Please help me figure out how to get my dog to Brazil as painlessly as possible.
March 2, 2011 8:40 AM Subscribe
I am thrilled we are moving back to Brazil, but this time I am taking my beloved dog. I am looking for experiences about moving internationally with a pet.
The rottie we adopted a year and a half ago has become a beloved member of our family. We are moving back to Brazil, which thrills us to no end, but I am terrified when confronted with the logistics of transporting the dog safely and with the least amount of stress for her.
I was hoping to take a direct flight with her, from Charlotte to São Paulo, but when I contacted the airline (US Air), they informed me they do not allow animals as cargo on international flights.
I have contacted a pet relocation service, and their fees are damn near exorbitant. I will pay if I have to, I really will, I would just like to see if anyone else has had any experience traveling internationally with their pets, and which airlines do it best. I am aware of the pet airline, but they are domestic flights in the US only. Please share anecdotes, experiences, tips, etc. This is of the utmost importance that we get our girl to Brazil safely and with as little psychic trauma as possible. I loathe the fact that she is going to have to have a layover. I plan on talking to her vet about drugging her (we aren't leaving until July), but from what I understand, it is unsafe to drug them for more than six hours, and the international flight (assuming it leaves from Atlanta or Miami, screw JFK) will last at least 9-10 hours. Just thinking about it makes me anxious. Since she's a large dog, there is no way she can travel in the cabin with me.
And just for information's sake - there is no quarantine when we get to Brazil. Puppy will already have all of the appropriate paperwork so that she will be liberated immediately by customs, so that is a relief.
Thank you so much in advance.
The rottie we adopted a year and a half ago has become a beloved member of our family. We are moving back to Brazil, which thrills us to no end, but I am terrified when confronted with the logistics of transporting the dog safely and with the least amount of stress for her.
I was hoping to take a direct flight with her, from Charlotte to São Paulo, but when I contacted the airline (US Air), they informed me they do not allow animals as cargo on international flights.
I have contacted a pet relocation service, and their fees are damn near exorbitant. I will pay if I have to, I really will, I would just like to see if anyone else has had any experience traveling internationally with their pets, and which airlines do it best. I am aware of the pet airline, but they are domestic flights in the US only. Please share anecdotes, experiences, tips, etc. This is of the utmost importance that we get our girl to Brazil safely and with as little psychic trauma as possible. I loathe the fact that she is going to have to have a layover. I plan on talking to her vet about drugging her (we aren't leaving until July), but from what I understand, it is unsafe to drug them for more than six hours, and the international flight (assuming it leaves from Atlanta or Miami, screw JFK) will last at least 9-10 hours. Just thinking about it makes me anxious. Since she's a large dog, there is no way she can travel in the cabin with me.
And just for information's sake - there is no quarantine when we get to Brazil. Puppy will already have all of the appropriate paperwork so that she will be liberated immediately by customs, so that is a relief.
Thank you so much in advance.
Oh, more to the point - the Boxer did great and had much less stress than my cats did. I think he felt quite safe in his crate.
posted by rubbish bin night at 8:48 AM on March 2, 2011
posted by rubbish bin night at 8:48 AM on March 2, 2011
Best answer: I moved a cat from New York to Finland and back, and he traveled in cargo for one of the trips. (The airline was Finnair, which unfortunately doesn't help you in going to Brazil.) Honestly, though, I think that his travel in cargo was harder on me than it was on him - he didn't look too thrilled when we picked him up, but none the worse for the wear, and all the worrying I did on the place was for naught. The worst part was getting him through security at JFK - I had to take him out of the carrier so it could be inspected, and he was really freaked out and almost ran out of my arms (and I hadn't been prepared to have to hold him for so long - security took forever to get around to looking at the carrier.) But since you've got a dog, it should be a lot easier to get him out of the crate and back in.
I brought him back to the US in August, though, and the airlines wouldn't allow any pets in cargo at that point because of the risk of overheating. I would think that would be the biggest concern with Brazil, depending on the time of year you'll be traveling.
