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Topic: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company  (Read 8361 times)

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Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« on: February 04, 2017, 03:43:18 PM »
Hi Everyone,
Been lurking for a while reading lots of very helpful posts.

We're moving from the US (East Coast) to the UK. Direct, relatively short 6.5 hour flight and not a big journey the other end. But its not a company move so all the costs are really mounting up.

We have a 9 year old mini schnauzer. Been quoted $1,200 by BA (via IAG cargo), $1,900 by Virgin (who were extremely helpful on the phone) and $3K by a pet relocation company.

Seriously considering dealing with all the paperwork etc myself. I'd love to throw $ at the problem and use a company, but its a lot!!!
I'm just scared by all the horror stories and the 'what if' in the event I screw up on something!!
My vet seems relatively clued up on the rules and paperwork although I can't be sure! In theory we'd be on the same flight as him, or worst case within a day or 2 of him. We have people either end who could help out dropping off / collecting if necessary.

So I'm looking for feedback from anyone who's done this, not used a pet relo company, and dealt with all the red tape by themselves.
Did it go smoothly? Anything you wish you'd known? If you had to do it again, would you go the same route or spend the $ and use a company?

Any feedback is very much appreciated!!


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2017, 04:10:07 PM »
I did use a company (but was back when things were tougher and my move was paid for).

What I've learned since is that you can contact the ARC of the airport your animal will be received by and they will review the paperwork before you fly.  That's pretty huge!

Do the BA or Virgin charges include the ~£400 of fees on the U.K. side?  I imagine the relo company fees do.

A lot of people go it alone and are glad they did.  I was moving by myself and had SO MUCH going on at the time of the move, not having to worry about my animals was a big help.  If I had been joining someone already in the U.K. and didn't have to establish a whole new life by myself, I think doing it myself would have been a realistic option.


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2017, 09:11:34 PM »
We are looking into doing the same thing for our two Golden Retrievers.

Using the third party for the pet relocation increases the price so much!

When my husband called Virgin, they were super helpful and said everything on the UK end is paid by them, including cargo fees. We have to worry about the USDA paperwork and using an approved vet. And making sure our crate is the proper size. I know from when we flew our older dog to the US, they can deny you your flight if the crate is too small.

I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to say.


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2017, 10:07:21 PM »
I flew our two cats out myself a couple of years ago.
As long as you do your homework and are meticulous and methodical, there is really no need to pay anyone else to do it for you unless you prefer to. I'm fairly sure I'd do the same again even if money were no object.

Key is to communicate with all involved, call the USDA with your questions, be in touch with the pet reception center at your arrival airport, speak to the cargo depot of your airline.

taraart, I actually took my crates to the cargo depot a few days before departure to make sure they were suitable!


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2017, 03:46:21 AM »
Thank you SO much for the responses so far, they are incredibly helpful.

KFDancer, it sounds like you were juggling a lot. Very good point about sending documents ahead to the arc.

Taraart - sounds like we have identical situations 😀 I too have found Virgin to be incredibly helpful. That being said they told me the crate dimensions I would need but the pet relo company went TWO sizes up from that!! I'm going with a much bigger crate to be safe!!
We are flying late May - happy to keep you posted / share feedback if you're flying after that...

Larrabee- thank you!!! It's those kind of anecdotal tips I was after!!!
I never even thought about calling the USDA, let alone taking my crate to the cargo depot.
You've made me realise I probably can do this. The savings equate to being able to buy a sofa in the UK!!!

Thanks again to all the responses... any further input gratefully received 😀🐾🐾



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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2017, 10:10:34 AM »
A word of caution on doing it yourself.

We flew our little one from Australia last year. We used a relocation company and very glad we did. The day before he and us were due to fly, the airline without warning announced a suspension of all animals on all flights. The agents were fantastic and re arranged his flight onto another airline at no cost to us - if we had been doing it alone, I don't know what would have happened as we didn't have the money to pay for another flight for him or us.

Also, when we arrived at Heathrow, we were waiting to collect him and another family were there very distressed. They were trying to collect a cat who they had shipped themselves, but made an error on the paperwork and the cat was now denied entry.


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2017, 01:18:18 PM »
We recently had a member who's dog was also denied entry.  Still haven't heard if they've had a resolution.  They were trying to decide between quarantine and returning the dog to the US.  Their vet messed up the paperwork.

But if you have the ARC review the paperwork before you fly, that won't happen.


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2017, 01:25:27 PM »
They used a pet relocation company so just goes to show, it's no guarantee.

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=89465.0


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2017, 01:27:04 PM »
Ah, yes!  My mistake.


