Dog travelling from the US... flights and quarantine info??

DeVore

Ok, kind of an odd on this...

Have a couple of "friends by association" who apparently have rescued a dog in the US and love him to bits. They are coming home for 2 weeks at xmas and want to know if its feasible to bring their new friend with them...

I know some people will say "dont bother, just leave him behind for the 2 weeks" but lets presume thats not something they want to do (because in that case the thread is over and the issue is simple really).

They want to fly him back with them, and take care of the quarantine issues. Now, I've pointed them to the CitizensInformation.ie site which seems to have good info on the specifics but I'm looking for someone who maybe has some experience of moving pets transatlantic.

Anyone out there taken their dog over or back across the pond? Tips/hints/info/warnings welcome....

seamus

No experience of the system myself, but it seems fairly straightforward:
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets/requirementsforentryorre-entryofdogscatsandferretsintoirelandfromacountryoutsideoftheeuorcertainnon-eueuropeancountries/

They'll also need to find out what happens on the way back. US customs may insist on a quarantine on the way back into the US.

muddypaws

I can't help with the quarantine logistics etc, but I hope that they consider the effect that this long journey may have on the dog. I have sent a dog to Australia before, and he coped very well with the flight, but I don't know about 2 long flights in such a short space of time. It all depends on the dog's temperament of course, but if they rescued him, there is a chance his history isn't great, and being confined to a crate in a plane, with all the noises and smells that will come with, may be very stressful for the dog. It may not of course, I don't know the dog, but if they got him from a shelter, or organisation, I'd suggest they talk to them, to see what they advise.

stoeger2000

DeVore wrote: »

Ok, kind of an odd on this...

Have a couple of "friends by association" who apparently have rescued a dog in the US and love him to bits. They are coming home for 2 weeks at xmas and want to know if its feasible to bring their new friend with them...

I know some people will say "dont bother, just leave him behind for the 2 weeks" but lets presume thats not something they want to do (because in that case the thread is over and the issue is simple really).

They want to fly him back with them, and take care of the quarantine issues. Now, I've pointed them to the CitizensInformation.ie site which seems to have good info on the specifics but I'm looking for someone who maybe has some experience of moving pets transatlantic.

Anyone out there taken their dog over or back across the pond? Tips/hints/info/warnings welcome....

As far as I know, in the US you can own a companion dog, (for people with nervous dispositions), and they can take the dogs onto the flight with them, same as a blind person can bring their seeing eye dog on board.
Might be better for the dog than being crated and put in the hold.
Not sure about the quarantine laws tho.

kylith

stoeger2000 wrote: »

As far as I know, in the US you can own a companion dog, (for people with nervous dispositions), and they can take the dogs onto the flight with them, same as a blind person can bring their seeing eye dog on board.
Might be better for the dog than being crated and put in the hold.
Not sure about the quarantine laws tho.

I think that's only for internal flights.

Honestly Dev, even without the risk of being quarantined for potentially months at either end I simply wouldn't put a dog through the stress of a journey like that twice in two weeks. I really think that the dog would be better off staying with a minder for a short while.

sive1281

Due to the new pet passport scheme there should not be any quarantine restrictions. Delta airlines fly dogs from ireland to america but not america to ireland. You need to ring around a few of the airlines and they will give you the exact information that you need.

toadfly

kylith wrote: »

I simply wouldn't put a dog through the stress of a journey like that twice in two weeks.

Have to agree, it seems cruel to me.

stoeger2000

kylith wrote: »

I think that's only for internal flights.



No it's not, I know someone that brought a dog to europe from the states a couple of years ago.

kylith

stoeger2000 wrote: »

kylith wrote: »

I think that's only for internal flights.

No it's not, I know someone that brought a dog to europe from the states a couple of years ago.

That's good news. I would have thought that that couldn't be done in case someone on board had an allergy.

anniehoo

stoeger2000 wrote: »

As far as I know, in the US you can own a companion dog, (for people with nervous dispositions), and they can take the dogs onto the flight with them, same as a blind person can bring their seeing eye dog on board.
Might be better for the dog than being crated and put in the hold.
Not sure about the quarantine laws tho.

Yes this is true I know someone who did it 2 years ago when emigrating back to the states. It's not that difficult either but you do need (i think) either a doctor or psychiatrist to sign you off as an anxious flyer and that the dog is your companion animal who calms you. Saw photos of the dog stretched out in the cabin of the plane, not a bother on her.

Inexile

Do they realise how much this could cost if they have to place the dog in the hold? I have only had experience of flying a dog one way in a crate in the hold. First off you have to have a crate that is suitable for the size of the dog. The cost is done by weight and by route for a greyhound it is about €850 one way. The dog has to be microchipped, given a rabies vacination and it needs a passport all of which has to be done with a vet. Over here you bring the dog for the rabies shot at least three weeks before travel and then again about 2 days before hand. Again the dog will need to visit the vet prior to the return journey. All thats a lot of expense.

