Anyone shipped a pet (as cargo) into Chicago O'Hare airport?

[yoda one for me 321]

Hi all, wasn't sure where was the best board to post this.

 

I am due to enter the US on my K-1 visa in October and will be having my dog shipped over from the UK (via British Airways) a few days after I arrive. While I've found loads of information about requirements for documentation etc and what I need to have done before he flies, I'm struggling to find out what the process is for actually picking up my pet once he arrives in Chicago!

 

The pet shipping company I'm using want an extra £545 for an agent to handle this and they're claiming it can take 4-6 hours before our pet is handed over, but surely it's just a matter of driving to the airline's cargo area and filling out some paperwork? I have asked them to explain what the charge covers because it seems excessive and they've been vague and just repeated the above, but it has got me worried that it must be extremely difficult to pick up your animal if you don't know what you're doing. 

 

Has anyone shipped a pet via cargo to Chicago O'Hare specifically? What was the process on arrival to collect your pet? Did it take long? Was there anything particularly complicated involved?

[SuznAaron 121]

12 minutes ago, yoda one for me said:

Hi all, wasn't sure where was the best board to post this.

 

I am due to enter the US on my K-1 visa in October and will be having my dog shipped over from the UK (via British Airways) a few days after I arrive. While I've found loads of information about requirements for documentation etc and what I need to have done before he flies, I'm struggling to find out what the process is for actually picking up my pet once he arrives in Chicago!

 

The pet shipping company I'm using want an extra £545 for an agent to handle this and they're claiming it can take 4-6 hours before our pet is handed over, but surely it's just a matter of driving to the airline's cargo area and filling out some paperwork? I have asked them to explain what the charge covers because it seems excessive and they've been vague and just repeated the above, but it has got me worried that it must be extremely difficult to pick up your animal if you don't know what you're doing. 

 

Has anyone shipped a pet via cargo to Chicago O'Hare specifically? What was the process on arrival to collect your pet? Did it take long? Was there anything particularly complicated involved?

Our dog always travels with us. From Ireland to US just needed a doggie passport showing current vaccinations and rabies shot. Only cost 200 euros to book her on our flight into Dulles and we collected her when we collected our bags. Why using a shipping company? That said I did have to use a shipping company even with Nikki on my flight to Ireland due to the Irish requirements. Cost about 2500$. Not cheap!

[yoda one for me 321]

I'm using a shipping company because I'm leaving the country before him, so he has to go as cargo. It's not convenient for us to fly on the same flight so this is the only other way of doing it, and I had read that shipping out of Heathrow requires you use a shipping company rather than DIYing it anyway. 

[SuznAaron 121]

20 minutes ago, yoda one for me said:

I'm using a shipping company because I'm leaving the country before him, so he has to go as cargo. It's not convenient for us to fly on the same flight so this is the only other way of doing it, and I had read that shipping out of Heathrow requires you use a shipping company rather than DIYing it anyway. 

Ah Ok. It will be pricey then and yes it may take a while before you can pick up your pet. Will the company not bring your pet to you in the area? I used Pet-Express for travel to Ireland. They picked up my Nikki from me and got her boarded on the plane then also took her to the Vet's upon landing where we picked her up. Maybe 2-4 hours wait but no longer. 

[yoda one for me 321]

They would deliver him to our home, but that's an extra cost again and I would rather get access to my dog ASAP so I don't want him being ground shipped to me from the airport when we're an easy drive away ourselves.

 

I have no problem picking him up from the airport, I am just trying to understand what the process of getting him released from cargo to us is so I can determine if the extra cost for this optional service is worth taking, or if we'll be spending a lot of money for something we could have easily done ourselves. The cost of shipping him is fine, that's a necessary evil that we budgeted for, but this liaison cost has come out a lot more than I was expecting.

Edited August 29, 2019 by yoda one for me

[JeanneAdil 6,197]

Puppies and dogs entering the United States  must be 6 months of age and may not enter the United States from any country until fully vaccinated (rabies and distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza virus (DHLPP) and accompanied with an import permit.

 

I had taken both my golden retrievers to Canada when i went camping and when coming back into the US ,  they were going to quarantine them   6 weeks as i did not bring shot records with me.   i drove home to Pa and got the records and went back for my pets.

