expat life: moving a dog

Moving the dog was probably one of the most stressful parts of the whole international moving process. She is a nervous dog to begin with and I wasn't sure how she would take getting into a travel crate, let alone the separation and the plane journey to a new country. But she seemed to take it all in her stride. But as an owner, making the transition process for the dog as smooth as possible, was high up on the priority list. 

Research the regulations

No matter what country your leaving or which country to going to, it is vital to check the regulations concerning dogs or any live animals for that matter. Many countries have certain rules and regulations concerning the export and import of live animals and it may not be as simple as you think, especially if non EU countries are involved. Although it can be a little confusing, do you research on government websites, consult airlines and speak with as many pet travel companies as you can. There are lots of things to think about including, vaccinations, quarantine, microchips, pet passports, export and import permits/documentation and airline travel regulations to name a few. 

Choose a reputable relocation company

This I guess also falls under the research category. If you choose to handle all the travel arrangements for your dog yourself, you're braver than me. We opted to pay a little extra for one relocation company to handle all arrangements including documentation, pick up and travel arrangements. We had to get all vaccinations, microchip and passport things done by our local vet, but aside from that the relocation company we used, Move One Inc offered a door-to-door service which meant nothing was left to chance. They arranged with the agent in Cyprus to handle all paperwork from the government and this took a huge weight off our minds. Knowing every document was in place really eases your nerves. Anyone moving animals in or out of Cyprus should contact the guys at Paphiakos Pets. They were incredibly helpful, super organised and cared for my dog as if she was her own. They kept in constant communication throughout the whole process right up until my dogs flight departed. 

Pay to keep your nerves in check

I am not going to lie, moving a dog from country to country is expensive but as a dog owner you have two choices, re-home the dog or take the dog and for us, taking the dog was the only choice. It wasn't even a choice actually, more like a requirement in the international moving imaginary checklist. She is 100% part of our family and there was no way I would re-home her. Where we go, she will go. As such we have made the commitment to spend whatever is necessary for her to travel safely. The costs will vary from country to country and will depend on the size of the dog, the country of arrival and in some cases the breed. But paying to keep your sanity is worth it. 

Prepare your dog for travelling

Preparation is key when it comes to relocating your dog. You shouldn't was the dogs bedding for a few weeks before the travel date since this will hold all their smells and will mean they have familiar smells in the travel crate with them. The morning of departure I was advised not to feed my dog as travel sickness can be common. Aside from that, it is obviously really important to ensure the required vaccinations have been given and the dog has a microchip and valid pet passport. 

Ensure normality at the other end

Getting arrangements in place at the other end means the dog will enter into a safe and calm environment. Ideally, having somewhere to live, dog food, leads and harness and a toy to start play time as soon as possible and take their mind of the journey they have just finished. Obviously, having one or all of the family at the other end will help the dog ease into the new country too. 

After going through the dog relocation process once, from start to finish, I feel a bit like an expert, so any worried expats out there, about to send their dog on a journey of a lifetime, feel free to contact me.