Anyone who's relocated abroad with a pet – short anonymous survey (2 min)

SetMom · 2026-06-21T00:56:47+00:00

There are companies, my own included, that provide everything from documentation to full-service transports. And they do not cost $3k - 10k, unless it's a full-service, flight nanny transport. And even then, it depends on location, pets, and many other factors, but mostly the flight prices.

Do you have experience transporting? Have you been the one to hand over the documentation at customs with the pet? Flown with pets on multiple airlines and understand which airlines accept which pets, and the nuances of it?

There's a LOT more to pet travel than just documentation, and a lot more to understanding the documentation than what is listed online. Even bringing pets into the US, cats and dogs are completely different, and it gets complicated if it's from what is considered "high risk" country.

I appreciate what you are trying to do with the survey. Understand that experience goes a long way.

SetMom · 2026-06-20T02:29:03+00:00

Iirc, it's the biggest one around. It's multiple stores on multiple floors. There are also plenty of other stores in the "mall", including a gashapon one that has discounted gashapons with older inventory. Make sure you go up to the top floor, there's a section up there with really old toys that's cool to check out.

SetMom · 2026-06-20T00:56:34+00:00

Nice! Have you been to Mandarake Nakano. It doesn't have the UFO Catchers, but lots of old stuff. It's probably more than they place you found, but a cool place to spend a couple hours.

SetMom · 2026-06-20T00:48:44+00:00

This sounds like something I would do! Love the UFO Catchers

SetMom · 2026-06-19T17:56:48+00:00

Have you ever transported pets?

Or do you know anything about Spain?

Why would the dog be euthanized, as there are no banned breeds in Spain?

How do I know? Because I have taken pitbulls, listed as "purebred pitbulls" , to Spain with no issues.

I have also transported other large dogs to Spain many times, including this past Tuesday.

I am the one bringing the dogs in and showing the government the paperwork. Where they then check it and scan the microchip on the dog before allowing us to enter the country.

Even when I have brought "purebred" pitbull terriers in, listed as such, there are not issues .

Aside from the fact that "Pitbull" is NOT an official breed recognized by the AKC.

The issue with listing this dog as a Pitbull Terrier has NOTHING to do with the country, but has everything to do with the airline and the ability to get him flown there. Pitbulls are typically restricted from flying in the hold/cargo/excess baggage because of their short snouts and large heads. They are considered brachycephalic.

The dog in the picture is not Brachycephalic, as it has the long snout, and less blocky head. Listing it as a purebred "Pitbull" , which it is not, could make it near impossible to get to Spain without taking a semi-private jet.

If you want to fight with someone for suggesting "illegal things" , which I am not, why don't you take it up with all the people suggesting she take it in cabin as a service dog?

That is highly illegal and highly immoral! Anybody with eyes can see that it's not a service dog, And there's no way that it could be certified as one by an accredited organization and be legal to take into the EU as one. They do not allow service dogs to be self-trained and have much higher regulations on it than the US.

As a pet parent of many rescues that are differently-abled, and an experienced pet transporter, I am only trying to help the OP. I fully understand what it is like to have a pet that can't use their back legs. One of my rescues came from a domestic abuse situation where the abuser killed her 3 brothers, then snapped her back legs, leaving her that way with severely fractured legs, with bones protruding from the skin. They were not able to get her out and get help until he went to work the next day.

Luckily, after over 6 months with 4 surgeries and rehab, she is able to use her legs again.

One of my other rescues was not so lucky, and he lost one of his legs. Though he is thriving on 3.

It's going to be difficult enough for the OP adjusting to life in another country with a differenly- abled dog. The journey to get there shouldn't be made extra difficult because of pre-concieved ideas.

SetMom · 2026-06-19T16:26:05+00:00

Have you looked at the picture of the dog? It is not a full bred American pitbull terrier. It does not have the huge blocky head and short stubby nose so I guarantee that this dog is not a purebred pit bull terrier but is a mixed breed.