(And what a freaking adorable rottie!)
posted by Neely O'Hara at 10:25 AM on March 2, 2011
I brought him back to the US in August, though, and the airlines wouldn't allow any pets in cargo at that point because of the risk of overheating. I would think that would be the biggest concern with Brazil, depending on the time of year you'll be traveling.
(And what a freaking adorable rottie!)
posted by Neely O'Hara at 10:25 AM on March 2, 2011
Best answer: We moved two large-ish dogs of, er, mixed breed from Australia to the UK about four years ago and used a specialist service. Expensive (about A$3000 all up, if I remember correctly, not including the vet fees and quarantine charges) but completely worth it. Dogs survived unscathed and pretty well unstressed, although it may have helped that they were together.
posted by Logophiliac at 11:30 AM on March 2, 2011
posted by Logophiliac at 11:30 AM on March 2, 2011
Best answer: American Airlines and TAM also fly direct from Miami. If one of them allows pets, you can just get a one-way to Miami on an airline that allows pets and take one of them from there.
posted by eas98 at 12:29 PM on March 2, 2011
posted by eas98 at 12:29 PM on March 2, 2011
Best answer: I admit to visiting my vet and getting sedation for my animals on the rare occasions I fly them. It makes me a little crazy to see terrified animals coming off airplanes from cargo and I'd pay a pretty penny to save my pets from that. (I also have been known to pay for an extra seat to take a sedated cat on board with me, but don't know if that is feasible for a your dog given likely size of the crate.)
If the flight will just be too long for sedation to work, I'd also advocate for a pet relocation service to get your beautiful dog there with minimal trauma.
posted by bearwife at 1:57 PM on March 2, 2011
If the flight will just be too long for sedation to work, I'd also advocate for a pet relocation service to get your beautiful dog there with minimal trauma.
posted by bearwife at 1:57 PM on March 2, 2011
Best answer: Please do not sedate your dog while flying:
It is recommended that you DO NOT give tranquilizers to your pet when traveling by air because it can increase the risk of heart and respiratory problems. Short-nosed dogs and cats sometimes have even more difficulty with travel.
Airlines may require a signed statement that your pet has not been tranquilized prior to flying.
According to Dr. Patricia Olsen with the American Humane Association, "An animal's natural ability to balance and maintain equilibrium is altered under sedation and when the kennel is moved, a sedated animal may not be able to brace and prevent injury."
___________________________________________________
Over sedation is the most frequent cause of animal deaths during airline transport and accounts for more than half of all deaths when flying. Except in unusual circumstances, veterinarians should not dispense sedatives for animals that are to be transported.
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The British Expats forum has a very long thread discussing transporting dogs internationally here which may be helpful. A lot of people seem to echo the same sentiment as Neely O'Hara above - that when handled properly, it is probably more traumatic for us than for the pets. Once in the cargo hold, where it is dark, they probably just settle down and go to sleep.
Good luck with your move!
posted by triggerfinger at 2:48 PM on March 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
It is recommended that you DO NOT give tranquilizers to your pet when traveling by air because it can increase the risk of heart and respiratory problems. Short-nosed dogs and cats sometimes have even more difficulty with travel.
Airlines may require a signed statement that your pet has not been tranquilized prior to flying.
According to Dr. Patricia Olsen with the American Humane Association, "An animal's natural ability to balance and maintain equilibrium is altered under sedation and when the kennel is moved, a sedated animal may not be able to brace and prevent injury."
___________________________________________________
Over sedation is the most frequent cause of animal deaths during airline transport and accounts for more than half of all deaths when flying. Except in unusual circumstances, veterinarians should not dispense sedatives for animals that are to be transported.
___________________________________________________
The British Expats forum has a very long thread discussing transporting dogs internationally here which may be helpful. A lot of people seem to echo the same sentiment as Neely O'Hara above - that when handled properly, it is probably more traumatic for us than for the pets. Once in the cargo hold, where it is dark, they probably just settle down and go to sleep.
Good luck with your move!
posted by triggerfinger at 2:48 PM on March 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I am not recommending over sedation. I have not over sedated my own animals for air travel. I am recommending either 1) going to the vet and doing as they suggest or 2) using a reputable pet relocation service.
