Moving your Cat

hi All

We are looking to move to Sydney are in October this year and we are aware of the process we need to go through to take our little one out. However im interested in who people have used to transport their pets to Aus and also the costs they paid. Im not sure if its the same across the board or can vary.

Also is it true they can only fly into Melbourne as thats the only place with a quarantine area?

Any further advice/pointers would be greatly received as I cant see us leaving her here :tongue:

xxx

hi All

 

We are looking to move to Sydney are in October this year and we are aware of the process we need to go through to take our little one out. However im interested in who people have used to transport their pets to Aus and also the costs they paid. Im not sure if its the same across the board or can vary.

 

Also is it true they can only fly into Melbourne as thats the only place with a quarantine area?

 

Any further advice/pointers would be greatly received as I cant see us leaving her here :tongue:

 

 

xxx

Hi Maggie, welcome.

There are loads of threads on this - one very current one see here http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=255031 for prices and quarantine places etc..

Good luck with your decision.

Pet Air are very highly regarded and they have a part of the forum where you can contact them directly http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=192

They are the only pet travel company owned and ran by vets.

thanks Ozzie will have a read...

Very Stormy

I have asked them for a quote and its obviously quite expensive which is what we expected. Just wondered if anyone has any experiences with different companies etc.

Also still confuzzled why they can only fly into Melbourne.

We used Dogtainers to move the other way. They were excellent and i think they do cats.

The reason they fly to Melbourne - though i think they can go to Sydney, is because that is where the quarantine site is

We used Dogtainers to move the other way. They were excellent and i think they do cats.

 

The reason they fly to Melbourne - though i think they can go to Sydney, is because that is where the quarantine site is

thanks you stormy

how much did it cost you in the end x

Hi @Maggie2308 I agree with Verystormy Petair may not be the cheapest (nor are they the dearest) but they are the best in the industry and are run by experienced vets. They do 3 different packages so maybe look at the cheaper option with them. My thoughts are if you are paying all that money to bring your pet over then they are obviously well loved and part of the family so they deserve the best. I would trust Petair with my children as well as pets.

Quarantine doesn't exist in every State of Australia, only Victoria (Melbourne) if you do a quick google search you'll find the Australian Government department of agriculture informative.

thanks Ozzie will have a read...

 

Very Stormy

I have asked them for a quote and its obviously quite expensive which is what we expected. Just wondered if anyone has any experiences with different companies etc.

 

Also still confuzzled why they can only fly into Melbourne.

Maggie we only have one quarantine station now in Australia and that's in Melbourne. Hence why all animals imported have to land and stay in Melbourne for 10 days. After the 10 days you can either go down and pick them up and drive back or you can use dogtainers to transport them from Quarantine to your door or local airport.

Maggie we only have one quarantine station now in Australia and that's in Melbourne. Hence why all animals imported have to land and stay in Melbourne for 10 days. After the 10 days you can either go down and pick them up and drive back or you can use dogtainers to transport them from Quarantine to your door or local airport.

Ok

Ozzie thank you so so much

Ok

Ozzie thank you so so much

You're very welcome. @The Pom Queen has been more helpful than I tho !

Just be aware you need at least 6 months to get sorted before your pet can travel.

Another option you have is to fly down to Melbourne and back with them. Sometimes you can get a cheap flight to Melbourne $49 and then if you fly back with Virgin you can fly your cat accompanied and for you the flight would be around $100 and for the cat $85. https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/plan/special-needs-assistance/pets/#how-to-book

Another option you have is to fly down to Melbourne and back with them. Sometimes you can get a cheap flight to Melbourne $49 and then if you fly back with Virgin you can fly your cat accompanied and for you the flight would be around $100 and for the cat $85. https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/plan/special-needs-assistance/pets/#how-to-book

You have the best ideas!! I sound like a broken record today, however, never thought of that!

You have the best ideas!! I sound like a broken record today, however, never thought of that!

When we moved up to Cairns we got quotes from Jetpets and it was $900 and that was airport to airport so we ended up flying up with him, back then it was $45 and you can hire a crate from them which was $50 so it was a lot cheaper.

When we moved up to Cairns we got quotes from Jetpets and it was $900 and that was airport to airport so we ended up flying up with him, back then it was $45 and you can hire a crate from them which was $50 so it was a lot cheaper.

Any other tips please feel free to share. We had considered driving from Adelaide to Melbourne and back (the next day) however OH doesn't drive so it's a long very unfamiliar drive for me!

Any other tips please feel free to share. We had considered driving from Adelaide to Melbourne and back (the next day) however OH doesn't drive so it's a long very unfamiliar drive for me!

