To minimize your pet’s stress, it is ideal that it stays with you before departure. In the event that you have to relocate earlier than your pet, we suggest that you leave it with a reliable friend or family member or board it with a reliable boarding kennel. We’ll coordinate with you or your pet-sitter to collect your pet a few hours before departure. However, please note that depending on your location and the airline’s regulations, we sometimes have to pick your pet up 24 hours before the flight takes off.

Here are some common reasons why a pet is not allowed to board a plane:

- Unforeseen circumstances like a security breach or extreme weather conditions. The airline then issues an “embargo”, which means the flight is delayed or cancelled. When the weather is bad, an airline has the right to refuse to put your pet on the plane till it is safe for flying.

- Heavy air traffic which is common during festive seasons may also give rise to an embargo.

- Incomplete documentation, which is the most common scenario. The pet sets off without having the complete set of paperwork required by the importing country; the lack of proper documentation is discovered at the point of exit, and the pet is not allowed to board the plane though this may happen at a third country during transit or upon arrival in the importing country. The pet then gets held up or moved to a quarantine station until the required vaccinations, blood work, medical checks and quarantine period are completed. Such incidents often incur astronomical additional charges, not to mention unnecessary stress and suffering to the animal.

Sadly, this regrettable last scenario is often caused by pet owners who have chosen to handle the paperwork themselves. Why muddle through the paper quagmire and risk putting your beloved pet at discomfort when you could simply entrust the process to experienced professionals like us?

We discourage you from internationally transporting a pet until the following criteria have been met:

- it is of fit constitution and sound health

- it has had all necessary health injections and blood tests (these shots are generally not administered until they are about six months and/or older), as required by the importing country.

As such, we advise against sending any domesticated kittens and puppies under six months old, as they often experience health or stress-related problems while flying.

*Please note that while we advise that your pet be at least a year old before going on long haul flights, there’s no maximum age for flying an animal as long your veterinarian certifies it is fit to travel.

Our professional expertise is limited to dogs, cats and selected small domesticated animals, as the import and export rules of pets vary from country to country. These rules are usually extensive and require an in-depth knowledge so that your pet’s welfare is not compromised in any event.

Unconventional pets or endangered species are governed by different sets of requirements that we might not be familiar with; therefore we would prefer to consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.

We usually don’t have to measure for domestic cats but we have to for dogs, as the size varies with breeds, and a more active dog may require more space. Here are the general guidelines for measuring your dog for a suitable cage size:

A. Length (cm) = Nose to root of tail (tail excluded)

B. Height (cm) = Floor to top of head while standing

C. Width (cm) = The widest part of your dog’s torso.

These measurements should give your dog enough space to stand up and lie down comfortably.

Some destinations allow pets to travel as “excess baggage,” giving you an additional option for transporting your pet. However, you should check directly with the airline (and not an agent) as only the airline can confirm if they can accept your pet as “excess baggage”, i.e. allowing your pet to be next to you in the passenger cabin. You should also not forget there are import restrictions in many countries, so it is foolhardy to simply just turn up with your dog or cat and expect to reach your destination with it. Your professional pet mover is the best person to advise you on such restrictions.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible for our customers to fly in the cargo holding area with their pets as it is a restricted area. The import rules of most countries are strictly enforced for a good reason and are thus, inflexible. We will do their best to offer the least stressful and most economical solutions for you and your pet.

We will not tranquillize animals, and will not accept any tranquillized pets. Many highly-experienced vets who have worked closely with airlines, have shared with us that tranquillized animals are at risk of having respiratory and blood pressure problems that can lead to death. Instead, we work on minimizing stress. All pets under our care will have at least a few hours to relax in the transit kennel prior to flying. There they are given more space than they would be in their flight kennels. They are also fed and given fresh water in a peaceful and comfortable environment, and are walked. On the departure day, your pet is put into its flight kennel with plenty of iced water, and paper bedding for his comfort. His collar and leash are then removed and taped to the top of the kennel. To reduce discomfort caused by unnecessary waiting, we will only move your pet to the airport by the latest time required by the airline, without compromising its safe passage.

We require full payment five working days before your pet’s departure. We accept payment by cash, local personal cheques or electronic inter-bank transfer. We will only proceed with transport arrangements after payment has cleared.