5 Things To Know Before Moving Pets Internationally
If you are moving abroad and are worried about bringing your furry bestie with you, don’t be. The truth is, pet travel is not difficult, as long as you give yourself plenty of time to go through the process for everything that needs to be done. Moving pets internationally will take several vet visits on both sides of the big pond. So plan accordingly.
Because I have a dog, I will be referring to dogs through this process. But the process for cats is not dissimilar. Any differences between the two can be clarified the the appropriate vet if you have more questions than I can answer with this blog post.
Steps To Moving Pets Internationally
These are the steps I am taking as I move through this process. I will add more as I get further into the process. Check back for more updates.
- Find a USDA certified vet. Not every vet can certify your dog for moving abroad. They have to have the right training to do it properly. Typically, a quick Google search can show you where one of these vets is located near you.
- Your dog must have a specific type of microchip implanted. It’s called an ISO microchip. These types of microchips are a 15 digit microchip that is recoginized around the world. Other microchips may have only 10 digits, or some other number of digits to recognize your pet. Other countries do not recognize these.
- Do things in the correct order. It was a surprise to me to find out that there is a process that has to be followed for both your dog’s microchip, and their rabies vaccination. These two things have to be done in a certain order. I they aren’t, you’ll find yourself right back at the vet’s office waiting for (and paying for) yet another vaccine.
- Give yourself enough time. This is critical. Don’t wait until the last minute to focus on what your pet needs to make the move abroad. Give yourself at least 3 months of wiggle room here, more if possible. You have to allow for appointment waiting times, cancelled appointments, and other such situations that may come up.
- One last visit before you go. Before you leave the country with your pet, there is one last visit they have to make to the vet. This has to be done within a 10-day window of your travel date. So you’ll want to have your travel date as soon as possible, and schedule that last vet visit in advance within that window of time.
What’s The Cost For Moving Pets Internationally?
While prices will vary greatly based on where you live, be prepared to pay out a chunk of change. Here in Portland, Maine, I was quoted a price of between $500-$800. So start saving your pennies now!
Keep in mind, that once you get to where you are going, there will be more vet visits involved. What I know so far is, there are different types of vets abroad as well. Some can verify your paperwork and give your dog their health certificate, while others (the type you really need), can do all that, plus give your pet his or her passport. That’s right, your pet will need a passport just like you, and only certain vets do this.
As I go through this process with my pup (pictured above), I’ll update this post with any unforeseen extras that pop up. I will also share all the details here when I get to where I’m going and give you more details on the cost of that as well.
But this is the process in a nutshell. Your main takeaway from this should be to give yourself plenty of time.
