How To: Bringing home a four-legged souvenir

Many people who live abroad find that nothing makes their home-away-from-home feel more homey than a pet; however, many people neglect to consider the fate of their pets when they return to their homeland or move on to their next destination. Abandoning a pet when you leave a country should never be an acceptable option. Before you make decision to adopt a companion, check the policies of your country regarding the importation of pets. Some countries have strict quarantine policies, while other countries make it very easy to import a pet. The United States has no restrictions against healthy pets from any country; you simply must provide proof of your pet’s health in the form of a certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian. An excellent resource for information is http://www.pettravel.com, which (for a reasonable fee) will mail or email you all of the information and necessary paperwork for bringing a pet into a specific country. Additionally, check with your airline prior to purchasing tickets to confirm whether or not they allow pets. Some airlines will let you bring your pet with you in the cabin, while others will only allow pets to travel in cargo. Additionally, many airlines will not transport pets in cargo during certain seasons, on account of the cargo hold being either too hot or too cold. Most airlines will merely charge an excess baggage fee for transporting a pet – a nominal price for bringing home a faithful animal. Another option is to ship your pets as unaccompanied baggage before you leave. Many airlines offer this service, and it is a good alternative if you’re planning to do some traveling on your way home. One last thing to check is the pet carrier regulations for both in-cabin and cargo carriers. Every airline seems to have different regulations, and you don’t want to be told in the airport that your carrier doesn’t meet your airline’s requirements. Be prepared – it only takes a little research and preparation to bring home an animal. Don’t leave your four-legged friends behind!

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