 

Keep their papers in your carry on baggage as airports are known to loose checked luggage and you don't need that hastle

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by JeanneAdil

[SuznAaron 121]

1 minute ago, yoda one for me said:

They will, but that's an extra cost and I would rather get access to my dog ASAP so I don't want him being ground shipped to me from the airport when we're an easy drive away ourselves.

 

I have no problem picking him up from the airport, I am just trying to understand what the process of getting him released from cargo to us is so I can determine if the extra cost for this optional service is worth taking, or if we'll be spending a lot of money for something we could have easily done ourselves.

I certainly understand! You should be able to get him straight from cargo somehow. Sorry I cant help with Chicago airport. Try giving them a call and see or hopefully someone else can advise. Good luck!

[yoda one for me 321]

Just now, JeanneAdil said:

Puppies and dogs entering the United States  must be 6 months of age and may not enter the United States from any country until fully vaccinated (rabies and distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza virus (DHLPP) and accompanied with an import permit.

 

I had taken both my golden retrievers to Canada when i went camping and when coming back into the US ,  they were going to quarantine them   6 weeks as i did not bring shot records with me.   i drove home to Pa and got the records and went back for my pets.

Thanks JeanneAdil, but I have all that covered . What I'm asking for is what is the procedure for collecting the animal after it has been shipped as cargo is. There won't be any quarantine to deal with, I just want to know if it's a simple process of some form-filling and stamping or if I should be paying extra money for someone to handle it for me.

[JeanneAdil 6,197]

11601 West Touhy Avenue

 

Bldg 893 for Emirates, SAS and LOT

 

(Or Check with your airline for your building number

 

that is on the other side of the airport

[yoda one for me 321]

I can use google too, yes   But again that only answers about location, which I'm already aware of.

 

It's the process that I'd like to know so I'm hoping someone who's had experience doing this can pipe up.

[xyz12345 260]

No experience here. Just call them up.

 

https://www.dogsonplanes.com/airports/ord/

 

Here's the British Airways contact info

https://m.facebook.com/pages/British-Airways-Cargo/121618194611380

[Ontarkie 13,915]

~~Moved to Moving Here and Your New Life, from General Immigration Discussion.~~

[Neonred 3,446]

Don't know how it works at O'Hare, but we bought a puppy online that was shipped to us from South America.  Picked her up at the cargo location in Ft. Lauderdale.  Had to sign the usual paperwork, but it was all pretty easy and didn't take more than an hour or so.

[yoda one for me 321]

47 minutes ago, Neonred said:

Don't know how it works at O'Hare, but we bought a puppy online that was shipped to us from South America.  Picked her up at the cargo location in Ft. Lauderdale.  Had to sign the usual paperwork, but it was all pretty easy and didn't take more than an hour or so.

Thanks so much, that's reassuring. :) Hopefully Chicago should also be pretty simple. We are anticipating heading to the cargo area and the staff there being able to clue us in on the paperwork and whether we need to get anything stamped elsewhere in the airport. Glad to hear it was a quick process for you!

[yoda one for me 321]

Just posting an update in case anyone else comes across this thread with the same question.

 

We did not pay for an agent to collect the dog and chose to pick him up ourselves. British Airways cargo were in touch two weeks before to get an "OK to forward" from us - basically checking we would pick him up on the day he arrived. They also provided the address of their warehouse unit and directions to it at O'Hare, and advised us that we should be there about an hour after his plane landed as there was some processing needed before the dog was moved to their warehouse.

 

We arrived a bit early and found the cargo office. I had to provide photo ID (my passport) and sign the paperwork and pay a $75 port handling fee. After that we just had to sit and wait. The office staff were friendly and advised there was a slight customs holdup with that plane's cargo but he'd be there soon. I think we waited about an hour total? We brought our truck around and they carried the crate out. Dog was calm but happy to see us :) There was plenty of grassy space by the parking lot to let him run around (on leash) and stretch his legs, then we drove home. 

 

Overall, nice and easy and I'm so glad we didn't spend the extra money on an agent to sign him out of the cargo area!