Dog Transport Service Advice (relocation, cheapest, shippers, cross-country)

[RaeComplex]

Hi All,

We are considering having our pups transported (driven, not by plane..very bad experience in the past) across country for our move in April. Any ground transportation companies you suggest? Did you find someone on a bidding site? Thanks!

[reed303]

There are people who specialize in pet transport. Here are a few:
https://www.happytailstravel.com/ser...pet-relocation
https://www.ipata.org/find-ipata-pet-shippers
https://www.worldcarepet.com/

Here is one that lets you get bids for the move;
https://www.uship.com/pets/

Also have you asked your local vet for a recommend ?

[RaeComplex]

Good call! I hadn’t thought of asking our vet haha thanks for the tip and links! Have you used any of these companies?

[CrowGirl]

Have you considered driving them yourself? I'm not sure I could ever feel comfortable trusting a service to ransport my animals.

[historyfan]

Check with your breed association for licensed & bonded transport.

I have had show livestock haulers pick up pups in crates from breeder & put them on backseat of pickup. But we all were known to each other.

Do you have a couple of friends or relatives you could hire to do this?

[Rowan123]

I wouldn't do it personally. I've heard just as many horror stories about pet transports as I have flying. I certainly wouldn't do it on a bidding site where the cheapest bidder wins. If you have someone who has had personal experience with a transport then maybe. If you do, be sure they are chipped and wearing a harness. It's too easy for them to slip out of a collar.

Almost all of my dogs have flown at one point in their lives and it's all been fine. I personally would opt for a direct flight over a transport as long as I didn't have a short-nosed dog.

[Normashirley]

Originally Posted by CrowGirl

Have you considered driving them yourself? I'm not sure I could ever feel comfortable trusting a service to ransport my animals.

^^^This. I would not trust anyone. Is there a reason you can't move them yourself?

I moved cross-country twice -- I drove my three horses myself, along with three dogs and one cat. Two of the dogs were 85# or more.

[Bungalove]

Originally Posted by RaeComplex

Hi All,

We are considering having our pups transported (driven, not by plane..very bad experience in the past) across country for our move in April. Any ground transportation companies you suggest? Did you find someone on a bidding site? Thanks!

I'll try and dig up the name of the company that drove my late sister's cat from Idaho to Virginia last year. They did a wonderful job! The cat was the only one in the van, and the people drove straight through, stopping only for meals and bathroom breaks. Since the cat was solo, they allowed her out of her transport cage, and she slept a lot on the alternate driver's chest. They texted me frequently as to location, and sent pictures of the cat as well. This was NOT a cheap transport by any means but it was well worth it to me, and I received a relaxed and happy cat who, I believe, adapted a lot more quickly to me and my other cats. ETA: I believe it was Royal Paws Pet Transportation.

[Scooby Snacks]

Plane is way better. It's faster and there is less risk.

[luv4horses]

Interesting thread. What do you do with an older 75 lb dog that has never been crated? Do you just shove him in for the airplane trip, with a transfer, and pick him up 8 hrs later hoping for the best? No water and no potty breaks?