Is it dangersous to ship pets?

I thought I read a topic here last week about how dangerous it is to ship pets overseas. I can't seem to find it now. Can anyone give me the link to it, please? Or any solid information one way or the other on safety?
Thanks, Julia

There are risks, obviously (mostly that your pets might get loose/lost, I believe, but there have been reports of pets getting ill/dying via plane travel). Losing pets is rare, though (and they obviously take plenty of precautions, like securing the door of the crates), and when I read airline pet safety reports, the illness/death was generally associated with pre-existing conditions.

Overall, I would say it's pretty safe.

I dont know the topic you are refering to, but I agree with Equestrianerd - the deaths I read about were mostly on short-nosed dogs or cats (pugs, boston terriers, persian cats, etc).  I would certainly have used air transportation if I had an animal of these breeds or similar.

However, I will say that I am fairly sure that my dog's sudden hearing loss after moving here was likely caused by the flight over. I have subsequently read other stories of dogs losing hearing after a long-haul flight and my dog is now completely deaf.

Your other option is to travel with your pet by sea - there are a few people here who have done that and may be able to give you more information.

Thanks for the feedback. The information I read before, I believe, was on another websight, but I had followed a link from here on the topic. What was mentioned was that the mortality rate was quite high. I found a forum off of fb last night and there seems to be a large group of people that had shipped their pets to England and none had run into any health scares in the process. 

i would think flying them over would really depend upon what breed of animal friend you have and their overall health...........i brought my two chihuahuas over on the ship........one of them was very old and could not have survived the flight over.........both of them would have suffered emotionally as they are stuck up my behind all the time.....lol.......the ship is/was the perfect solution for me.......you visit your babies 5 times a day and they are cared for perfectly

I don't think its really dangerous but as someone else said, some animals have pre-existing conditions. Saying that though, I left my kitties behind in the States with my parents. One of my cats, Scamp, flew back to the States with us in 2008 with his brother Remy. While neither of them got ill, Scamp has been a very nervous cat since then. I can only think the noise bothered him as now loud noises like trucks or motorcycles going by the house make him freak. I honestly think he has anxiety like some people do...if that's possible. His brother was fine though so I guess it depends on the animal. I miss him and our other kitty Charlie...but I couldn't put Scamp through it again

So many of us on UKY have shipped pets over and if there have been any horror stories in the 7 years I've been a member of the forum, I can't remember them.

Yes, it was all of the positive pet info on here that helped me to decide to go forward with it. A good vet will know if your animal is capable of the ordeal.

I appreciate all the assurances, I'm confident that my shih tzu would be fine especially since she is in good health. I have taken your advice and found a vet to speak to about it as well.
Thanks again, everyone.
Julia

Pacific, your still in Wenatchee? That's where i'm from!!!

I have shipped animals plenty of times and they've been fine every single time.  Even our elderly cat who did have problems came through like a champ. 

I just shipped my 2 cats unaccompanied and they made it safe and sound to my new home in England.

To help make your decision easier:
They are 2 and a half years old, no health issues.  They left their first and only home here in Michigan and flew to Newark, N.J. where they had a 6 hour layover. 
Then off to London where they have to stay for a couple hours before they can be picked up.
My husband retrieved them this morning and they are now exploring our new home.  One is hiding (the shy one) and the other is making himself at home.

I was a nervous wreck, but they are part of the family and I couldn't imagine living without them.

Good luck to you!

I just shipped my 2 cats unaccompanied and they made it safe and sound to my new home in England.

To help make your decision easier:
They are 2 and a half years old, no health issues.  They left their first and only home here in Michigan and flew to Newark, N.J. where they had a 6 hour layover. 
Then off to London where they have to stay for a couple hours before they can be picked up.
My husband retrieved them this morning and they are now exploring our new home.  One is hiding (the shy one) and the other is making himself at home.

I was a nervous wreck, but they are part of the family and I couldn't imagine living without them.

Good luck to you!

hi
glad
your kitties safe, would you mind telling me who you used to get them
over here,
my fiancee is coming over in 2 weeks and wants to bring his cat.
she has had the inoculations and travel certificates.

Bikerchic - you just need to find an approved route on a commercial airline. I assume his cat has also had the necessary titre test?

I assume his cat has also had the necessary titre test?

The titre test is no longer necessary. You just have to prove that you did the microchip, then the rabies vaccine, then waited at least 21 days pre-travel.