I would also agree with others that it would be better to find really good kennels and board it for two weeks. It really would be less stressful for the dog.

Tranceypoo

I've often thought how I'd love to bring my dogs over to London with me to see all my family and friends but I would never put them through it, it would be great for me to not have to miss my dogs but it wouldn't be great for them and that's just Ireland to England, I don't know why anyone would put their dog through that long journey except for purely selfish reasons, if they find a good kennel or home sitting service the dog would be much better served.

Páid

Have a couple of "friends by association" who apparently have rescued a dog in the US and love him to bits. They are coming home for 2 weeks at xmas and want to know if its feasible to bring their new friend with them.

Your friends have enough time to prepare the pet correctly in order to avoid quarantine on arrival. The deciding factor will be financial. Following is a list of costs involved (not exhaustive);

1. Microchipping by a private vet
2. Rabies vaccination (must be done after microchipipng and at least 21 days before entry into the EU/Ireland)
3. Because the pet won't already have an EU Pet Passport they will need to get the private vet to complete this vet cert
4. It will need to be endorsed by a USDA vet after the private vet completes it.
5. Pet must travel as cargo (unless it is a genuine service dog). This will be the majority of the total cost (shop around - cargo prices vary considerably). Your friends will also need a crate conforming with IATA guidleines.
6. Costs to have the pet checked for compliance on arrival (€230+)

As far as the pet's welfare is concerned, there is little risk in travelling in the cargo hold of a plane unless the dog is one of the flat faced breeds or has a respitory/heart medical condition. The private vet should be able to tell your friends whether airline travel is too great a risk for the pet. Most airlines have a heated area in the cargo hold where the pets are kept and they usually sleep for the journey apart from takeoff and landing.

I imagine the total cost involved would be in the $1000 to $2000 range depending on cargo charges & vet fees.

I've often thought how I'd love to bring my dogs over to London with me to see all my family and friends but I would never put them through it, it would be great for me to not have to miss my dogs but it wouldn't be great for them and that's just Ireland to England

No low cost airline will carry the pets. You only have the option of bringing them by ferry. Pet travel within the British Isles (Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Jersey) is quite easy otherwise.

Tranceypoo

Páid wrote: »

No low cost airline will carry the pets. You only have the option of bringing them by ferry. Pet travel within the British Isles (Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Jersey) is quite easy otherwise.

Yes I should have said by ferry, that's what I meant, but I wouldn't even put them through that, I have one who's highly strung and one with a heart condition but even if they were 100% sane and healthy I wouldn't do unless it was a matter of life and death!

kylith

Páid wrote: »

No low cost airline will carry the pets. You only have the option of bringing them by ferry. Pet travel within the British Isles (Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Jersey) is quite easy otherwise.

In no way am I condoning it, but I know of someone who puts a day-glo harness on their Lab and says its a support dog in order to get it onto planes. Cheeky or what?

Páid

kylith wrote: »

In no way am I condoning it, but I know of someone who puts a day-glo harness on their Lab and says its a support dog in order to get it onto planes. Cheeky or what?

That is perfectly legal in the USA under the Air Access Act. You merely have to state that the animal is a service animal and you are entitled to bring it with you in the cabin provided its safe for the airline to do so (don't expect to be able to bring your St. Bernard or Rottweiler into the cabin - the airline has a duty of care to other passengers).

When bringing a service dog of any kind into Ireland the airline has to comply with Ireland's requirements (cargo is one of them but exceptions can be made for various types of service animal). You will need to contact the Dept. of Agriculture in advance of travel in order to obtain permission to take the animal in the cabin.

stoeger2000

kylith wrote: »

That's good news. I would have thought that that couldn't be done in case someone on board had an allergy.

Hadn't thought about the allergy issue, but sure that would be the same for internal or international flights. But good point, wonder what would be the story if someone on the flight had a severe allergy.

muddypaws

stoeger2000 wrote: »

Hadn't thought about the allergy issue, but sure that would be the same for internal or international flights. But good point, wonder what would be the story if someone on the flight had a severe allergy.

If somebody had a severe allergy though, even being near someone who owns dogs or cats could set them off, dog help them if they had to sit next to me on a flight, I've always got dog hair on my clothes.

kylith

stoeger2000 wrote: »

Hadn't thought about the allergy issue, but sure that would be the same for internal or international flights. But good point, wonder what would be the story if someone on the flight had a severe allergy.

I suppose it would be the same. Maybe if their allergy wasn't too bad an hour or so on an internal flight would be bearable, but eight hours would be unbearable.

amen

a bit off post but

doctor or psychiatrist

a psychiatrist is a medical doctor.