Flying A Dog Internationally

In 2016 I was presented with an exciting opportunity to work for an education NGO in Uganda. I accepted the job but not before carefully considering what that would mean for Milo. Since I had moved him on my own before, I was confident that I could move him again.

With research and preparation I managed to organize all the paperwork for the move. Unfortunately, due to a mishap with the airline I ended up hiring a pet relocation company in the end. I wanted to share this story as a way to showcase how you can get organized for a move on your own, as well as the benefits of hiring a company to assist you.

*Disclaimer: This move happened in 2017 so information is subject to change.

Moving to East Africa

Considering that I had never been to East Africa, I was worried about bringing Milo with me. As my contract was initially for one year, I didn’t feel it was right to bring him all that way just to bring him back a year later. With the help of family and friends, I decided to leave Milo in the US for 5 months while I went over and assessed the situation. My plan was that if the environment was good and my contract extended, I would bring Milo back to Uganda with me after Christmas.

I came home for Thanksgiving knowing that he would return with me. I was aiming to fly back to Uganda at the end of January, giving me two months to prepare all the medical and import documents. This time around I knew what I needed to do and felt that two months was plenty of time to get everything sorted. The following are the steps I made for myself to stay organized.

Step 1. Choosing an Airline

I had flown Qatar Airways many times and read that they were animal friendly. Their flights at the time were more affordable then other airlines, so I did some research and called their office in Boston asking about their pet policy. When I initially called, I didn’t know Milo’s exact weight or measurements, but I told the representative that he was the size and mix of a yellow Labrador. The Qatar Airways rep said it was fine and that the airline accepted dogs of Labrador size. She told me I would need to provide his weight and dimensions when I was ready to book a flight.

I then asked about the connection in Doha. When I traveled with Milo from Tunis, I had to collect him in Paris and re-check him to Boston. The Qatar Airways rep said that Hamad International Airport has a live animal facility where the animals wait for their connecting flights. She told me that I would not have access to the facility, but that it is run by trained animal handlers who walk, feed and water the animals before brining them to their connecting flights.

Happy with all of these answers, I decided I would book with Qatar Airways. I reserved a flight that confirmed I was traveling with a live animal. I was instructed to call back as soon as I had the weight, height and length measurements of both Milo and his crate. I was then able to start on the paperwork.

Step 2. Import Documents

The first thing I needed to do was sort out the import documents for Uganda. Importing a dog into a foreign country is confusing and mistakes can be easily made. A good friend of mine had brought her dog to Uganda from Australia so I asked her for advice. She gave me the contact information of Dr. Alex Mugisa at Vetluv Pet Travel in Kampala. Dr. Alex and his team confirmed that they would be able to orchestrate the import paperwork and customs processing at the airport. 

I needed to send him the following information:

1. Milo’s vaccination records
2. Copy of my passport
3. USDA certification

The vaccinations that were required for entry to Uganda were Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvoviruses and Rabies. I also needed to send my flight and connecting flight information. With this process in motion, I was then able to schedule an appointment with my local vet.

Step 3. International Health Certificate 

Many foreign countries require an International Health Certificate that is endorsed by the USDA. Additionally, some airlines will require an airline vet certificate. Before speaking to Dr. Alex at Vetluv Pet Travel, I had  found a company called The Pet Passport Store that provided these documents. I sent them email inquiry explaining that I wanted to move Milo to Uganda. For $25 I got a packet of 6 documents which included the following:

1. Airline check list
2. Airline vet certificate
3. USDA area office listing
4. USDA English APHIS form (International Health Certificate)
5. USDA instructions
6. Uganda animal import regulations document.

I found these documents very helpful and was glad I had them when I brought Milo to the vet for his physical examination. Our vet at Greenland Veterinary Hospital administered the vaccinations Milo needed and completed the Airline vet certificate as well as the International Health Certificate. Moreover, I needed to get the health certificate endorsed by the USDA.

Step 4. USDA Endorsement

The USDA has offices all over the country. When I asked the vet which office I needed to send the endorsement to, she unfortunately didn’t know but reminded me that it had to go to the department for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). I referenced the USDA area office listing document and called a few offices in New England. None of the offices I called did the endorsement nor were they able to direct me to the right place. Frustrated, I did one last google search and found a page on the USDA website for the APHIS. It led me to this page where you select your state and it directs you to the appropriate office. I found that for New Hampshire I needed to go through their office in Albany, New York.

Just to confirm that it was indeed the right location, I called the Albany office and inquired about the mailing instructions. It was good I called because I had to include an endorsement check for $38.00, as well as a pre paid return label. I mailed in the endorsement and got it back within a few days. I was then able to send a copy to Dr. Alex in order for him to finish preparing his side of the paperwork.