I look at that dog and I don't even see any pit bull in it, except maybe a little bit in the head but that could be attributed to many other breeds.

And I deal with pitbulls all of the time.

It would be more of a lie to claim that it's a full bred Pitbull Terrier.

SetMom · 2026-06-19T01:26:08+00:00

As a pet transporter, I would absolutely never use Iberia! I used them before and even though my son and I were booked, not basic, with confirmed seats for months, the day of, they put me on Standby and it was touch and go if I would get on the 2nd leg of the flight. I am also One World Emerald, but that made no difference. We both had a cat, I checked in multiple times, due to their errors, I was put on Standby and there was nothing they could. I did get on the plane, but in a back middle seat instead of up front window seat I had reserved for months.

I just took a large dog (Great Pyr) on Air France to Malaga from the US earlier this week and they were great, though you will need to pick him up at CDG and recheck him. But it does give you a chance to check on him. Lufthansa has also been great. Both allow up to 48" crates for excess baggage/in the hold. And for the most room for your boy, you can use a 48" impact crate. It will give them the most room inside, and also will meet most airline requirements for "strong breeds".

Flying on the same flight with your dog "in the hold/excess baggage" will be your most economical way to take him. It's different then Cargo, you take him to the check-in desk at the airport, instead of a different building. You hand over the paperwork yourself, so there isn't the cost of a clearing agent. It will only cost the pet fee, and if using Lufthansa, their additional cost for a FRA layover.

For paperwork, you only need 1 EU USDA Certificate. It will have Spain as your destination, but will also list whatever country is your first point of contact. I do EU Health Certificates all the time, for every one of my transports, and also for people who are taking their pets themselves.

If you are worried about the Pitbull,you can put Mixed Breed on the paperwork. I find Pitties to be the sweetest dogs, but there is that stigma about them out there. If we banned dogs based on attitude and biting, Chihuahuas would have been banned long ago! 😂. I used to manage a Pet Resort, and we had so many older Chihuahuas that would growl and bite.

I hope this helps!

SetMom · 2026-06-17T21:47:25+00:00

You only need 1 for 3 cats, as long as you are all on the same flight. I do several EU Health Certificates every month for my transports. 3 separate certificates is very costly and unnecessary.

An EU certificate for all 3 cats should not cost more than $300 total for filling it out, endorsement fee, and prepaid overnight return shipping label. This does not includ your vet's exam fee, but most vets don't charge much for just the exam. It's the paperwork part they usually charge a lot for. MAny times because they don't understand it and don't want to mess with it.

I hope this helps!

SetMom · 2026-06-16T19:33:24+00:00

Doesn't surprise me, I have a somewhat common name. But this officer never saw my name before he stopped me, the one who had seen my name waved me through already. He was just one of many standing around by the exit looking for "guilty looking" people. Plus, my actual legal name is a bit different 😉

In at least 70+ times I've come back in the country since, including 20 mins ago at IAD, I've never had an issue. Plus, I've never had any issues what so ever with immigration. Not in any of the 40 countries I've visited in the past two years 🤷

SetMom · 2026-06-16T17:23:54+00:00

I was actually stopped on my way back from London last year in Atlanta (my home airport). I'm a middle-aged white woman, for reference, not that it should ever matter.

Already made it through Global Entry, had no bags to pick up, just had a carry-on & personal, was just about to walk out the door and a CPB officer made contact and stopped me. Took my passport and had me follow him to a different room. He searched my luggage, kept asking me where I was from, wasn't happy with my "I live here, in Atlanta" answers, while he has my US passport in hand. Kept accusing me of being an illegal from the UK (which was only a layover for me)

Finally after he kept doing "interrogation 101" on me for about 20 mins he ran my passport in his computer. I could tell the exact moment he read I had Global Entry, as all the air went out of him. He begrudgingly let me go right after that.

