How to export / import a dog

ObamasDealer

Hello people,

I'm looking to send my family dog to the USA from Ireland. Im aware of all the requirements however i want to know is it possible to send the dog on his own and have him received at the other end in California?

I am unavailable to travel with the little guy (my booked airline doesn't take dogs, i didn't know) and my wife(in America) would like to see him. He's family and cannot be left behind!

All advice welcome. Thank you so much!!!

Dave1442397

It's possible, but be aware that many airlines won't ship an animal if the runway temperature is over 85F at takeoff time. I know that's not usually a problem leaving Ireland, but unless it's a direct flight to CA, it could be an issue here in the US.

Contact the Air Cargo department for the airline you choose and ask them for pricing. It usually goes by the combined weight of the dog + dog crate.

él statutorio

There are specialist pet shipping companies that do it as well.

When we shipped our two cats it was about €1,500 for both. That included the price of 2 new pet carriers.

I dropped them off at the cargo terminal in Dublin and my wife picked them up in LAX.

It was all very professional, they did warn us about runway temperatures etc but depending where your final destination is that might not be an issue. Ours changed planes in Newark and there were no problems.

ObamasDealer

él statutorio wrote: »

There are specialist pet shipping companies that do it as well.

When we shipped our two cats it was about €1,500 for both. That included the price of 2 new pet carriers.

I dropped them off at the cargo terminal in Dublin and my wife picked them up in LAX.

It was all very professional, they did warn us about runway temperatures etc but depending where your final destination is that might not be an issue. Ours changed planes in Newark and there were no problems.

Can you please send me the details of the company you used. I rang aer lingus they do it however no flights longer than ten hours. Which means i can only get the dog to the east coast, then i dont know. Thank you.

él statutorio

ObamasDealer wrote: »

Can you please send me the details of the company you used. I rang aer lingus they do it however no flights longer than ten hours. Which means i can only get the dog to the east coast, then i dont know. Thank you.

Airsea.ie is the crowd I used. I found them easy to deal with and very straightforward.

ObamasDealer

él statutorio wrote: »

Airsea.ie is the crowd I used. I found them easy to deal with and very straightforward.

I found those guys! Extremely helpful (Billy). He made this sound SO EASY! my little guy is going off in a week or so. These are the best in Ireland as other shipping companies address where peoples houses, now that's not professional.

minikin

Cut him up into several small-packet sized chunks to reduce the cost of postage.
This will also save a lot of hassle with quarantine process.
(Assuming you're not fussed if dead or alive)

percy212

That shipping company sounds interesting. Do they have their own cargo flights or do they use an airline?

él statutorio

ObamasDealer wrote: »

I found those guys! Extremely helpful (Billy). He made this sound SO EASY! my little guy is going off in a week or so. These are the best in Ireland as other shipping companies address where peoples houses, now that's not professional.

Billy helped me too, he was excellent.

él statutorio

percy212 wrote: »

That shipping company sounds interesting. Do they have their own cargo flights or do they use an airline?

They use regular airlines.

LirW

If it's an Aer Lingus flight, Aer Lingus has a list with pet-shipping companies they work with, depending on the country you're from and the pupper is supposed to fly.
Did it two months ago, imported my Australian shepherd to Ireland. Went all very well with the company Aer Lingus advertised Good luck for your best furry friend.

percy212

I am interested in taking two small dogs with me from Dub/SFO and back again a few months later. I will keep you posted on what happens....should be interesting.

él statutorio

percy212 wrote: »

I am interested in taking two small dogs with me from Dub/SFO and back again a few months later. I will keep you posted on what happens....should be interesting.

Pretty straightforward going to the US with pets but I think there are a few hoops for bringing pets back to Ireland. Home quarantine etc.

circular flexing

I used Airsea for moving a dog to Canada. Airsea were grand to deal with. Wasn't too impressed by the service from the airline - she went with Lufthansa through Frankfurt to Vancouver (with an overnight in Frankfurt) and when she arrived in Vancouver the water container was completely empty and she was quite distressed.

percy212

This is exactly the kind of thing that worries me. Lufthansa have a great reputation for being animal friendly, but who is in charge when there is a flight change involving some time on the ground? Scary.

circular flexing wrote: »

I used Airsea for moving a dog to Canada. Airsea were grand to deal with. Wasn't too impressed by the service from the airline - she went with Lufthansa through Frankfurt to Vancouver (with an overnight in Frankfurt) and when she arrived in Vancouver the water container was completely empty and she was quite distressed.

ObamasDealer

percy212 wrote: »

I am interested in taking two small dogs with me from Dub/SFO and back again a few months later. I will keep you posted on what happens....should be interesting.

You should check SFO laws on importing pets as they as different i believe. Just a heads up.

ObamasDealer

él statutorio wrote: »

Airsea.ie is the crowd I used. I found them easy to deal with and very straightforward.

Its Saturday and i can't ring Billy at airsea. I think he said i do not need a dog pet passport travelling from Ireland to California ,usa. Can anyone confirm this?

circular flexing

ObamasDealer wrote: »

Its Saturday and i can't ring Billy at airsea. I think he said i do not need a dog pet passport travelling from Ireland to California ,usa. Can anyone confirm this?

I don't think you do, but I find it handy to have it as it's one place to keep all the vaccination records and if you ever need to return to the EU, it might be useful.

Palmy

You will defiantly need all your vaccinations (rabies) done prior to having your pet flown and a clearance letter of clearance from the vet the day prior to your pet flying. As Ireland is a rabies free country you won't have any problem on the way over but if you intend on bringing your pet back it will need to go into quarantine at your expense I think for about 3-4 weeks.

ObamasDealer

circular flexing wrote: »

I don't think you do, but I find it handy to have it as it's one place to keep all the vaccination records and if you ever need to return to the EU, it might be useful.

No passport required to bring a dog from Ireland to the usa. Just micro crip and fit to fly vet approval form. No shots required, surprisingly. Every vet i talked to in the last two weeks knee NOTHING. which is understandable as info on this is difficult. They all almost flogged me useless papers.

circular flexing

ObamasDealer wrote: »

No passport required to bring a dog from Ireland to the usa. Just micro crip and fit to fly vet approval form. No shots required, surprisingly. Every vet i talked to in the last two weeks knee NOTHING. which is understandable as info on this is difficult. They all almost flogged me useless papers.

You do need a rabies vaccination though.

http://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/dogs.html

If your dog is imported from a rabies-free country, CDC does not require rabies vaccination. However, every state requires that dogs be vaccinated against rabies, and all pet dogs arriving in the state of Hawaii and the territory of Guam, even from the U.S. mainland, are subject to locally imposed quarantine requirements depending on their rabies vaccination status.

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/Entry_Requirements.html

California Entrance Requirements for Dogs:
All domestic dogs must be healthy. Dogs over four (4) months of age must have a certificate of current rabies vaccination.