Where Things Went Wrong

With everything under control we were almost ready to go. I was impressed with myself for managing to find and complete all the necessary paperwork. The last thing I needed were a few travel items for the crate. I had been gifted a crate from a friend as Milo’s original crate was too small. I went online and ordered a Pet Airline Kit on Amazon from DryFur. These are great because they come with travel bowls, a kennel liner, live animal labels and a name tag. I was planning on putting one of his small blankets over the kennel liner along with a chew toy for the trip.

About two weeks before our flight things started to go wrong. I got a call from Qatar Airways saying that they were very sorry but they made a mistake and Milo exceeded their weight limit. He was 58lbs (26.4kg) and with the crate he was pushing close to 70lbs (31kg). I can’t remember what they told me was their limit at the time, but I think it was around 55lbs (25kg). For Qatar Airways current animal weight policy see here.

Hiring A Pet Relocation Company

I was told that if I wanted to bring him on the flight I would have to hire a freight forwarding or pet relocation company. While very annoyed, I figured it might still work since I had already done all of the paperwork, I just needed them to put Milo on the plane. I called a few companies in Massachusetts, but they all said it was too short notice to organize. I then called around to other airlines but most of them said he was too heavy to take as luggage.

As a last resort I reached out to Dr. Alex to see if he had any advice. He put me in touch with a woman he used to work with named Sarah. Sarah and her friend Elaine own their own pet relocation company based out of Texas called Pets with Passports. Sarah very kindly explained that they would need more time to organize this move for Milo. Upset and disheartened, I had no other option but return to Uganda and hire a company to move him for me. This also meant that all of the paperwork I had prepared, which was time sensitive, became void. I would have to do the paperwork all over again. I felt incredibly defeated.

Pets with Passports

After returning to Uganda, I contacted Sarah to begin the process of moving Milo. I was initially against hiring a pet relocation company because it can cost significantly more than if you were to do it on your own. What I did learn was that not only do they provide the convenience and peace of mind of door to door service, they make sure everything is organized and the animal is moved safely. I could write forever about how much I love Sarah and Elaine at Pets with Passports, but instead I will share how they did such a wonderful job moving Milo.

Sarah is incredibly patient. When I spoke with her I pretty much begged her to get him to Uganda as quickly as possible. Tolerant of my pleading, she promised to move him as quickly as she could in the safest way possible. Since I was no longer in the US, my sister was kind enough to handle the vet visit. Sarah sent her the required veterinary documents and she brought Milo to once again get approved for the International Health Certificate. The certificate was again mailed to the USDA office in New York for endorsement.

Leaving for Uganda

Aside from physically brining Milo to the vet, Sarah and Elaine took care of everything else. This included coordinating and planning with Dr. Alex in Kampala. They looped me in on most emails related to the flights and customs procedures. Amazingly, within two weeks it was all organized and Milo was ready to go. He was picked up at my parents house in New Hampshire and driven to JFK International Airport in New York. He was then booked on KLM to Amsterdam where he had a short layover at the Animal Hotel at Schiphol Airport, where he finally connected to Entebbe. 

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Since the flight arrived rather late in the evening, Milo spent the night at the Vetluv Pet Travel kennels after Dr. Alex cleared him through customs. I drove to the office in Kampala the next morning to pick him up. It all went very smoothly and he was very happy to see me. Just like when he arrived in the US, he was very groggy and tired. It took a couple days for him to adjust to Uganda’s climate and altitude, which is normal.

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Throughout this entire move Sarah sent me WhatsApp updates and pictures of Milo and his whereabouts.  I was incredibly grateful for this and it eased my mind tremendously knowing where he was on his journey. She also sent me detailed paperwork with flight times, flight numbers and emergency contact numbers. She organized the exchange of my crate for a bigger one which was swapped when they came to pick up Milo at my parents house. The crate even came with a padded bolster bed which Milo loves and is still his favorite place to sleep.

I’m so grateful to Sarah and Elaine for the hard work they did to organize this move so quickly. I can’t recommend Pets with Passports enough. Check out their Facebook and Instagram.

What I Learned

Of all of the moves I have done with Milo, this one took the longest and most effort to organize. That being said, this was also the farthest move we have done so it was important to think everything through carefully. There are pros and cons to organizing a move on your own and hiring a pet relocation company. Hiring a company can be very expensive, but with that price you are guaranteeing a safe journey for your pet and stress free experience for yourself. It’s nice to have that peace of mind on long trips that have more than one stop over or a complex immigration process.

Over the course of my two years in Uganda, I met several expats who had brought their dogs with them. Every one of them had hired companies to organize their move, which made me believe that the import process was far more complicated than I originally anticipated. I can’t stress enough the importance of research and planning. I initially thought two months was enough time and it wasn’t. By giving yourself ample time you make it manageable if things do go wrong.

Flying is not so nice for dogs, so the smoother you can make the trip for them the better. We all want the best for our furry companions, and while some of these journeys can be long in the end it’s always worth it.

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Have questions about traveling internationally with your dog? Need some advice or reassurance on what to do? Feel free to send me a message! I’m happy to share my knowledge and put you in touch with the right people.