Jan n Neil

I was told on the phone that Golden Arrow tend to fly through LA with Air New Zealand, or via Sydney if its a larger dog going to the south island.

Pinkkat75

Wow I had never even considered that, thanks. Reading this post made my tummy go all funny .

We have been quoted £5600 by Airpets to ship our two greyhounds, and the vets tests beforehand are about another £1000. We are going to talk to Golden Arrow as well before we make any decisions.

My husband wants us to dress them up, claim they are our hairy children and take them on the plane with us!

Mgee

Has anyone organised the shipping independently without using a pet shipping company? What were your experiences?

This might be what we need to do as there seems to be only one pet shipping company in Finland (Airpets branch), and they are not anywhere near us. As far as I know, I can get the tickets directly from the airlines, so what else is the shipping company needed for? In any case it will be the airline/airport personnel who handles the animals en route, so I don't see a big difference there either...

Our vet is quite good with import/export issues, and our dogs' breeder has imported and exported dogs worldwide, including Australasia (I think even including NZ), so I feel relatively comfortable with the idea of organising the whole process by myself. We also need to follow different quarantine rules than the UK, so that means also that the dogs will need all kinds of treatments and check-ups up to the last minute, so leaving them in someone else's care is not an option. Ideally, I'd like to travel on the same flight with them, so that I can make sure the crew checks on them during the landings. And in any case they will need 30 days of quarantine upon the arrival to NZ, so I really don't want to be separated from them any more than is absolutely necessary... Our dogs are highly trained S&R dogs and due to years of training, there's a very strong bond between us and them. So even the 30 days of quarantine will be a long time for them to be separated from us (and vice versa ).

My pets' wellbeing is everything to me, and this is not a question of money... I am just trying to understand the pros that using a pet shipping agency would provide as opposed to organising the process by myself. If there are people who have done this by themselves, I'd love to hear how everything went.

cheers,
Mgee

Pinkkat75

As far as I know, New Zealand requires you to use a pet shipping company rather than do it yourself.

Someone please correct me if I've made that up

Newfies

I believe you are right.

As stated earlier. Please give every thought to which way your beloved animal is traveling I would be very wary of going through oz too. You can be specific with the carrier company.

Also to the chap who wanted to be on the same flight as your pet. I think that you will be knackered and want you bed after 30 hours travel +all the waiting etc.
Do you really want to be messing around sorting out all the paper work to collect your animal (about another 3 hours) then to get sorted and sleep etc with an animal in a strange home? If you have amanaged to secure a rental that will allow animals before you arrive that is.
Please consider a 24 hour delay. You will not be allowed to check on the animal anyhow. As they will not give you security clearance to go to the hold.

blackburn lass

I was really stressed about taking the dog too. And was considering not going because of it. My friends think I'm crazy spending so much 'just to move the dog'.
I felt so much better after speaking to Golden Arrow and the fact that I can drop her off before we fly.

Once you come to terms with putting them on plane for that long it will make the whole thing easier....well thats how I feel.

BEVS

Goodness me.

Your pets will be fine. So very many fly all around the world all of the time with no problem at all. That is without taking into consideration the animals that travel for shows , racing etc.

My animals came via the east and were perfectly fine. No problem at all . Same as for very many others.

Mcgee - if i can find anything I will psot.

Mgee

No, no, no... Please read my original post again... I'm not a chap, I do NOT want to go into the cargo hold, nor do I want to collect the animals after a long flight because it is not possible as they will go straight into the quarantine facility: We are NOT from the UK so quarantine for 30 days is required. I won't be able to even see my animals from the moment they are checked in for the flight until they are safely in in the quarantine kennels in NZ -where I can visit them under certain conditions. This also means that I have one month to organise the rental accommodation, so no hassle there either.

