When you make an international move it is often totally feasible for you to take your pet with you!
For many people their pet is part of their family. Children especially, will often miss a pet terribly if they have to leave it behind.
Taking your pet with you has number of advantages:
- Your pet will be happier with you,
- You family will be happier and settle quicker in their new home if you have your pet with you,
- Dog walks are a good way to make friends and meet people in your new country,
There are few places in the world were it is impossible to take your common domestic pet. In Turkey I have heard of people who take their dog with them when they go back to the US on holiday.
Cats and dogs are relatively easy to transport, but I have also heard of horses and parrots travelling with their owners.
One thing you can be sure about when moving your pet, the destination country will usually have very strict, but not necessarily onerous, rules you must comply with.
If you are taking your pet out of your home country you must also be aware of the rules for returning your pet to that country. This is especially important if your pet is on the list of protected or endangered species (e.g. some breeds of parrots).
One of the problem countries, as far as importing pets is concerned, is the UK. Though the strict quarantine laws have recently been reduced, anyone living outside a limited few European countries will still have to put their animal through six months of traumatic quarantine. Other island countries have quarantine rules that need to be investigated.
To find out if it is possible to take your pet with you, you will need to call the nearest embassy of the country you will be going to. Be sure to tell the embassy staff where your animal will be originating from (or where its vaccination certificate/travel documents are issued). Some countries have different rules depending on the origin of the animal, these variations are usually determined by whether the country is designates as rabies free, or not.
If it is possible to take your pet with you, it is also important to check what the requirements are for vaccinations, both the type and the proximity to the date of travel. Some vaccinations need to be done more that 30 days before travel and some need to be done within a few days.
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