Pet Relocation Guides

To give you an accurate relocation estimate, we need a few basics: your contact information, where your pet is traveling from and to, an approximate travel date, and your pet's species (dog or cat).

Helpful but not required at the quote stage: breed, weight, age, and measurements. These let us give you a more precise estimate, especially the chargeable weight, which drives air freight cost. If you don't have them yet, select 'I don't know yet' and we'll help you gather them.

Before booking, we'll need your pet's microchip number, rabies vaccination date, and current health certificate status. These determine what's legally required for your destination. We walk you through every step after you book.

After booking, we'll collect documents like vaccination records, import permits, and your travel itinerary. You'll never need to figure out which documents are required — we tell you exactly what to gather and when.

You'll need a soft tape measure and your pet standing normally on a flat surface. Three measurements determine the right IATA-compliant crate size:

Length: Measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail (where the tail meets the body). Don't include the tail itself.

Width: Measure across the widest part of the shoulders, with your pet standing. For most dogs, this is just behind the front legs.

Height: Measure from the floor to the top of the head while your pet is standing. If your dog has erect ears, measure to the tip of the ears. If your dog is sitting, measure from the floor to the top of the head while sitting. The standing measurement is what we use for crate sizing.

We add the required clearance to these measurements per IATA regulations. If you're unsure, take your best guess and select 'I don't know yet' — we can guide you through it on a quick call, or estimate from your pet's breed.

If you have PCS orders, tell us your report date as soon as possible. Pet relocation timelines are driven by destination requirements: rabies titer tests, waiting periods, and import permits can take 3 to 6 months for countries like the UK, Japan, Australia, and the EU.

We build the entire move backward from your report date. If the timeline is tight, we'll tell you honestly whether it's achievable and what options exist (earlier flights, expedited processing, or boarding at origin).

Under current Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), service members may be reimbursed for pet relocation costs: up to $550 for CONUS moves and up to $2,000 for OCONUS moves. We provide an itemized invoice that you can submit with your reimbursement claim.

If your report date doesn't allow enough time for the full requirement chain, we'll help you explore alternatives, such as flying your pet to a third-country holding facility, or arranging boarding until the next available flight window.

Every country has its own import rules for pets. These rules determine the timeline, the documents required, and sometimes whether the move is possible at all on your schedule.

Some countries (UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore) require a rabies titer test followed by a waiting period of 3 to 6 months. Others (most EU countries) require a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before entry. The United States requires a rabies certificate for dogs entering from rabies-endemic countries.

Breed restrictions also vary. Some airlines and countries restrict brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds like Bulldogs, Pugs, and Persian cats during certain temperature ranges. Some destinations ban specific breeds entirely.

This is why we ask for your destination early in the quote process. We check the current requirements, verify they're achievable on your timeline, and build a requirement checklist specific to your route and pet.

You don't need confirmed dates to get a quote. Enter your best estimate, even a rough month, and select 'I don't know yet' if you're unsure.

We work backward from the approximate date to determine whether the destination's requirement chain (vaccinations, titer tests, waiting periods, permits) can be completed in time. If the answer is 'yes, but it's tight,' we'll flag it. If the answer is 'no, not enough lead time,' we'll tell you what's possible instead.

Once your dates are confirmed, we lock in the flight booking, ground transport, and any boarding or quarantine needed. The earlier you start the process, the more options you have, especially for destinations with long waiting periods.

If your dates change after booking, let us know immediately. Some requirements are date-specific (health certificates must be issued within a window of the flight), and we'll adjust the timeline to keep everything valid.