How to Ship a Dog Overseas

Dogs can be shipped overseas by plane or cruise ship.

People who move overseas for work or extended family obligations sometimes decide to take the family dog with them. Shipping a dog overseas requires several months of preparation, including check-ups with a veterinarian, filling out the proper forms and sometimes quarantining your dog or obtaining proof of vaccinations prior to shipment. There are airlines and some cruise ships that will transport dogs and other pets across the ocean. The right mode of transportation depends on the pet and your budget.

Things You'll Need

• Approved dog crate
• Owner's unwashed shirt and pants
• Dog toys
• Veterinarian records

Instructions

Shipping a Dog Overseas

1. A trip to the veterinarian could save your dog from having to be quarantined from a week to 6 months in its new country. Receiving countries require proof that your dog has had its rabies, distemper and other important shots.

2. Check the receiving country's website for instructions and special paperwork needed to bring in live animals. If proper procedures aren't followed your dog could be shipped back to the United States.

3. If you are shipping your dog by plane, check with the airline for approved crates. Most approved crates are plastic and have a wire door. All-wire crates are rarely approved, because they aren't as sturdy as plastic crates.

4. After wearing a pair of sweat pants and sweatshirt or T-shirt for a day, put them in a plastic grocery bag and tie it tightly. On the day your dog is shipped, put the bag of clothes in the crate with the dog. Having a familiar smell in the crate with him will calm the dog's nerves. A favorite blanket or small plush toy also will work.

5. If your dog will arrive overseas before you do, consider using a private caregiver or kennel to care for him in the interim.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not feed your dog right before shipping. Instead place a large, raw baking potato and some honey in the crate for the energy he needs while traveling.

• Do not place clothing with zippers or buttons in the crate with your dog. Because the temperatures aloft can become extreme, airlines ban pets as checked baggage from May 15 to Sept. 15. Between those dates consider using a cruise ship instead.

References

• Transitions Abroad: Moving Pets Overseas
• IPATA: The Home of Professional Pet Shippers Worldwide