International Relocation: Should You Take Your Pets When You Move?

Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life, Relocation, Tools & Resources
2 comments

As a pet owner, you may be faced with a tough decision when planning your move. Should your four-legged companions relocate too, or should you find a new home for them?

If your animal is elderly, in poor health or highly sensitive to stress, it may be in its best interest to stay behind. Make sure to leave it in good hands and for goodness’s sake, never, ever abandon a pet!

In most other cases, you will be able to take your pets with you, and I strongly encourage you to do so.
I know I am opening a can of worms here, but unless there was some major difficulty, I would not dream of leaving a pet behind any more than I would any other family member. That’s just me though, and obviously many people feel differently, or animal shelters would not be nearly as full as they are…

Relocation is not necessarily traumatic for an animal – stressful, yes; traumatic, no.

Cats are infamous for disliking change, yet my cat has lived in 4 different cities on 2 continents without any noticeable trauma. To date she has been in planes, cars, trains, buses and in the Paris metro. Cars seem to be her favourite transportation mode. I would even venture to say she quite likes them.

Each animal has its own personality and its own stress threshold. Keep its well-being in mind and plan accordingly.

Where to look for information

Look for information through official channels such as a consulate or government website, but don’t stop there.

Having the proper documents is one thing. Knowing how your pet will be treated in your new country is another.

If you’re relocating to a Western country, things should be easy (other than the quarantine issue). If not, be aware that not every culture sees pets as desirable. In many parts of the world, dogs are considered a nuisance, and cats are only tolerated as mousers in farms.

Find expats who live in your future host country – online forums are convenient for this – and ask about animal welfare and medical care. If possible, get recommendations for a good vet.

The next steps: health certificates, rabies shots and other logistics

If, based on the information you have gathered, you decide to take your pet with you, the next step is to visit the vet for a full check-up and booster shots.

Start looking well in advance into the necessary paperwork for your pet to enter your new country. Several visits to the vet may be needed to gather all the documents you will need.

Double-check time requirements, as they vary from country to country – for instance, health certificates typically have to be very recent (within 10 days of departure date or less), but a different time frame may apply to rabies shots: at least 30 days or more before departure date, but less than a year old.

Sounds overwhelming? Consider having a specialist handle the logistics and the paperwork for you. I have never used a pet relocation company myself, but PetRelocation.com seems to have a good reputation. Their blog has helpful advice and practical tips about moving with pets.

Have you ever moved with pets? Do you have any tips to share?
In particular, did you use a pet relocation company? Were you happy with them?

Emmanuelle

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Image by whymanm, via Flickr Creative Commons