Relocating To Uk.

[mgardner89]

There is a strong possibility that my work wants to relocate me to the UK first thing next year.

So I have to ask: Is it selfish of me wanting to take my dog?

He is a very timid boy (he never got his confidence back after going missing for two days) and I worry about the stress of that very long haul flight.

Is it selfish of me wanting to take him with me? I get teary thinking about rehoming him but the flight scares me. He is crate trained and normally just goes to sleep. But being loaded on and off a plane might be a bit different to going in the car or at training where he can see me.

Would be keen to hear from people who have had experience moving pets.

[Dogsfevr]

Dogs travel well & you have no quarantine at the other end providing you have meet the pet passport scheme.

Have you started testing on the possibility ??

Pick your flights wisely & the dog will travel fine

[ness]

I have flown my nervy timid girl and I would expect your boy would be fine so long as he is well accustomed to being crated. Less stressful then rehoming I expect.

[Christina]

Not at all. Its the best thing. Of course its scary to think about.

[Sheridan]

Best thing for your dog is for him to go with you.

[ann21]

I just flew my pup with me from Australia to Singapore and I was experiencing the same fears as you pre flight. It can be pretty stressful but as long as you are organized it should all go ok. My pup was whining when I picked him up but bounced back after I gave him a shower that night.I don't think it's selfish for us to want our dogs to be with us, wherever in the world we are...

[Katdogs]

How long will you be gone? Have you looked into what's needed to come back?

[Chris the Rebel Wolf]

A friend of mine flew her ACD when she went back to America, he had bounced back wonderfully, that said he was a pretty well adjusted dog to begin with, not what I would call timid :) She went through nightmares with her dog's flights being canceled though and times changing, after she had arranged everything so she could arrive at the same time he could.

If it were a permanent relocation, I would not hesitate to do it!

[fuzzy82]

Are you sure you would want to stay in UK?

Hubby made plans to move over there with his cat a few years ago (before I met him), but because of the quarantine thing he decided against it. Then the cat died and he went over for 6 months, or that was the plan, but after 3 months he was so miserable he decided to come home. It's a different culture, people aren't as friendly as here, they whinge a lot, the weather is miserable a lot of the time, and even though he had friends and family over there he was so miserable he ended up not even wanting to leave his flat most of the time.

So unless you've been over there before and know you'll really like it, or if you're only staying temporarily anyway, I might send the dog off to live with family for a bit while you get settled in. The dog doesn't travel on the same plane as you anyway, so it doesn't matter what flight she's on.

As for the flight, it should be fine. I have transported cats from Europe to here, and they had to be quarantined for a month, and they were fine. The thin air on planes means they sleep most of the time.

[trifecta]

Take your dog with you; you will both have a ball in UK! It is so much more dog friendly than Aus. You can take your dog in the pub, into the restaurant, on trains & buses & there are many more places offering accommodation for holidaying with your dog than in Australia. Plus there are no snakes!

[Isabel964]

I tend to agree with making sure you like it there enough to stay before transporting your dog over.

My brother relocated to Ireland recently for 2 years. He took his two beloved cats with him. I thought he was mad. But they loved it there and settled in so quickly ( I went over to visit). He just had to make sure they had their shots in enough time before he left. He didn't have enough notice so the cats had to be kept in a cattery for a few weeks and then they flew over.

Coming back though, the cats rabies immunity was not up to what it should be, so they and to have a boost and because of this they spent 3 months in quarantine because my brother's flights were already booked for a specific date ( they needed 6 months of the rabies levels being ok before they could enter Australia) and he had a new role he was needed for in Australia. If he could have delayed his flights back to Australia i think the cats have a 30 day quarantine period. That broke my my brother's heart. But the cats are now back at home, in the house and they are settled again nice and quickly, within hours.... It's as if they never left. So while quarantine is traumatic to an extent, the cats bounced back well. BTW quarantine people have a reputation for being just fabulous.

