Pet Travel News

Thanks a million, KNOWAtlanta Relocation Guide for the shout out in their Oct. 1, 2019 post about moving pets to Atlanta. Our tails are wagging!

You may have heard…we’re expecting Dorian will visit Florida Monday and maybe Tuesday. While we will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, Dorian will affect air and air cargo travel in the southeastern United States. We plan to re-open Tuesday. Here at Air Animal we’re hoping Dorian doesn’t stay long. If you have questions about a move in progress, please contact your pet move manager using the mobile number listed in your pet move documents. Thank you in advance for your patience if our response is somewhat delayed early next week.

About 30 years ago, Air Animal Pet Movers published their first “Top 10 Pet Moving Myths and Facts.” They continue to update the list each year because it’s the right thing to do. Air Animal is one of five founders of the pet moving industry. Its owners consulted with air carriers and the federal government to write the rules that now protect pet safety while traveling.

Quantas, a female blue and gold macaw, moved with Air Animal

Air Animal® Pet Movers advises anyone traveling with their pet use caution when obtaining a pet health certificate. Delta, United, American, Hawaiian and Alaskan airlines are turning away passengers traveling with their pets using electronic pet health certificates. The airlines are requiring health certificates with a seal and the original veterinarian signature. The travelers had to re-book their trips and obtain new health certificates at considerable trouble and expense.

Air Animal offers global health certificate consultation and document preparation services in addition to full-service pet relocations. All health certificates provided by Air Animal have original veterinary signatures.

In Tampa Bay, Air Animal’s experienced veterinarian completes all the complicated USDA forms in the office and sends them to the USDA. Elsewhere in the U.S., Air Animal completes the forms and overnights them to a client’s chosen USDA-accredited veterinarian. Generally, a pet health certificate exam takes less than one hour.

Health certificates for U.S. moves are good for 10 days from the date issued. Owners should call ahead 14 days to allow for processing and scheduling their veterinary visit. International health certificates are generally valid for 10 days--sometimes less--depending on the destination country. Plan ahead 21 days for international pet health certificates. For some countries, an additional veterinary visit shortly before flight is required.

Air Animal pet move managers are available to walk veterinary practice staff through the process by phone for mutual clients. Air Animal accepts pet health certificate clients from anywhere in the United States.

Hawaii and Guam have also recently updated rules and regulations for pets moving to these island paradises. We've posted the updates on our resource page.

ECA’s 2018 Permanent Transfer Survey finds that nearly 40 percent of international transfers lasting more than one year are permanent. That means there is no commitment for employees to return to their home countries.

International pet health certificates are required entry documents for all pets traveling outside the U.S. Most countries including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates require U.S. Department of Agriculture export endorsement. Here’s how the process works.

Pet owners make appointments with USDA-accredited veterinarians who examine the pets. The veterinarian verifies the microchip in the pet and logs the number on the paperwork. The veterinarian signs the documents and sends the paperwork to the USDA for endorsement. Microchips must always be present before rabies vaccinations when they are required by the destination. If the pet does not have a microchip, the veterinarian can insert an International Standards Organization-compatible microchip appropriate for the destination. If rabies re-vaccination is required, travel will be delayed.

International health certificates are generally valid for 10 days - sometimes less - depending on the destination country. Please plan ahead at least 30 days for international pet health certificates, processing and scheduling veterinary visits. For some countries, an additional veterinary visit shortly before flight is required.

These four basic steps must be followed in order:

1. Microchip the pet for identification purposes
2. Certify a current rabies vaccination. If the pet enters the UK or EU with a current 3-year rabies vaccination which is more than one year old, then additional documentation will be required.
3. At least 21 days after the most recent rabies vaccination, book an appointment with a USDA-accredited veterinarian to issue an international pet health certificate. The veterinary appointment for the international health certificate must be within the time frame required by the destination.
4. USDA export endorsement.

Health certificates for U.S. moves are good for 10 days from the date issued.

For Pets on the Move®, Air Animal offers global health certificate services in addition to full-service pet relocations. In Tampa Bay, experienced veterinarians complete all the complicated USDA forms right in their office and overnight them to the USDA. Elsewhere in the U.S., Air Animal completes the forms and overnights them to the client’s chosen USDA-accredited veterinarian. The service includes an overnight envelop to ship signed paperwork to the USDA for export endorsement.

Air Animal’s experienced move managers are available to walk veterinary practice staff through the process and timelines by phone for our mutual clients. Air Animal is pleased to accept health certificate clients from all over the United States.

Learn more about country requirements for importing pets at airanimal.com.

(Feb. 7, 2019)—Recent administrative changes relating to pet entry are causing release delays at London Heathrow. Pets are being held longer than we have previously experienced. Our United Kingdom service partners have advised that more changes may occur with Britain’s exit from the European Union. We’ll post updates to this blog as we learn of the changes.