Hi,

Thanks for all yr replys and karma (thanks Nicky) i thought applying for visa was the most stressful part, didn't really think about all the other decisions to be made, feel like i have aged 10yrs in the last 10mths, i know it has got to be worth it in the end and i do know that they will be happy with my friend it is just something i am not looking forward to doing, but thanks JTL for yr info on getting a new dog which i do think we will have to do once settled.
Thanks again
Lisa

I am taking three dogs and one cat when i return to Australia in July. My oldest dog is twelve yeaars old and does not like traveling but he still arrived here perfectly ok when we did the Melbourne to Heathrow trip four years ago.
Also dogs do seem to adjust to the change in weather really well so long as they have shade and water and do not walk them in the heat.
Most of my Aussie friends have cats and they love them as much as we pommies do.
Finding a place to rent with pets is sometimes difficult but not impossible, just offer to pay extra pet bond. Anyway whatever you decide, good luck.

Too big for some of the men to from what I have heard ! ! !

R.

Hi Lisa,
I know exactly how you feel as I made the decision to leave Foxy Loxy (my dog) behind. I didn't think it would be fair to drag her to the other side of the world. I am very lucky that my dad agreed to have Foxy to keep Romulus, his dog company. I thought that it would be best if she moved in before we actually left. She has been with my dad for over a year now. This way she got used to not seeing me everyday and me not seeing her. I would definitely suggest that you move your dogs in with your friends sooner rather than later. That way you can ween yourself off and at the same time know that they are settled. Not an easy decision to make but sometimes the best one. Good luck.
Sarah

Ah, yes. I've heard about the Lesser Spotted Mannn Eater Bird! Think it's an urbank legend, R!!!

Hello

We left our 2 siberian huskies in Scotland-It was a real hard move but I still think it was right.The original breeders took them back.
I think it is to stressfull on the animals and ourselfs to take them.Also if you are going to be renting a place for a while it is harder to find somewhere decent.Also the first few months in Oz is hectic and I guess the last thing you need to worry about is what to do with the dogs.

Good luck with your decision.

Cheers
Keith

Yes, we left 3 Burmese cats at home and I cried more tears over them than any family/friends (something to do with having trouble explaining it).

One cat went to my parents and the other two were rehomed through the Burmese Cat Club. I can honestly say it's the best decision we made. Very few rentals allow cats, and I would concur that the feedback on this site regarding cats is probably spot on - the Aussies aren't as keen on cats as the Brits.

Plus, we had to ask ourselves who we are doing it for - them or us? It was us all the way. The cost was never an issue.

All three are totally fine and TOTALLY not missing us. Talk about divided loyalties.

I miss them though. Mr J has promised me that when we are settled we might get an older rescue cat that won't venture far beyond the porch, and just wants a warm lap of an evening. Have to respect the Aussies and their feelings about cat hunting and its effect on the environment. Doesn't matter whether or not you agree (my male cat would watch a mouse scuttle past him with quiet amusement - never attempted to catch one) you have to go with the feelings of the country you are in.

Mrs J

Its a really hard one deciding to take pets or not.
We have a rescue cat who is Persian she is very nervous of everything and everyone and is now getting quite old 12 is a pretty good age for a Persian.
We have decided it would ot be fair to take her not sure how she would cope with the flight etc.So we need to find her a good home she would ideally suit a more mature person as she sleeps pretty much most of the day and night and just needs somewhere to feel safe.shall not go to Oz until I can be satisfied that she will be okay.

Just have to say that Aussies love cats as much an anyone in the UK (after all most of us come from UK stock), and personally I`d rather have a cat than a dog alot of the time (cats are independant and alot less hassle).
But unfortunatelyI`d rather not have cats in Aus as they are a hazard to the local wildlife.

I took my 10 year old persian to The persian rescue centre in Bristol.It is run by a lady called Isabel(who comes from Oz many years ago) She is brilliant and much better placed to rehome a persian properly as she matches the cat to the new owner,vets them and makes sure they know how to groom them etc. Besides allot of the people that go to her for cats have had them before. Not sure if this is too far away for you to go but its web site is www.persianrescue.co.uk tel 01454 250548. she found my persian a lovely home in Reading and Im more than happy Ive done the right thing

Many thanks Peppi for the info that would be great if we could take her somewhere like that as they specialise in Persians it would be much more suitable.I shall certaintly check out the website address and phone number when the time comes .
Once again Thankyou this will really help.

