo, but looking at most of Europe (we were looking/applying to a military hospital in Germany and another in Italy) they want your animals quarrantined and I don't know if I'd want to subject the cats to 30 days of quarrantine.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

5. No I did not

have to put her in quarantine. The requirement was that she had to have been vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days before she flew but no longer than 12 months. I am not aware of any quarantine rules for importing dogs and cats to Germany. Italy might require it, I don't know.

Here is a link that might be of help. http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/pets.html

[Writer]

9. That's cool.

Both of my pets are already micro-chipped - would they have to get micro-chipped again?

We'd likely move to Stockholm, so this would be a long and frigid flight. I do worry about this.

How cool about your little Piglet. :)

[wickerwoman]

15. Forgot to say,

you can hire an agent to handle a lot of the paperwork for you if you think it's going to be complicated.

I just remember when I was researching the trip, someone on one of the blogs saying they were trying to bring a pet to one of the Scandanavian countries and the pet kept getting bumped off flights because the airport was too cold and they aren't allowed to transport pet outside of a particular temperature range. It might be a seasonal thing though.

About the microchip, I would check. I remember it has to be a particular type that is recognized internationally (but that might be the standard type these days). Probably you won't have to remicrochip them if you've done it recently, but if its really old, you might need a new one (and of course you need the ID numbers to put on the forms).

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

20. Piglet had the original micro-chip from the US

and didn't have to be re-chipped but the frequency was different and the vet's reader couldn't register her chip here. No big whoop though.

Different airlines have differing policies regarding pet travel. I know Lufthansa will allow dogs up to so many kilos to travel inside the airplane with their humans instead of in cargo. They sell special little doggy carriers that will fit beneath the seat for this.

[grace0418]

14. Wow, that's easier than moving to Hawaii with them. I looked into it because I

REALLY want to move there and it's way more complicated than what you describe.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. Hawaii has the most stringent, long, pain in the ass process of anywhere I know.

They don't have rabies there, so they have the six month quarantine requirement for all pets to ensure that rabies (and other bad stuff) doesn't end up there.

[grace0418]

19. I actually understand. They have so many unique

species of plants and animals that I don't blame them for wanting to protect paradise. Sigh...wish I could be there right now.

[Inchworm]

4. I'd say ask in GD

Once ye weeds the nutters, open life ;)

:hi:

[Writer]

10. That sounds like a disaster in the making.

Hrmm... not sure if that's a good move. ;)

[Solly Mack]

6. We shipped our dog to Germany. The shots have to be current more than

30 days prior to trip. He was briefly monitored just so officials could determine there were no ill effects from flying. He was ready to go by the time we processed his paperwork through customs in-country.

The USDA can inspect an animal for shipping - even pets. They issue certifications of health and safety for transporting. We used the USDA for a pet that came over after we did. The vet didn't have the means to issue the certification for travel is why.
Some vets do... He still needed an exam by a vet which the USDA based their paperwork on.

Paperwork MUST be in the language of the country you're entering. Our paperwork was in both English and German.

It isn't complicated - but it does take planning.

Not all that expensive.

EU travel is made easier for your pet with a pet passport. It can even be used in some no-EU countries.

Germany is pet friendly.

A little research, as well as a little preparation and planning and it goes smoothly.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. You're right about that

I remember being surprised when my family went to Germany when I was a teenager. People took their dogs everywhere, even into restaurants.

[Writer]

11. Okay, that's very helpful. Thank you! n/t

[joeybee12]

12. My concern would be the quarrantine period...

Honestly, though, I really only believe England has a really awful one...like about 3 months...most countries will have you have your vet fill out a bill of health form that you present upon entry and that's that...the cost is probably gonna be the big thing for you.

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. The UK now allows in pets from various countries (including the USA)

if they have the correct vaccination documentation: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/

It had been compulsory quarantine until the last governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, a Conservative politician, wanted to bring back his dogs from Hong Kong. When he leant his political influence to the cause, they changed the law: http://www.passportsforpets.com/

[MiddleFingerMom]

13. When I moved from Philadelphia to Atlanta, I carried my cat on the flight with me...

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...and I had given Greycat a vet-approved half-tranquilizer for the trip.
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At the Security checkpoint, an older guard was having a brand-new one
do supervised inspections. She told him to check out my kitty-carrier.
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Greycat NEVER actually nodded off during the whole ordeal, but membranes
covered most of her eyes and there was a CONSTANT just-audible sound
from her like, "m-e-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h".
.
The young guy picked up the carrier, stared face-to-face with Greycat
for quite a while, turned to the two of us and announced, "This cat is
FUCKED... UP!!!"
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The older guard looked at me and rolled her eyes.
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"Yes, Robert. That cat is... ... ... heavily sedated."
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Made me laugh the entire flight.
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Greycat?
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"M-e-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h".
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I actually GOT Greycat (and Blackcat, a tiny ancient sweetheart
who had died in the interim) from a woman who had an opportunity
to complete her Masters Degree in Ireland. Because of their LONG
quarantine process (so I think it's all of Great Britain, not just
England), she asked me to catsit at the last moment as it turned
out one of her immediate family members back home was allergic
to cats. I lost contact with her after close to a year (the last I
heard, her father was sick and she was "stuck" in Ireland for lack
of transportation expenses home... the "poor dear"). I ended up
"catsitting" Blackcat for about three years and Greycat for another
two.
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.

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. Wow - that seems even harsher than dumping them on the roadside.

"Settle down, Spike, or you're going to Europe!"

:P

Anyway, animals to Europe not a big deal if they're just regular, non-endangered types. I am no expert, but I don't think there's a big quarantine or health issue - taking them to Hawaii is a far bigger pain in the ass than taking pets just about anywhere I know of.