I'd be more concerned about the 30 days in quarantine for your timid little one. It is a big flight over and I do understand your concern, and its noisy and there a fair bit of banging and clanging around in the loading up areas in the airports. Would she be able to settle though once she was with you at the other end? If yes, then maybe it's ok. I was thinking of sedation but nothing is going to last that long. I don't thinks its selfish though, it's 24 hours. Just make sure you don't fly her out on a hot day. I have read a God awful story about a gorgeous much loved French bulldog dying from heat by being left out in transit at Sydney airport. The owners used the pet transport company recommended by the French Bulldog Association of Australia. The other thing to consider is how clingy and attached she is to you, my kelpie would go through anything to be with me, without me she would fret. But my Westie is happy go lucky and could settle in with a new family very easily, especially if they had kids....bless her. And also her age is maybe a consideration.

Good luck with your decision.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Sky

[minimax]

I'd be more concerned about the 30 days in quarantine for your timid little one.

The UK doesn't have 30 day quarantine anymore, does it?

[Jumabaar]

Its not selfish- think of the big hello you will get at the other end when your reunited!!

Quarantine times back into aus MAY be changing in the future- assuming all the work is done pre import.

Also it is possible to have all the work done for your return even before you leave Australia.

[becks]

Are you sure you would want to stay in UK?

Hubby made plans to move over there with his cat a few years ago (before I met him), but because of the quarantine thing he decided against it. Then the cat died and he went over for 6 months, or that was the plan, but after 3 months he was so miserable he decided to come home. It's a different culture, people aren't as friendly as here, they whinge a lot, the weather is miserable a lot of the time, and even though he had friends and family over there he was so miserable he ended up not even wanting to leave his flat most of the time.

So unless you've been over there before and know you'll really like it, or if you're only staying temporarily anyway, I might send the dog off to live with family for a bit while you get settled in. The dog doesn't travel on the same plane as you anyway, so it doesn't matter what flight she's on.

As for the flight, it should be fine. I have transported cats from Europe to here, and they had to be quarantined for a month, and they were fine. The thin air on planes means they sleep most of the time.

If you have a pet passport done, then there is NO quarantine to come into the UK

Brits whinge no more then australians - going from what i have seen over the years on this board!! I would say aussies whinge about the weather more too!

I'd be more concerned about the 30 days in quarantine for your timid little one.

The UK doesn't have 30 day quarantine anymore, does it?

Never did have, I think the poster was refering to the 30 days coming back to Aus.

[Drumbeat]

Are you sure you would want to stay in UK?

Hubby made plans to move over there with his cat a few years ago (before I met him), but because of the quarantine thing he decided against it. Then the cat died and he went over for 6 months, or that was the plan, but after 3 months he was so miserable he decided to come home. It's a different culture, people aren't as friendly as here, they whinge a lot, the weather is miserable a lot of the time, and even though he had friends and family over there he was so miserable he ended up not even wanting to leave his flat most of the time.

So unless you've been over there before and know you'll really like it, or if you're only staying temporarily anyway, I might send the dog off to live with family for a bit while you get settled in. The dog doesn't travel on the same plane as you anyway, so it doesn't matter what flight she's on.

What a load of crap, have you ever actually lived there?

We took our dog to the Middle East a few years ago and he travelled on the same flights as us.

Take your dog with you; you will both have a ball in UK! It is so much more dog friendly than Aus. You can take your dog in the pub, into the restaurant, on trains & buses & there are many more places offering accommodation for holidaying with your dog than in Australia. Plus there are no snakes!

All of Europe is incredibly dog friendly, seeing a dog sitting in the restaurant of a 5 star hotel takes a bit of getting used to.

A\

[dancinbcs]

Are you sure you would want to stay in UK?

Hubby made plans to move over there with his cat a few years ago (before I met him), but because of the quarantine thing he decided against it. Then the cat died and he went over for 6 months, or that was the plan, but after 3 months he was so miserable he decided to come home. It's a different culture, people aren't as friendly as here, they whinge a lot, the weather is miserable a lot of the time, and even though he had friends and family over there he was so miserable he ended up not even wanting to leave his flat most of the time.

So unless you've been over there before and know you'll really like it, or if you're only staying temporarily anyway, I might send the dog off to live with family for a bit while you get settled in. The dog doesn't travel on the same plane as you anyway, so it doesn't matter what flight she's on.

As for the flight, it should be fine. I have transported cats from Europe to here, and they had to be quarantined for a month, and they were fine. The thin air on planes means they sleep most of the time.

