Well we have to take to take our children wherever we go, sure they are dogs and a cat but they are our children, so how do we go about this?
We have previously moved animals overseas with us, from Australia to Malaysia, Malaysia to Reunion, Reunion to Mauritius, Mauritius to South Africa, South Africa to USA and now USA to India… and at the end of the contract back to the USA. So we aren’t new to this international pet moving!
We start searching for information, there isn’t much as far as government website info we can find about taking your pets to India, but we do stumble across this board called India Mike . This site is great, but has some old information on it, and some people who are very very negative about travelling with animals!
But it gets us started, and with some google searches we come across some websites here in the USA for pet relocation specialists, but WOW there prices are huge. As freight they want from $5000- 7000 for all 3 animals, or we find out we can take them as excess baggage and they will do the USA part of the paperwork for $500…plus vet fees….still a lot.
So we look more and find Pet Travel Store in Fort Lauderdale that sells all kinds of pet travel info and supplies. The supplies aren’t much different to the stuff we can get in Petsmart or Petco, and the major stores are cheaper in some items, but they have these travel info packs of paper work and what you need info which are really good!
So for around $20 we now are armed with the starting block, the forms and instruction sheets.
No related posts.
From Joy:
Hey!
chanced upon ur blog – am planning on moving my 2 dogs from the US to India – 6 year old Golden and 3 year old Choc Lab to India – I am mostly worried about picking a responsible airline for this purpose. i there a website that rates international carriers as regards pet transportation? Also, given that you have travelled extensively, do you have any recommendations?
thanks for any help that you can offer
From chris:
First question is where to where, I think you are outside of Dallas from your ip address, that may be wrong though. For a India move I would say hands down Lufthansa, and if you are in Dallas thats easy as there is a flight DFW to FRA to India (I know I will be on it later in the month coming back from DFW to Kolkata after training). Lufthansa has some of the best connections to and from India and they are good pet travel and take care of the pets well at both ends. (just make sure when you land in India go straight to the baggage counter and make them aware you are wanting your pets asap) next in line I would recommend British Airways.
And arrange it all yourself, its easier and you will have peace of mind, the hardest part though is actually all travelling together to and from the airports you will find.
I would be careful though of when you are travelling, from working at airports tarmacs are hot places, I wouldnt be travelling with them until October due to the high temps in India until then at the airports.
From Ruchi Sinha:
Hi,
I am traveling from Chicago to Hyderabad on Air India and was wondering if it is okay to take my dog (Zorro 41lbs beagle mix) as excess baggage with me on the air india flight (Chicago—frankfurt–Bombay–Hyderabad).
Please advice.
I found out about lufthansa cargo options and it is too expensive for me to afford plus I have no easy way to get the import license from an agent in India.
Thank you so much
Ruchi
From chris:
why not take your dog as excess baggage on lufthansa… its not going to cost much the prices are on their website ?? If you can get there with the least stops the better. And I definitely would be taking your dog on a flight until the weather cools, its just too hot at any airport in the northern hemisphere now until late september. Its 36 C here in Delhi airport at 10.30 pm right now.
I also wouldnt recommend the air india flight, I see how they handle pets at airports in india and its not nice at all. Plus thats going to be a stressful flight for the poor dog with 3 legs, in india there will be no way you can get the dog out at mumbai airport and take him for a walk, and you will also have to change terminals and that alone will be a logistical nightmare.
From kaveesh:
Hi,
Im moving to new delhi from mebourne. I want to take back home my two maltese puppies. Unfortunatley their isn’t any direct flight to New delhi. I was thinking to take them as excess baggage but flight is for approx 14hrs. Im really scared and confused that should take them with me or arrange air cargo as they are direct flights.
From chris:
hmmm my advice would be as they are Maltese take them in the cabin in a collapsible type carrier . Thats going to be a lot of stress for a litte puppy like that.
Frieght isnt an option really on a direct flight, as then you are talking about a actual freighter, and as far as I know they wont take live animals like this…horses sure, but lap dogs… doubt it. If they were to go freight you would be looking at most likely via Singapore. But if I was you I would be taking them in the cabin under your feet, and book a flight with a stop in Singapore or Bangkok where you can take some nappies/diapers with you so the pup can get out of the carrier and go pee pee in a quiet corner of the terminal. But of course taking 2 at once will be a problem, unless you have someone going with you, then you are stuck as you can only take one in the cabin at a time.
My advice for a maltese terrier puppy is not to freight them, if you do take them as excess baggage so they fly with you, and make sure you check the weather at your stopover place, if its going to be 100% humidity and over 25C there you pups will be in trouble even in a shaded place at an airport, they wont be used to it after living in melbourne.
let us know how it works out and what you choose.
From Joy:
Chris,
Just sent paperwork in for the NOC – keeping my fingers crossed.
man – thanks mucho for your input; we have planned our flight to India exactly as you advised – Lufthansa from DFW – FRA – BLR. they are traveling as excess baggage – CANNOT afford the $7000 quote on freight
I have to admit that I am very worried about my dos’ well-being in India though – I know you were in Kolkata and so I am wondering if you by any chance knew vets in Bangalore that you would recommend.
Also, in FRA do they let the dogs out of the crate? I sure hope so.
Also, I am s
From Joy:
and o – we are leaving Jan 30th 2011 and I am told the weather in bangalore is glorious for the most part of the year. One last question: I am desperately looking for a bottle holder to attach to the crate – for them to refill in FRA. cant find any online – can you point me to one such product?
Will keep you posted about the trip.
From admin:
Joy
I am will ask the other Pilot today about vets in Bangalore, he is from there and had horses there. Apparently vet care in Bangalore is fairly normal.
In FRA they had let the dogs out of the crates and cleaned and watered them and given them food on the way to India. (on the way back the connection was too short so they just watered them) .
Chris
From admin:
The bottle and holder we used was this : http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754644
But test them , one we got was leaking. And also I froze one and when it froze it cracked… oops ….so on the way to the airport we had a mad dash to a Petsmart near MIA to buy a new one. We used the biggest size too of these bottles.
From Joy:
Thanks Chris – I will looking those.
Also, I read ur blog about ur cat, which is what has me very worried. Anyway, as I am moving to bangalore I googled pets being handled once deceased and I was very happy to find
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/times-of-india-the/mi_8012/is_20100724/bangalore-pet-crematorium-bangalore/ai_n54570785/
thought it might help to share with some of your blog readers.