In order to support @edprivat to get his family members home I am creating this post.
He doesn't know about my initiative, but being a dog owner myself and having had to fly in my beloved Molly as well I know what they are going through.
After reading his post @edprivat/this-month-on-the-farm-1#@edprivat/re-bulldog-joy-qprsp8 I was touched by the story and the little comments we exchanged. He and his dogs are separated for a year now.
Yeah I know, it's been excruciating not to be with them. I haven't left my dog Jacky (the husky) more than few days for 8 years, it's a very long time, he deservers a good retirement now for the rest of his days. The other one is younger, so he will forgive me I think.
I asked when they will be in France, being flown in from South Africa and was moved by his response.
They were supposed to be here mid march, but we struggled gathering the funds. It might take an extra month, we are nearly there :)
So maybe I or rather we all can help a little bit. I am going to donate everything this post is making to @edprivat by setting him as the beneficiary.
What you can do is support this post by upvoting and reblogging!
My lovely Molly R.I.P.
What it took to get Molly from the USA to Germany.
When bringing a dog/pet over from a different country you have to jump through a lot of hoops.
But they are family members and so they shouldn't be left behind.
Also flying rescued animals to their new homes is the same struggle, but an important step to reduce the suffer of so many animals caused by us humans.
You have to make sure you got a big enough crate. On the pics below you see the crate I flew Molly in with.
It has to be big enough that the dog can stand upright and turn around.
Molly was a rather small Bulldog of 20kg but the crate had to be huge.
My bike boots have the same height Molly had, just for comparison.
Now imagine how big a crate has to be for a large dog, they are expensive too.
I bought a water bottle for rabbits that could be installed at the grid, so Molly could drink during her 24hour journey.
Before bringing a pet to a different country there is a long journey of paperwork waiting for you. Depending from where you are flying from and where to the restrictions differ.
Islands are more restrict than mainlands but each country has also its own rules.
So before scheduling a flight for your pet you have to make sure to have followed all the restrictions and requirements prior to the import/ export of your pet.
Go to the countries Agricultural Department page or their Veterinarian Department page for informations. Also the websites of the bigger Airports might offer links and informations regarding the import of Live Animals. Check the custom regulations.
In Mollys case, being a Bulldog you have to follow specific rules regarding the time of flight. It was only possible in wintertime, due to the temperatures. Also not every airline is flying every breed because of health issues!!!!!!
You can see some specifics below.
Getting all the paperwork ready takes a long time, so you have to start early on with the preparations before booking a flight.
In Mollys case it took me more than 6 month to get every vaccination and paperwork together. So booking a flight is the last step in getting your dog / pet from one country to another.
Below is the paperwork from the European Union I had to have in order to fly Molly in from the States.
I had to make sure she is having every vaccine necessary and that she was a breed allowed to enter the EU.
You have to have every certificate of vaccination and other required documents ready in order to fly your pet in.
Going through the vaccination process requires months before the actual flight because the vaccines have to be repeated in certain time intervals.
That is why planing bringing your pets over in advance is so crucial. There is no hopping on a plane with it. Planing is key!
Depending on your dogs breed and the requirements of each country there are different steps of action demanded. Some breeds are only allowed to enter another country when spayed or neutered.
The cost of bringing a pet over varies but after all it is an expensive procedure. These are just examples of the veterinarian costs, but you have to calculate transport fees, plane ticket, fees in general, veterinarian expenses.
To fly Molly from the States to Germany cost around 3000$ if I remember it right.
Why am I doing this?
Because I'm a pet owner myself. Every living being has feelings, so do our pets. They are family members, they do remember us, they feel sadness and grasp that we have left them. They are like us with the same feelings and emotions, just a different language. Same with cows, chicken, pigs etc.
I was in the same situation, to get my dog to another country and to imagine having to leave them behind is just hurtful.
If I would struggle to get my family reunited I would be relieved if someone offers help. In any situation where help is needed period.
Each one of us might be in need of support, asked for or not, and each one of us can do a little. It doesn't have to be millions, but if many give a little it is a lot in the end.
If you have questions regarding the import / export of your pet feel free to ask.
©bulldog-joy
