Bringing my cats from UK to USA

[sianlouise 5]

hi guys!

me and my fiancée are in the final stages of our K1 visa, we are currently waiting on an interview date so im trying to work out costs and things for everything im going to need when its moving time.

I have 3 cats (non pedigree) who are coming with me when i move but i have no idea where to start looking on information on the cheapest and safest way for this to happen.

i know a lady whos family moved to America a few years ago and she took the family dog over to them a few months after they had settled in and he travelled in the cabin with her. i very much doubt this is possible for me seeing as i have 3 babies not 1.

im just looking for any advice from people who have made the move and sucessfully taken their beloved pets with them, as leaving them behind really isnt an option for me!

Thanks in advance

Sian

[Pitaya 2,576]

From the Guides, easily accessible at the top of the forum page: http://www.visajourney.com/content/bringing-animals-to-america

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[Boiler 43,622]

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Bringing_Pets

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Your airline is a good place to start. Some won't take pets to the northern areas in winter or souther areas in summer because of extreme temperatures. Not all have the same policies for transport, even if you get the import vet checks etc met.

[shiroiuso 3]

I would call the airline(s) you intend to use, as in my experience information about the specific costs is really difficult to find online.

Some airlines allow two small animals of the same species to travel in one carrier, but they must be able to fit comfortably, which given the size restrictions on in-cabin carriers pretty much restricts this rule to puppies or kittens...

You will probably have to send at least one cat as excess baggage, or in cargo if you're traveling at a time of year where temperature restrictions are in effect for wherever you are traveling. The quotes I was getting from pet shipping companies to send a cat via cargo in the summertime were all between $1000 and $2000. Fortunately we were able to find a home for him before we left (he was a foster) so I can't tell you anything about procedures or final costs.

Good luck!

[Soloenta 2,218]

hi guys!

me and my fiancée are in the final stages of our K1 visa, we are currently waiting on an interview date so im trying to work out costs and things for everything im going to need when its moving time.

I have 3 cats (non pedigree) who are coming with me when i move but i have no idea where to start looking on information on the cheapest and safest way for this to happen.

i know a lady whos family moved to America a few years ago and she took the family dog over to them a few months after they had settled in and he travelled in the cabin with her. i very much doubt this is possible for me seeing as i have 3 babies not 1.

im just looking for any advice from people who have made the move and sucessfully taken their beloved pets with them, as leaving them behind really isnt an option for me!

Thanks in advance

Sian

First congratulations on your Visa and on being a responsible owner, so many

dump there cats and dogs in the streets when they move.

I brought back two Egyptian Mau's kittens almost a year old each cost

me $200 on Lufthansa but some charge $250 per carrier with either two kittens or

one adult in them. They charge by weight and size of carrier so you have to decide

what Airline your going to use to fly home. But the prices are about the same

if you have to bring each in their carrier I'm thinking it will be $200 to 250 each

which isn't bad to get your babies home. Just make sure you have water for them

see if you can get one that sits outside the front door but the drinking part is inside.

Some use water feeders for Guinea pigs hahahaa hey it works. If the Airlines

says they will give them water don't believe it. Mine were in Cargo and they

had no water for 22 hours they were fine but I was pissed off.

Also brought a Persian from Egypt a rescue for his forever home on Turkish Air

and they charged $160 and it had to be cash so ask them if you have to have

cash or can pay with a credit card like you can on Lufthansa which is the one I

used on my first trip back to the USA. Good luck the worst part is now over

Woooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooo!!!!

[sianlouise 5]

Yeah i have read about the restrictions on the time of year they can fly, if they're not able to fly at the same time i do, i'm intending to force my mum to bring them over on her first visit haha.

Soloenta, those kinds of prices would be perfect! i hope i can get mine over that cheap aswell, can i just ask too, did your cats fly with you or did you have them shipped over separately?

[Soloenta 2,218]

Yeah i have read about the restrictions on the time of year they can fly, if they're not able to fly at the same time i do, i'm intending to force my mum to bring them over on her first visit haha.

Soloenta, those kinds of prices would be perfect! i hope i can get mine over that cheap aswell, can i just ask too, did your cats fly with you or did you have them shipped over separately?

Hahahaa hey what are mothers for for Pete's sake. The cats all of them were in the same plane as I was my two were in cargo and they were fine just make sure to put one of those plastic ties on the door so there is no way it can open by accident. The Persian since it was one cat flew inside semi under my chair it was somewhat uncomfortable they really don't fit. They only have room in cabin for one cat

The prices I quoted you are correct I work with a rescue org and they know the prices and they are from $160 to 250 per carrier or per cat. Dogs are as different story because of their size etc. So don't worry about the price it's pretty stable. Good luck but you wont need it, you should be fine temperature wise depending on where your going and what time the flight leaves.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Soloenta

[sianlouise 5]

hahaha exactly! well its reassured me alot that others have done it and been totally fine, i just know when the time comes, im going to be so worried about how they're coping lol.

id feel better using a pet shipping company but by the sounds of it they're crazy expensive

[Sabrina&Chuck 32]

pick an airline where u don't have to pay to much ..Lufthansa for example would have been in my case the cheapest airline for the cat ..but I chose icelaind air which was a lil more expensive with the cat but the direct flight itself was cheaper then every other flight. you have to have IATA boxes for each cat, which have to have water and food box. Very important. You need a healthcare certificate for each cat & depending on what state you are entering extra vaccinations and or extra tests. Plus all 3 of em need the European pet passport

Edited September 20, 2015 by Sabrina&Chuck

[sianlouise 5]

i thought i would only need the passport if they were returning to the uk?

[Sabrina&Chuck 32]

i thought i would only need the passport if they were returning to the uk?

I don't know anyone who took the cat with who does not have that passport. They wanted to see the one from my cat

Plus the health certificate isn't allowed to be older than 10 days before the flight goes

here check this out especially for Indiana

http://www.in.gov/boah/2437.htm

Edited September 20, 2015 by Sabrina&Chuck

[sianlouise 5]

I don't know anyone who took the cat with who does not have that passport. They wanted to see the one from my cat

Plus the health certificate isn't allowed to be older than 10 days before the flight goes

okay thanks! ill look more into that

[EnaBrenna 1]

I just traveled from Tunisia to the U.S. with a dog in cargo and the cat in the cabin. I flew Lufthansa and they are wonderful and super professional with the animals. All I needed was a health certificate within ten days and documentation of current rabies (at least 30 days out) for each one- no pet passport or anything else. All went smoothly!

[Soloenta 2,218]

i thought i would only need the passport if they were returning to the uk?

For the USA you don't need the passport thing for the cats you need a health certificate and proof they have been vaccinated for Rabies from your Vet and it doesn't matter what state your going to. Most of the time they don't even ask you for anything but you never know so have the health certificate and rabies proof in case they ask for it.

If you have face book or if not would suggest you sign up for it and ask Cheryl who has a legit rescue here in the US she knows it all every airport state and she can verify what I have said. I adopted my two Mau's from here and she is still rescuing cats from Egypt and finds homes all over the USA and Europe she is fabulous. Here is her link on Facebook,

https://www.facebook.com/cherylmcmrr?fref=pb&hc_location=friends_tab&pnref=friends.all