Moving With Pets
For most households, pets are considered part of the family. When you’re moving, making sure your dog, cat or other pet arrives safely at your new home is just as important as getting your household belongings there.
Moving with pets requires some advance planning. Depending on where you’re moving, your pet may need vaccinations, a health certificate, identification, testing, permits or other documentation. Airline requirements can also vary, so it’s important to understand the requirements of both your destination and the company transporting your pet.
Whether you’re moving across the country or moving to a new country, here are a few things to keep in mind when moving with pets.
Moving With Pets Within the United States
If you’re moving with a pet from one U.S. state or territory to another, don’t assume that the requirements are the same everywhere.
The destination state or territory determines its own requirements for animals entering from another state or territory. Depending on where you’re moving, your pet may need a health certificate, updated vaccinations, diagnostic testing or specific treatments. USDA APHIS recommends contacting your veterinarian as soon as you know your travel plans and checking the requirements of your destination.
Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, for example, have requirements that can be different from a typical move between two mainland states.
If you’re moving to one of these destinations, start the process early. Some requirements involve waiting periods or paperwork that must be completed within specific timeframes.
Moving With Pets Internationally
Before making the decision to move a pet to a new country, several factors have to be considered.
First, will your pet be allowed to enter the destination country?
Every country establishes its own requirements for importing pets. Depending on the destination, your pet may need:
- A microchip
- A current rabies vaccination
- Other vaccinations
- Blood tests or diagnostic testing
- A veterinary health certificate
- An import permit
- Parasite treatment
- Specific documentation or government endorsement
- Quarantine or post-arrival monitoring
Not every country requires quarantine, and the requirements can vary significantly from one destination to another.
USDA APHIS recommends checking the destination country’s current requirements as soon as you know you’re moving. Requirements can change, sometimes with relatively little notice. If a USDA-endorsed health certificate is required, you’ll generally need to work with a USDA-accredited veterinarian.
For international moves, don’t rely on information from a previous move or another pet owner’s experience. Requirements are destination-specific and should be verified for your particular trip.
Talk to Your Veterinarian
Your veterinarian should be one of the first people you contact when planning a move with pets.
Your veterinarian can help you determine whether your pet is healthy enough for travel and can provide or verify vaccinations, testing and other veterinary requirements.
For international travel, you may need to work with a USDA-accredited veterinarian, depending on the destination country’s requirements and whether USDA endorsement of the health certificate is required.
Age, breed, health and temperament can also affect how you should approach travel. Older pets, animals with certain medical conditions and brachycephalic—or short-nosed—breeds may require additional consideration when traveling by air.
Talk with your veterinarian well before your move so there is enough time to complete any required vaccinations, testing or treatments.
Cost Is Another Consideration
Moving with pets can involve costs beyond your normal moving expenses.
Depending on the destination and method of transportation, you may have expenses for:
- Veterinary examinations
- Vaccinations
- Health certificates
- Laboratory testing
- Import permits
- Government fees
- Airline pet fees
- Travel kennels
- Ground transportation
- Professional pet transportation
- Quarantine or inspection, where required
International moves can involve additional documentation and government fees.
During your pre-move planning, ask your veterinarian and transportation provider what expenses you should expect. If your destination requires quarantine or a specific inspection facility, research those facilities in advance and understand what services they provide.
Traveling With Pets by Air
Air travel can be a safe way to move with a pet when it is planned properly, but there are important considerations.
First, check with the airline before making your travel arrangements. Airlines establish their own policies for accepting pets, including requirements concerning the size and type of kennel, whether pets can travel in the cabin or as checked/cargo animals, breed restrictions, weather restrictions and documentation.
Airlines can also change their pet-travel policies, so don’t assume that an airline’s current requirements are the same as they were on your last trip.
USDA guidance also notes that airlines and other transportation companies may have their own requirements for transporting pets.
Whenever possible, look for a flight itinerary that minimizes connections, transfers and unnecessary time in transit.
Choose the Right Travel Kennel
If your pet is traveling by air, the kennel or carrier is an important part of the preparation process.
The kennel should be appropriate for your pet’s size and the method of transportation. Your pet should have enough room to stand, sit, turn around and lie down naturally.
The kennel should also be:
- Strong and secure
- Properly ventilated
- Leak-resistant
- Appropriate for the animal’s size
- Free of anything that could injure your pet
- Clearly identified according to the airline’s requirements
Always check the airline’s current kennel requirements before purchasing one. Requirements can vary by airline, aircraft and method of transportation.
Don’t wait until moving day to introduce your pet to its travel kennel.