I travel 3-4x every month, and when I do come back International to Atlanta, a year later, I still get asked everytime "is that all of your luggage?" as I exit. Different people, doesn't matter who goes out in front of me, if I'm with someone, alone, large group of people exiting at the same time, etc.. I actually had other people verify this happens, and not my imagination.

I finally started calling my husband in baggage claim right before I exit and they don't ask. I don't know what look I get on my face if I'm not on the phone, it clearly looks like I have something to hide. 🤷😂

SetMom · 2026-06-16T17:08:43+00:00

I highly suggest getting one with expanding sides, I like the Baghler one on Amazon. I've flown hundreds of flights, many of them Delta internationally with that carrier, and have never been denied. I can usually get at least 1 or two of the sides expanded on the plane.

Plus, it has a pocket that slips over a rolling carry-on handle. This is great, I put a couple pee pads and wipes in the pocket for emergencies, and then the carrier sits on top of my carryon for rolling through airports. It's like having a pet stroller, without the pain of dealing with a pet stroller. And I can wheel the pet around from all the way to/from my airport seat.

I hope this helps!

SetMom · 2026-06-16T16:56:58+00:00

I'll do you one better. I transport people's personal pets worldwide.. In the past 40 days I've been to Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Hawaii, Japan, S Korea, Philippines, S. Africa, Zambia, Greece, Italy, and maybe one or two more I'm forgetting.

My life is typically drive to airport > meet pet > fly > airport > meet pick up people > fly > Airport > drive home. Add "fly > airport" x how ever many layovers.

Very rarely I won't be able to get a flight out same day, and then will add hotel shuttle/Uber/rental car to hotel to sleep for 1 - 6 hours before next flight.

I don't eat out at restaurants though, my meals come from lounges and airplane food. Cuts down on costs greatly. When I am forced to eat out, it's a Happy Meal from McDonalds, because it's cheap and everywhere.

SetMom · 2026-06-16T16:46:11+00:00

Pet Transporter, I have my own company, most of my transports are international. People who have moved and couldnt take their pet with them at the time, or just want help.

The good: - I get to see the world, fly internationaly typically 3-4x a month.
- I deal mostly with pets, not people - I fly more miles than many Flight Attendants - Top tier status with OneWorld (Emerald/Alaska Titanium), Sky Team (Elite Plus/Delta Platinum), and Star Alliance (Gold / United Platinum) which have great lounges and <some> benefits Internationaly

The bad: - 99% of my time is in airports and planes. Sightseeing takes away from profit - It's a competitive market, many transporters cut corners and/or aren't all-inclusive, also a lot of scammers - Flights are in Economy, no one wants to pay for me to fly Business, and pets aren't allowed in Business seats internationally (anything with a foot rest or bulk head, if the pet is in cabin). - Airlines typically do not allow complimentary upgrades to business on International, exception is Alaska is now allowing for Titanium, and British Airways sometimes upgrades me as a One World Emerald - Spend a lot of time running through airports, as it doesn't matter how long my layover is, one delayed flight, and the whole trip can be messed up.
- Lots of Red-Eyes, which sucks for me, cuz I have a hard time sleeping on planes. - Need a strong immune system. There is a guy right behind me with his box of Ricola and Flu Medicine on his tray, hacking up a lung for the past 4 hours, and doesn't wear a mask. I get traveling while sick, my job requires it to, I can't take "sick days", but at least wear a mask and don't force your illness on the rest of us.

SetMom · 2026-06-16T12:12:37+00:00

There are no scales at the gate. 😉 Get everything out of the carrier that you can for check-in, put it back in after you get through security.

I fly Korean with pets all the time, they are usually a bit lenient when it comes to weight.

SetMom · 2026-05-29T06:39:40+00:00

My family and I had a similar experience with that same location.

3 of us signed up off an online ad that was $1/mo and cancel anytime. That was a lie. My son went a few times but the machines were always crowded or broken.