Hi Lisa,

You have my sympathy. I miss my goldie so badly at times that I feel like crying. But my children are fine, they've got new pets and having a new kitten or two seems to have helped them get over it well enough. I have found it much easier to get a landlord to say yes to cats than to dogs, so I am not sure why people think Aussies hate cats?

As for our faithless dog and cats, well, they don't miss us at all We had five cats, four of whom went to good homes and who do not even know we've gone (typical) and one which had to be put down, unfortunately, as he was really ancient, had bladder & kidney problems & I just couldn't imagine anyone ever putting up with what we'd put up with, with that cat. If you picked him up and cuddled him he peed on you. He'd ruined a futon of ours and two couches, a bed and several mats. I often thought he purposely held it in until he could find a soft warm spot to go in. You'd chuck him out and he'd sit there and wait until you let him in again - then he'd find a nice warm spot and PRESTO! When he was a bit younger he snuck into the neighbour's house and peed on his head! The neighbour always thought it was his own black cat and therefore was much more forgiving of the event (even though his poor pussy cat was never again allowed in their room), but I didn't have the heart to tell him that I knew it was my cat because he'd done it to my husband too! (I think he had a soft spot for bald heads ) By the time we were leaving our tom could not eat properly anymore & had to be hand-fed. I was too worried that someone may take him, then find out he's too much trouble and get rid of him cruely. So I bit the bullet & took him to the vet myself

We re-homed our other pets long before we left. That gave us a chance to see that they were happy and well cared for and it certainly gave us peace of mind to leave them behind. We still get pics e-mailed from all of them and that's why I get so teary eyed about my girl at times, even though she's having the time of her life with her new family.

I think for your dogs try to find homes with a set-up similar to yours. For our goldie we chose a friends' home where they had children ours' age and cats like we did. Our goldie cottoned on to them straight away. Two of the cats HAD to go together as they acted like they were joined at the hip and that was a challenge, but not unsurmountable as they were Abbies and gorgeous. The third and fourth, two real moggies, were adorable and cuddly and they went to some friends of ours on a farm where they sleep in front of the fire all day

It really helps to know where they are and that they are happy.

We had to leave our 9 year old Jack Russell Terrier behind and it was one of the worst moments of my life. Seriously ! She had been around long before the kids and it just made me feel very , very sad.
That said , now we're here I know we did the right thing. She would have not survived the flight or the quarintine on this side and if she had made it thru all that , she definately would not be able to stand the heat or the thunder and lightening storms.She would have had an indoor lifestyle and be a complete nervous wreck , at least where she is now she gets out and about still , down on the beach & out in the fields.We stay in touch with her "new family" and although she took a while to settle , she's doing ok. It's not easy though, she played a big part in our family life and the kids really miss her , but when they do , we look at photos and send her a letter. I know some of you reading this will not understand but those of you with pets will know exactly what I'm talking about.
Stick with the choice you've made because deep down you know it's the right one for your pet.
All the best,
Tass.

Hi Lisa,

When we left for Oz decided that it would be best not to take our 2 chocolate labradors with us. Our girl did not cope well with kennels and suffered terribly with heat rash in the summer. Our boy would have been fine but we didn't want to seperate them.

So after alot of heartache we called the breeder we got our boy from and although she could take them (she was getting too old) she recommended someone else. That someone else was a farmer who had 3 children who wanted the dogs. They now have fields to run around in and sheep to chase.

I was heartbroken the day they left, taking them for their final walk was unbearable. Even now when I think of them I sometimes get upset. Anyhow, we know we have done the right thing for them and they are very happy in their new home.

What does make me sad is we are now back in the uk and part of me really regrets giving them away, they could still be with us After arriving in Oz I do believe they would have coped (but not with the quarantine).

What you are doing is very brave, you have got to remember why you are doing it and it is for the dogs.

I have thought of getting another dog but to be honest I don't think we can replace them, However, in today's paper I spotted an advert for fostering Labradors, I am thinking about it.

Go with your decision, it's the dogs that are important. It's not easy but you will do what is right for your dogs.

Mandy

Not sure if we are doing the right thing but we have a 15 year old cat, she was going to my mums, but the people who have bought the house have 2 children and want her stay with them... and I've said yes..

In some ways I thnk we're lucky as her life won't be disrupted too much but worried that we are leaving her with strangers!!

wierd!