To quote another knowledgeable reference:
This is quite a controversial topic! The short answer, in my opinion, is that this decision should be made by a dogs’ own veterinarian on a case-by-case basis. Most agree that sedating a dog can jeopardize their safety by affecting their respiratory and/or cardiovascular function below cabin, as well as their ability to balance and maintain equilibrium when being jostled around. Others believe it’s not realistic to expect a dog to endure the stress of a flight without light sedation. A trusted vet can help determine what’s right for your dog based on his health, breed, age and circumstances of travel. Also keep in mind that some airlines will not accept sedated pets
(Emphasis added.)
posted by bearwife at 3:56 PM on March 2, 2011
To quote another knowledgeable reference:
This is quite a controversial topic! The short answer, in my opinion, is that this decision should be made by a dogs’ own veterinarian on a case-by-case basis. Most agree that sedating a dog can jeopardize their safety by affecting their respiratory and/or cardiovascular function below cabin, as well as their ability to balance and maintain equilibrium when being jostled around. Others believe it’s not realistic to expect a dog to endure the stress of a flight without light sedation. A trusted vet can help determine what’s right for your dog based on his health, breed, age and circumstances of travel. Also keep in mind that some airlines will not accept sedated pets
(Emphasis added.)
posted by bearwife at 3:56 PM on March 2, 2011
bearwife, I was not responding to your post. The OP said they were considering sedation, which is what I was directly addressing and I'm sorry if it seemed otherwise. I have really no beef over what you have or haven't done in the past as I don't know your circumstances. I only jumped in because I am currently considering an overseas move and thought about sedating my dog to save him any potential trauma, but pretty much everything I have read has said it should not be done except in exceptional circumstances. I wanted to make the OP and anyone else who is considering the same aware of it if they are not already. There is plenty of information out there on the topic and I think that considering all the issues along with the guidance of a vet is always the most important thing to do.
posted by triggerfinger at 4:31 PM on March 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by triggerfinger at 4:31 PM on March 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you everyone for your thoughtful answers. Thank you especially to triggerfinger for providing me with the ukexpats link. Thank you to bearwife for providing me with the link to a specialist. I am feeling much better about taking my dog abroad than I was just 24 hours ago. I think that as a young, healthy animal, she should make the trip just fine, and despite what I had earlier imagined, she can do so without sedation. As a matter of fact, sedation would be a real buzz kill. I cannot thank all of you enough for your thoughtful and well-considered answers. This is why I love the Green so very, very much. As a result of this thread, I have concluded that drugging the Pup would be a bad idea, I found a better travel crate, as well as the airline ("Tam", thanks eas98) to fly my girl. I had a great conversation on the phone yesterday with a Tam representative, who informed me of the dimensions of the crate, as well as the other official documentation the airline would require, in addition to some helpful tips about getting my pup across the equator as safely as possible.
You all rock big time. I appreciate how much you are all helping me get my girl home as best I can.
posted by msali at 8:27 PM on March 3, 2011
You all rock big time. I appreciate how much you are all helping me get my girl home as best I can.
posted by msali at 8:27 PM on March 3, 2011
Best answer: Sorry to hear you are moving! We'll miss you at the next Triangle meet-up!
Would it be possible to drive to Atlanta with her and fly out from there? It would require a one-way car rental or something, but it's only a six hour drive, and you'll probably save a little on the cost of the tickets as well. She's still going to have to brave the International flight in the crate, but at least this way you avoid the layover problem.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:56 AM on March 4, 2011
Would it be possible to drive to Atlanta with her and fly out from there? It would require a one-way car rental or something, but it's only a six hour drive, and you'll probably save a little on the cost of the tickets as well. She's still going to have to brave the International flight in the crate, but at least this way you avoid the layover problem.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:56 AM on March 4, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Sorry that I don't really have any tips but I at least wanted to say that I've flown several times with pets in cargo and it's never been a huge big deal. It's traumatic for them, but in my experience they have recovered rapidly.
posted by rubbish bin night at 8:46 AM on March 2, 2011