Get Your Pet Used to the Kennel
Rather than waiting until the day of travel, introduce your pet to the kennel well in advance.
Leave the kennel open in your home and allow your pet to investigate it at its own pace. You can place a familiar blanket or other appropriate item inside to make the kennel feel more comfortable.
Once your pet becomes accustomed to the kennel, gradually increase the amount of time your pet spends inside.
The goal is for the kennel to become a familiar, safe place rather than something associated only with a stressful trip.
Should You Sedate Your Pet?
Talk to your veterinarian before considering any medication or sedative for air travel.
Sedation can affect an animal’s balance, coordination, breathing and ability to respond to changes in its environment. Those effects can be particularly concerning during air transportation.
The American Veterinary Medical Association and other veterinary authorities generally advise against routine sedation or tranquilization for animals traveling by air unless specifically recommended and managed by a veterinarian.
Never give your pet a medication for travel simply because it was recommended by another pet owner. Discuss your pet’s health, temperament and travel plans with your veterinarian first.
In many cases, preparing your pet for the kennel and the travel experience is preferable to relying on sedation.
Feeding and Watering While Traveling
Ask your airline about its specific feeding and watering requirements before your pet travels.
Your pet should have access to appropriate water during the journey, and the airline may have specific requirements concerning food, water containers and feeding instructions.
Avoid making significant changes to your pet’s diet immediately before travel. If your pet has special dietary or medical needs, discuss those needs with your veterinarian and the airline or pet transportation provider in advance.
The goal is to keep your pet’s routine as normal as possible while allowing enough time for the transportation provider to safely care for the animal.
What About Birds and Other Pets?
Dogs and cats are the most common pets moved by households, but people also move with birds, rabbits, reptiles and other animals.
The requirements for these animals can be very different from those for dogs and cats.
For international moves, certain birds and other animals may be subject to additional USDA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, CITES or destination-country requirements. Some species may require permits or may be restricted altogether.
Don’t assume that the rules for dogs and cats apply to other pets. If you’re moving with a bird, reptile, rabbit or another type of animal, check the requirements for that specific species and destination well before your move.
If Your Pet Gets Lost During Transport
The possibility of a pet becoming lost during transportation is small, but it is still important to be prepared.
Make sure your pet has permanent identification, such as a properly registered microchip, and that your current contact information is associated with the microchip.
Your pet should also have identification information appropriate for the trip, such as a collar tag with your current phone number.
Before your pet travels, keep current photographs and a detailed description of your pet readily available.
If your pet goes missing during transportation:
- Contact the airline, transportation company or other party responsible for the pet immediately.
- Notify local animal-control agencies, shelters and veterinary clinics.
- Provide recent photographs and a detailed description.
- Make sure your contact information is clearly available.
- Check with shelters and animal-control agencies regularly until your pet is found.
A microchip is an important form of permanent identification, but it is not a GPS tracking device. Make sure the registration information is current before you move.
Professional Pet Movers
Depending on the destination and complexity of your move, you may want to consider using a professional pet mover.
A professional pet transportation company can help coordinate many of the details involved in moving a pet, particularly for international or complex moves.
Services may include:
- Pickup and delivery between your home, airport, veterinarian or quarantine facility
- Flight arrangements
- Ground transportation
- Travel kennel recommendations
- Veterinary appointment coordination
- Health and veterinary documentation
- Import permits and other documentation
- Transit permits
- Quarantine arrangements, where required
- Assistance with airline requirements
International pet transportation can be particularly complicated because every country has its own requirements, and those requirements can change.
A professional pet mover can help coordinate the process, but the pet owner should still verify the destination’s current requirements and work with the appropriate veterinarian and government authorities.
Planning Ahead Makes Moving With Pets Easier
Moving with pets doesn’t have to be stressful, but it does require planning.
As soon as you know you’re moving, start by identifying the requirements for your destination and contacting your veterinarian. If you’re moving internationally, check the current requirements through USDA APHIS and the government authorities in your destination country. If you’re moving within the United States, check the requirements of your destination state or territory.
Give yourself plenty of time for vaccinations, testing, health certificates, permits and any required waiting periods.
And remember that your pet’s travel arrangements are separate from your household move. Your moving company can transport your furniture, clothing and other belongings, but pets require their own transportation planning.
Compass Moving understands that pets are part of the family. If you’re planning a household move, our team can help you coordinate the logistics of getting your belongings to your new home while you make the appropriate arrangements for your pets.
With the right preparation, you and your pets can make the journey together and settle into your new home with less stress.