OMG!! How quick is it all happening now.

First my cat went off to live with my brothers girlfriend, my fish go on ebay tomorrow and my dog (Cassie) flies out on Sunday.

We're using Animal Airlines to fly my dog over, with the actual flight being with BA. So far I cannot fault the company. We've been dealing with a guy called Mike, who is very informative and has a lovely phone manner.
The injections and blood tests we chose to just use our local vet, at a cost of about £200. Animal airlines provide the flight, container, pre flight vet service and the formalities over in Oz. This is at a cost of £2079. We had to apply for the inport and export permits ourselves which were easy forms to fill in.

Anyway, like I've said. So far I cannot fault the company but I'll keep you posted as to how things go on and when Cassie makes it to the other end I'll let you know if the good work was kept up.

It's gonna be so sad to see her disappear at the airport but I'm sure it'll all be worth it when we see her again at the other side.

Marie

I am sure you will both be over the moon to see one another..!! bless....
All will be fine..

Wooof wooof

Very best of luck Cassie.

It'll be great to see her again on "the other side". I read these "doggie" posts with interest as we hopefully have all this ahead of us with our mutt. Best of luck. Michelle

Thanks everyone. We're a bit concerned as she was a rescue dog in a really bad state when we got her. Don't want her thinking we're abandoning her aswell. I'm sure when she sees us all will be forgiven.

Forgot to mention that the quote from animal airlines takes into consideration the size of the dog. Smaller dog = smaller container = cheaper.
Cassie is a German Shepherd so is one of the more expensive to take.

Marie

Awww Marie can't believe this is all happening - seems like yesterday you were still waiting for your visa!

Cassie will be fine i'm sure although i'm dying to find out how she copes because my dog poppy is also a rescue dog who was abandoned as a puppy - she is nervous in the car and at being on her own in strange places - I take it Cassie is flying with BA into Sydney to go to Sydney quarantine?

Are you going to phone the quarantine station to find out if she's arrived ok on Monday/ Tuesday?

Poppys flight is booked for 31st October flying from Edinburgh-Heathrow with BA then onwards from Heathrow-Sydney with BA again - we are to put her into the kennels in Dunfermline on Thursday 27th October - we are using pet travel services in Dunfermline for any Scottish people out there and so far have found them excellent - they have answered all my neurotic e-mail question promptly and kindly.

Marie are you allowed to put anything into Cassies crate for her? What are you doing about a bed for Cassie in Sydney?

Keep calm - it will all go fine and focus on all the happy times you and cassie will have in Australia.

Lynn x

Ours is a rescue dog as well. The only thing that comforts us is that she spent a month in the kennels when we were in Oz in 2003 so the quarantine will only be the same amount of time. I'm not sure how we're going to organise the logistics of sending her from Ireland as all the helpful posts on dogs are from the U.K. I'll worry about that nearer the time though. Speaking of costs, we discussed this the other night and we came to the same conclusion as most other people on BE - it doesn't matter how much it costs - she is like a third child to us and we have to take her and also it will help the kids settle in better. (These are the same kids who rarely take her out for a walk or look after her generally....!!) Then, we'll have the other problem of finding a rental property that takes pets - but again, that's down the line for us at the moment. I was wondering though - does anyone have any opinions on when to send your pet - a month before you go so that she is ready for pickup when you arrive, or when you go so that you have time to find a suitable house before she comes bounding into your arms..!!!!??? Any thoughts anyone? Michelle

Hi Michelle - i'm sure there will be pet travel companies in Ireland too - maybe your vet could recommend one to you?

In answer to your question we are sending poppy on the same day as us (31st October) to give us time in Australia to find a decent house for me my hubbie and poppy. We are stopping over in Singapore for 4 nights so that will give us 25 days approx to find a house to rent - we have booked an apartment for the 1st 3 weeks for jst me and marc.

Depends if you have family there to stay with until you find a house to rent? If not then i'd send your dog around the same time as your flight.

Lynn

Thanks Lynn. Yeah - we were thinking along the same lines as you. My brother is on the Gold Coast, so at least we'd have a base to stay until we found a suitable rental. He has a cat and a very houseproud girlfriend - so I wouldn't like to inflict our "third child" on him!! I'm sure it will all come together at the end. Its typical really - there's so much I could be doing now - organising Deefor (I know, hubby named her, not me!), house sale, shipping, etc., etc., but we really don't want to do anything until visas in our grubby mitts. You may have seen my other posts. We were refused 138 in March and have re-applied for 136, so, as you can imagine after that trauma that we don't want to tempt fate just yet! Best of luck with your move, you lucky thing!! Just one more question, if you don't mind - something else that has crossed my mind is that if you're going on a one-way immigrant flight (for want of a better phrase), is it feasible to have a stop over with all the extra luggage, or does it not make any difference. Again, I'm thinking way ahead of myself here. (Two glasses of wine and a couple of cans of Bud doesn't help!) Michelle

we are stopping over in Singapore for 4 nights - getting 40kg each, not worried because i've heard that they are very helpful in Singapore and will help you get luggage into taxi and up to your hotel room - customer service over there is of very high priority.

Good luck getting your visa- must be very stresful waiting but i'm sure you will be fine this time - sent you some good luck karma!

Lynn x

Thanks for sharing.

Hope all's well.

Ginny

Hi Lynn,
Yep, Cassie is flying into Sydney. They recommend we put a used, unwashed item of clothing in the crate with her so she has something that reminds her of home. We have a floor cushion she has taken to sleeping on so we're going to put the cover from that in with her. Not thought about a bed for when she gets there yet ( I know we're pushing it) nor are we going to be able to visit her. We don't even know how we're going to get her up to us yet. I think the family in Oz might have to look in to that for us. We will be phoning quarantine to make sure she's settled in alright. 30 days isn't too long though so even if she hates it I'm sure she'll be fine.
Marie

aw. come on post us a picture of her.

I am surprised that they are allowing you to put something in the crate we weren't allowed anything. I think you can take sensible toys to the quarantine station. We didnt visit our dog and cat as they said that if we couldnt visit regularly then not to bother, its more distressing for the animals. I do remember when we dropped them off at Golden Arrow I broke my heart, I was in a right state. In fact it broke my heart more leaving them than it did my family and I was gonna see them again in 5 weeks The funny thing is that when we turned up to pick them up, I was in a state again I think they thought I was a mad pommy. Anyway all was well and they are now really settled.

Jo