If you are moving abroad with fish and/or birds then here are some useful tips to help you along the way…
Avail of the Services of a Specialist Pet Transport Company
To ensure that your pet’s travel is handled by experts it is best to use the services of a specialist pet transport company. Despite the fact that dogs and cats constitute 99% of transported pets, a well known company should be able to handle any type of animal that can be moved overseas legally. Hiring a pet transport company to move your fish and birds means that your pets will travel in air-conditioned comfort to and from the airport, all the requisite paperwork will be taken care of and quarantine requirements met. Better yet, opt for a specialist of these types of animals and the process should be smooth from start to finish.
Quarantine Requirements
Seek information about quarantine requirements from your pet transporter. Depending on where you are headed, moving pets abroad might involve them spending some time in quarantine. A reputed pet transport company will have an accredited vet, who will examine your pets before departure and sign the appropriate forms.
A Visit to the Vet
For your part, taking your pets to the vet a week before departure is necessary to ensure that they are in good health and that any vaccinations are up to date.
Cage Requirements
Procure the right sized IATA (International Air Transport Association) approved travel cage for your birds and fish so they may be moved. Birds that are normally housed together in one cage such as a pair of birds can travel in the same locked cage.
These cages come in different sizes with a special locking system, depending on bird species to be housed in them. If you have large numbers of birds, check with your travel consultant about how to cage them for travel purposes.
Place your birds in the travel cage the day before the move in order to give them time to adjust to it. Check with your vet as to if they should be fed the day of the move, as some may not tolerate food with the stress of the move well and may become sick.
On the moving day take your fish/birds in the container/cage to the pet transporter’s office. If they pick up from home then that saves you the travel time and effort.
Bon Voyage
After your fish/birds have been checked for quarantine purposes, the pet transporters will remove their food, top up their water and lock the cage. Your pets will then travel in an air-conditioned van to the airport during which the van will have the same temperature as the plane. If the flight is an international one, they will be checked at each stopover, and their water will be replenished.
On Arrival
Your fish/birds will be collected by the pet transport company, given fresh water and cleared through Customs and Quarantine. If they don’t need quarantine, they will be brought home in an air-conditioned van. However, if your pets have to spend a certain period of time in quarantine, the pet transporter can arrange to pick them up whenever they will be free to come to your new home.
More Expat Resources
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