For countries like the UK, USA,
Canada and those within the EU,
that’s pretty much it, give or take a
few differing timescales. Australia,
however, is notoriously more difficult;
one of the few major countries to
still enforce a quarantine period for
imported pets (during which you
cannot visit your animal), they also
insist on a secondary series of blood
tests for your pet. Be sure to check
with the agricultural and fisheries
department websites for your specific
country to research exactly what your
pet needs and when.
Who can help?
If all this is sounding a bit
complicated, a reputable pet travel
agency may be the way to go. Susan
Mertens, who brought her dog from
Europe to Hong Kong, describes
these companies as “travel agents
for pets – they book the flights, tell
you how the flight works, help you
with the paperwork and check if you
have all the correct shots done in
time”. Jamie from the SPCA, who
imported her dog here from the
States, always recommends
her clients use a pet travel agency:
“They stay up to date with the
always-changing requirements
for each country and facilitate
all the paperwork and veterinary
requirements, making the process as
stress-free as possible. Nothing would
be worse than exporting your pet
to a country only for them to not be
allowed in or sent back because of a
missed bit of information!”
By far, the largest cost in
exporting your pet will be the
airfreight itself; this can cost as
much, if not more, than your own
tickets. A pet transport company’s
service charge will likely add
up to just a few extra thousand
dollars, which may well be worth
it for achieving that peace of
mind. Hedwig Henneman, who
transported her dog from Hong Kong
to the Netherlands, says, “Looking
back, I am so glad I let the company
help me… I was amazed at all the
paperwork involved and moving to
another country is stressful enough!”
Pet travel agencies are also
well-versed in all the typical fears of
pet owners – and know how best to
relieve those worries. George Yung,
founder of International Pet Travel,
which has more than 15 years’
experience in exporting pets
from Hong Kong, says one of
the most common concerns
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