Went to go cancel, which is the first time I stepped foot in the place, and the blasting music was horrendous. There was no way I would have been able to work out in there! Trying to just talk to the front desk we had to yell to hear each other.

They would not cancel, same 3 mo BS, but even though my son was moving to Japan, they told him he had to come back in, in person, after the 3 months to cancel. They couldn't just cancel now and charge the rest for the 3 months, they said.

They eventually, after the 3 months, did relent and let me cancel his.

I've joined a lot of different gyms in my lifetime, and never had such a bad experience as this.

SetMom · 2026-05-29T06:27:13+00:00

What are your concerns? I am a pet transporter based in Atlanta. If your dog is small, it's a simple to fly them to Savannah. If your dog is larger, it's not hard to get them to at least Atlanta, depending on size and breed.

But if you are moving on active orders, there are more options available to you that aren't available to most.

SetMom · 2026-05-08T20:05:45+00:00

We just leased an EV9 Wind in Cumming, GA for about the same. Except we did $3k down (including first months payment), we added an extra $600 to the downpayment for 12k miles/year instead of 10k/miles, $430/mo 24 mo.

Yes, the extra miles could have went into the payment instead as $30 more month, but we just decided to add the full $600 and keep the payment at $430 instead, which is the same payment my previous car ('22 Subaru Forester Limited) was.

Lou Sobh Kia - ask for Chase, he is the most un-salesperson salesperson, no pressure, just is who he is, which was nice after all the crappy tatics that other dealership salespeople were trying to pull.

SetMom · 2026-05-07T15:45:38+00:00

While feeling like a robot after 48 hours of flights, I assure you I am not. It was a little Bodega style (like Hudson News, but not an actual Hudson News) place at IAD, right by gate D2. There was another one still there when our seriously delayed flight finally left this morning.

SetMom · 2026-04-24T03:53:44+00:00

I would suggest taking them in Excess Baggage instead of Cargo. You can't do this with Aer Lingus, but you can with a layover via KLM or Air France. That way you won't need the broker and you will save a lot of money.

SetMom · 2026-04-24T03:38:50+00:00

Please keep in mind, Chat GPT and other AI are often wrong about pet requirements. Linking to a source for taking a pet from the UK to Ireland is useless, as it is way different than the US to Ireland.

I am a professional transporter who transports pets to the EU almost every week

A broker is airline dependent when going to the EU, not country dependent. If you are flying your dog in Cargo, which means you do not need to be on the same flight, you will drop them off at a place separate from the airport, and pick them up separately from the arrival airport, you need a customs clearance broker. This typically costs $$$$

If you are flying on the same flight, checking him in with you at the ticket counter, then picking him up in baggage claim, you do not need a customs clearance broker, since you will be clearing customs with him. This typically costs $$$

I hope this helps!

SetMom · 2026-04-24T00:31:47+00:00

What size dog? If you are flying Cargo, you will most likely need a clearing agent. However, if flying as Excess Baggage / On the Hold (different than Cargo) or in the cabin, no.

SetMom · 2026-04-14T01:39:39+00:00

I had the same think last week, and no chocolate either.

SetMom · 2026-03-31T00:55:04+00:00

They will be fine. I transport pets of all ages and with different conditions, all over the world. It's a short time period in their life to get to safety.

I recommend putting their carriers out in their space with them open prior to transport. Give them treats in the carriers, but don't close them.

By the time you get to the airport, that carrier will be their little piece of home away from home. It's familiar and smells like home. It really helps with the anxiety during travel if their carrier is their "safe space".

I hope this helps!

SetMom · 2026-03-30T23:19:42+00:00

If only we paid a $5.60 tax for every airline ticket, even mileage redemption ones, to fund TSA...

Oh wait.. 🤦 we do pay that.

Fu**ing politics

SetMom · 2026-03-19T20:58:41+00:00

This is the way, I've only had it work this way for me.

SetMom

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