If you have a pet passport done, then there is NO quarantine to come into the UK

Brits whinge no more then australians - going from what i have seen over the years on this board!! I would say aussies whinge about the weather more too!

I'd be more concerned about the 30 days in quarantine for your timid little one.

The UK doesn't have 30 day quarantine anymore, does it?

Never did have, I think the poster was refering to the 30 days coming back to Aus.

UK quarantine from Aust used to be 3 months before they had the pet passport scheme.

While there are no guarantees with flying any animal most cope well and would rather be with their owners. A bitch I bred went to Newfoundland for a year with her owners who were posted there for work, then came back through the 30 day quarantine with no issues. The husband, who had initially not even wanted a dog, rang to ask me if I thought it would be ok for them to take her. They had family who could have minded her for the year but the couple who owned her were not prepared to live without her for that long and would have rather given up the wonderful work opportunities they had been offered. I advised them to go and take the dog with them and they all had a wonderful year with the dog sent home first and the owners travelling for the extra month before they came home and collected their dog.

[Dogsfevr]

The dog doesn't travel on the same plane as you anyway, so it doesn't matter what flight she's on.

What flights do they travel on ??

The only flights the dog wouldn't travel is if an airline is used that doesn't take pets or you use a freight plane that travels horses ,i do now of GSD folk that have used this option .

But otherwise the dog does travel on the same plane .

As for whinging Poms everyone whinges .

Australian whinge about the weather .people in other states whinge about other States .

Europes weather is what it is you make the most of it & we have been there in winter & didn't find it any great drama.

My only complaint is they love there heating

[Guest Willow]

Are you sure you would want to stay in UK?

Hubby made plans to move over there with his cat a few years ago (before I met him), but because of the quarantine thing he decided against it. Then the cat died and he went over for 6 months, or that was the plan, but after 3 months he was so miserable he decided to come home. It's a different culture, people aren't as friendly as here, they whinge a lot, the weather is miserable a lot of the time, and even though he had friends and family over there he was so miserable he ended up not even wanting to leave his flat most of the time.

having spent the fisrt 22 years of my life in the UK, I'd say you were wrong on all counts there.

[jelibeybi]

I have family there and spent a couple of months in London in winter and wouldn't say they're less friendly or whinge more. I'd also say the culture is overall similar. I find America more dissimilar actually. Anyway, two of my friends lived in England for a year and had a great time.

As long as you look into all the requirements regarding coming in and out of the two countries and living there (medical stuff, quarantine and council regs) I'd take her. I'm sure she'd rather be with you than not.

[LizT]

Are you sure you would want to stay in UK?

Hubby made plans to move over there with his cat a few years ago (before I met him), but because of the quarantine thing he decided against it. Then the cat died and he went over for 6 months, or that was the plan, but after 3 months he was so miserable he decided to come home. It's a different culture, people aren't as friendly as here, they whinge a lot, the weather is miserable a lot of the time, and even though he had friends and family over there he was so miserable he ended up not even wanting to leave his flat most of the time.

So unless you've been over there before and know you'll really like it, or if you're only staying temporarily anyway, I might send the dog off to live with family for a bit while you get settled in. The dog doesn't travel on the same plane as you anyway, so it doesn't matter what flight she's on.

What a load of crap, have you ever actually lived there?

We took our dog to the Middle East a few years ago and he travelled on the same flights as us.

Take your dog with you; you will both have a ball in UK! It is so much more dog friendly than Aus. You can take your dog in the pub, into the restaurant, on trains & buses & there are many more places offering accommodation for holidaying with your dog than in Australia. Plus there are no snakes!

All of Europe is incredibly dog friendly, seeing a dog sitting in the restaurant of a 5 star hotel takes a bit of getting used to.

A\

My sister has lived in London for 15 years. She loves the people and the culture, is accepted by both the natives and the ex-pats, and considers herself a Londoner now. She eventually got a dog because they are very dog tolerant over there.

As to how you deal with people and relocating that will depend on your personality and how you get on with people in general (my mother had a very hard time immigrating from Austria, that had more to do with the language barrier I think). But that is not the OP's question in any case.

Good luck with whatever happens. I'm sure we will still hear from you on DOL if you do go over!