This is something we got involved with way back when. In the beginninng of our existence as a boarding kennel, most of our clients came from the Greater Metro Toronto area as there was not much of a demand for boarding in the still relatively undeveloped rural/commuter area of Peel and York Regions (counties). As a service to those metropolitan clients we offered (and still do) a pick up and delivery service from Etobicoke Veterinary Hospital in Rexdale, Ontario.
Every once in a while we would receive a request to pickup an inbound pet arriving at the airport as cargo, clear it through Canada Customs and deliver to the owner's residence. We decided to advertise this airport service and attracted the attention of professional movers who did not have the time to deal with their clients' pets' relocation arrangements, as well as the clients themselves. Experience is a great teacher but we knew basically that we needed to find the safest and most expeditious way to move a pet from point A to point B, whether it was from Toronto to Windsor, Ontario (about a 30 minute flight) or Abidjan, Ivory Coast to Toronto(a two day affair). We have developed useful contacts with other pet shippers along the way. We have made it a point to deal with the most reputable kennels, quarantine facilities, and fellow pet transporters in whichever country our client's are destined. We have found it most beneficial to be a part of the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Asscciation with members in several countries.
When undertaking preparations for pet travel we try to liaise closely with the pet owner as well as the household moving professional. Every destination has it's own individual requirements and we examine closely each country's import/export regulations and airline capabilities and schedules. Each move therefore will rarely cost out the same. Through our access to the Internet we are very often able to provide a fairly inexpensive consulting service for those clients who just need advice on how to proceed. When we become directly involved with flight booking, pick-up arrangements, Customs clearance, travel cage provision or construction, quarantine application,. etc., the costs will mount up.
As most of our shipments are, in effect, door-to door, we would need to know the exact name of your home city or suburb and the name of your destination city or town. We would also like to know when the move is to take place and the measurements of your pet from its nose to the base of its tail and from the ground to the top of its head in a normal standing position. A list of its latest vaccines and the date of administration is helpful as well.
Here's a taste of what we do in pictures! It's a shipment we did in the Fall of 1997 of Bergerac, an Irish Wolfhound, whose owners were relocating from Toronto across the continent to Vancouver. We custom-built his leak-proof and paw-proof crate to IATA specifications as Bergerac was well beyond the limits of the largest conventional Vari-Kennel, our normal travel kennel of choice. That boy was 64 inches long nose to base of tail!
1) HERE'S BERGERAC ON HIS WAY OUT OF THE BELLY COMPARTMENT OF AN AIR CANADA 767.
2) HERE'S THE BOY JUST AFTER STEPPING OUT OF HIS 'AIR COCOON'
3)AND HERE'S OUR CRATE ON IT'S WAY TO BECOMING BERGERAC'S NEW DOG HOUSE!
4) A 'TESTIMONIAL' FROM BERGERAC'S OWNER !!::