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2017, 07:02:14 PM »
Following this thread as I have the same questions myself

We called United as we are flying into Glasgow and that is an approved airline for that route. My dogs are small 15 lb terriers, and the charge is $684 each - Even with all the fees and costs of crates, I cannot see how it will behoove us to use a relocation company.

HOWEVER one thing I do NOT understand is the agent at PetSafe desk at United gave me the name of a relocation company (Pets on the Move) to contact for our arrival? I don't quite understand why. I just filled out a contact form on their site. I thought that the airport had an official reception for animals.

My vet did seem to know what needed to be done too. However, I'm concerned about a few things...one, the layover in Newark is very long (they do walk the dogs etc..for an extra fee) but it's nearly all day...Also, the chips we have are only 9 digits so now I have to call (who, I'm not sure)  to see if they can read them (readers appear to be about $300 to bring my own...cheaper to get new chips and new rabies shots) -- anyway, with everything I have to do, I'm stressing most about the dogs!



Application: April 5 2017
Biometrics: April 13 2017
Received: April 19 2017
Decision email: June 6 2017
Decision: June 8 2017 -- APPROVED! 😊
Arrived in UK: June 24, 2017

FLR(m): Applied standard - 20 Dec 2019
Biometrics done - 13 January 2020
Approved for FLR(m)!  Feb 2020

ILR Applied Super Priority - 12 July 2022
Biometrics (got a cancellation!) -13 July 2022
APPROVED! - 13 July 2022

Next up - Naturalisation application!


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2017, 07:24:15 PM »
Does United accept direct bookings?  A lot of airlines will only book through shipping companies so it may be why they gave you that number (just guessing).

How far are you from Newark?  Would it be worth driving so they don't have such a long layover?

I'd call the Animal Reception Centre in Glasgow to ask about the chips.  I think they can read ANY of them (at least in London they can).  Reason being is so many people have spent $300 on the scanners and left them with ARC.   ;D


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2017, 01:50:51 AM »
Ah I see about the chip reader! Haha. If only I could find one along with some crates! And no, unfortunately we aren't near Newark at all. We live in Florida.

I guess they do because I called to inquire just about prices and if there was space available and they reserved it for me (no charge)? I'll try the PetsOnTheMove people. After I googled the Pet reception center Glasgow it looked like one and the same. The whole thing is confusing me. I can see why people just hand over thousands and let someone else handle it. :P
« Last Edit: February 15, 2017, 01:55:12 AM by jessmed3 »
Application: April 5 2017
Biometrics: April 13 2017
Received: April 19 2017
Decision email: June 6 2017
Decision: June 8 2017 -- APPROVED! 😊
Arrived in UK: June 24, 2017

FLR(m): Applied standard - 20 Dec 2019
Biometrics done - 13 January 2020
Approved for FLR(m)!  Feb 2020

ILR Applied Super Priority - 12 July 2022
Biometrics (got a cancellation!) -13 July 2022
APPROVED! - 13 July 2022

Next up - Naturalisation application!


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2017, 02:40:25 AM »
Where in Florida?

My kitties flew BA Tampa to London direct, though I get that may not be ideal for you.


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2017, 03:00:48 AM »
Where in Florida?

My kitties flew BA Tampa to London direct, though I get that may not be ideal for you.

I'm sorry I missed this! We are going Orlando to Glasgow so if anything direct we'd do Manchester and drive...however. I'm going to continue with the Newark flight (they will walk them on the layover and I'm hoping my pups will be ok...one is a nervous dog, so hoping it's just a normal, nervous day for him! And the other is completely oblivious!),

I've got their enormous crates (they require the dog to be able to stand up without touching the top!)

I've called Glasgow reception center and they DO have a chip reader for my non compliant 9-digit Avid chip and I'm just a few weeks away! The final steps just being to get the health cert done by my vet a few days before they fly? I'm getting nervous I'm missing something big.
« Last Edit: March 08, 2017, 03:02:36 AM by jessmed3 »
Application: April 5 2017
Biometrics: April 13 2017
Received: April 19 2017
Decision email: June 6 2017
Decision: June 8 2017 -- APPROVED! 😊
Arrived in UK: June 24, 2017

FLR(m): Applied standard - 20 Dec 2019
Biometrics done - 13 January 2020
Approved for FLR(m)!  Feb 2020

ILR Applied Super Priority - 12 July 2022
Biometrics (got a cancellation!) -13 July 2022
APPROVED! - 13 July 2022

Next up - Naturalisation application!


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Re: Looking for feedback if you did NOT use a pet relocation company
« Reply #14 on: March 08, 2017, 03:10:06 AM »
I'm getting nervous I'm missing something big.

Clarify with the airline (cargo) exactly what paperwork they need to get the animals on the plane and also check with the pet reception center.


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