I've been in touch with MAF, and they sent me a set of instructions. Basically all they require is that the listed vaccinations, tests and treatments are given by a vet in a certain order and that some general rules about the crate are followed, that a quarantine resevation is confirmed and the import permit is applied from them. They do not mention using any shipping company at all, so it cannot be mandatory. I have also received a PM from a person who imported his dog from the US (the same rules apply for us) by himself without any problems. Basically it just means a lot of visits to the vet during the last 30 days, using an IATA -approved clean crate for transport and reserving the quarantine facility place and getting a MAF import permit after the facilty has confirmed a place. I am more and more confident that this is doable by ourselves.

I am not at all worried about our dogs during the flight: I just want to know where they are travelling and that someone from the airline/airport crew checks on them during the landings. That's why I want to be on the same flight so that I can ask the crew to ensure they are OK -this is 100% about my own peace of mind. The dogs will be fine. I'm sure that they will go to sleep as soon as the plane has taken off, and they will have a lot more leg room than I will . Animals in general are surprisingly adaptable, and compared to some of the stuff our dogs have to do for their "living" (such as being hauled in a harness up into a helicopter for an airlift) sitting in a nice, air conditioned cargo hold is a picnic... And to add to the "horror": we will also be shipping our 15 year-old cat, who just last week got the all clear from the vet! She is in very good condition, so unless her health deteriorates very much, she will also follow us.

To Bevs: any extra info is greatly appreciated! The MAF instructions are relatively clear, but more info is even better! And as said, I am very keen to hear from anyone who has experience in organising the shipping independently.

Mgee

anniiee

OOh I had a quote from jets 4 pets and had decided on using them. I spoke with them at the expo and they seemed really friendly. They even offered to drive us to heathrow airport with our dogs for a very reasonable fee. Not so sure now

Am Loolah

Crikey, this thread's become a little dramatic!

We used Airpets who were fantastic. Cost us around 6,000 GBP to fly 2 dobermans via Singapore. Picked them up the day after we arrived all fine and dandy. Airpets were fantastic.

Dogs were a little wobbly for a week whilst they found their feet.

BEVS

Just a few bits and bobs about the import of pets to New Zealand for those that are interested.
If using a Pet Shipper , they will guide you thrugh the entire process from start to finish.




MAF Bio-security fact-sheet about bringing overseas pets to NZ

Heavenlyscent

Hi
I flew out 2 labradors and a cat in 2005 with animalcouriers.co.uk via america with no problems at all. We all arrived the same day and were picked up by my hubby all togethr as a family at last. Yes flew them back in 2007.

I have had a quote of 5.500 pounds to fly over a st bernard, a newfoundland and the cat. Worth visiting their website and good luck, dogs are as important as children to their owners.

harrogate girl

Hi THREE DOGS
Just to let you know that in NZ IN SOME PARTS you need PERMISSION to have three dog per house hold!! as most dogs are outside only in NZ all year round!! you will need to apply for consent from the council and from people that live quite close.
So when you finally put an offer in on a home and you have three dog please ensure that you cover yourself and put in the contract with the sale agent as a condition of the offer!! so that you can do your duedeligence, as you do not want to buy a new home only to find out you have paid all that money to get the dogs over and you unable to have them with you.
We used LadyHay are was so pleased and lots of my clients have used them in the past.
As a sales agent as well I have just come in to contact one couple from Epping that put an offer in on a house got the house only to find out only two dogs allowed only even when the dogs are in side all the time:curse:
Lin

Heavenlyscent

Hi
Having 3 dogs just means that you need a kennel licence from the local council. It is usually no problem at all. We now have 3 dogs and wil be flying them back later this year, 2 st bernards, 1 newfoundland and a cat, so like you we expect a hefty bill. Also just to let u know, if dogs have no use in NZ, they are not wanted, they aren't many animal lovers. It is also too cold at night to leave dogs out all night in winter, in my opinion I was in Rotoura, north island), it is horrific to see dogs out in the cold in freezing conditions. They don't house cows, sheep or horses etc either!

Jan n Neil

thats handy to know about the permission for three, i think we should be fine tho we have a healthy budget for a house and are planning on a property with land (not a 10 acre lifestyle) so neighbors should not be an issue

neil