Actually it's a lovely drive along the Great Ocean Road, you could make a weekend of it or a week. Although I would drive there on the GOR and take the quicker inland route back if you have the cat in tow. Or again look at flying over and back if you have time constraints.

Actually it's a lovely drive along the Great Ocean Road, you could make a weekend of it or a week. Although I would drive there on the GOR and take the quicker inland route back if you have the cat in tow. Or again look at flying over and back if you have time constraints.

Thanks. Our wee one is an absolute horrible traveller - have tried everything except sedation which we (and all vets we've spoken to) agree isn't the right course of action. Our cat howls, 'screams', drools, everything else horrible you can imagine and repeat over and over again. A real shame.

edit: apologies @Maggie2308 for small swerve in thread.

Any other tips please feel free to share. We had considered driving from Adelaide to Melbourne and back (the next day) however OH doesn't drive so it's a long very unfamiliar drive for me!

A 12 hour or so drive and in a crate for the cat or an hour on the plane and clearing either end. I'd arrange to fly the cat up to Adelaide personally. By the time you've taken time to drive there and back its a day lost, fuel etc and your cat has to spend 12 hours in a car (and I don't know many cats like car travel much to appreciate 12 hours plus stuck in one).

If you make a weekend of it then its longer and you need to find cat friendly options for a place to stay overnight.

I'd either get cat flown up to you or one of you fly down, pick cat up and fly back.

A 12 hour or so drive and in a crate for the cat or an hour on the plane and clearing either end. I'd arrange to fly the cat up to Adelaide personally. By the time you've taken time to drive there and back its a day lost, fuel etc and your cat has to spend 12 hours in a car (and I don't know many cats like car travel much to appreciate 12 hours plus stuck in one).

 

If you make a weekend of it then its longer and you need to find cat friendly options for a place to stay overnight.

 

I'd either get cat flown up to you or one of you fly down, pick cat up and fly back.

Oh no, it wouldn't be a 12 hour drive!! We have a friend who is in Vic country so would stay there and then 6 hours to Adelaide.

Thanks. Our wee one is an absolute horrible traveller - have tried everything except sedation which we (and all vets we've spoken to) agree isn't the right course of action. Our cat howls, 'screams', drools, everything else horrible you can imagine and repeat over and over again. A real shame.

 

edit: apologies @Maggie2308 for small swerve in thread.

Sedation is not allowed now on the long haul flights it used to be but caused problems Jetpets picked our boy up from Quarantine and flew him to Adelaide without a hitch thankfully as we had had a problem occur just before he left the UK Our vet lost his final blood test luckily Golden Arrow sorted it all out so he flew in a wing and a prayer ! Shar Pei are notoriously temperamental at times but Ralphy was fine

Hi there,

I moved my cat from Singapore to Sydney back in 2014.

Just to confirm there is a designated quarantine facility on the outskirts of Sydney - she had to remain there for the mandatory 10 days because she arrived from a non-risk class A country in Singapore (no record of rabies for over 50 years).

She had to go through a full vet assessment and inoculation procedure in Singapore by Authorised Vets which was time scheduled.

Other than flight cost, which was in the region of SG$350, there was a quarantine cost of lodging and food of around AU$600, then she was clear for collection.

The whole procedure was straight forward and systematically efficient, l had no complanits and my cat was very well taken care of.

I was very satisfied.

Tip: Do not drug you cat for the flight, it is entirely unnecessary - an animal, even though afraid at the time, has a mechanism to deal with fear, they retreat into a safe dark corner, make themselves small, and stay alert. This serves them well in the the wild and the alertness is imperative until they realise there is no danger and then they relax.

Drugging removes the alertness and this causes more stress and confusion as they are unable to digest what is happening.

Good luck

Joe

3 hours ago, joek62 said:

Hi there,

I moved my cat from Singapore to Sydney back in 2014.

Just to confirm there is a designated quarantine facility on the outskirts of Sydney - she had to remain there for the mandatory 10 days because she arrived from a non-risk class A country in Singapore (no record of rabies for over 50 years).

 

Not any more, they closed it in 2015.  The only quarantine station is in Melbourne.now.

Our remover quietly recommended Golden Arrow.....(not who her firm recommended). We talked to one or 2 of the bigger companies and were not impressed with the way they talked to us..including one mentioned on here....they seemed to be too busy. Golden Arrow is a small outfit and they did a superb job and treated our cats as if they were their own. Their fees were well worth it. On the day, we had 2 feet of snow in the UK and Golden Arrow still managed to get through and it took away a lot of anguish as Heathrow was closed for a few hours and we wondered if our flight would get away, let alone theirs.

Oscar and Tiggy arrived safely with Qantas and have settled in well....but we will always be thankful we found Golden Arrow.