International Pet Relocation: Update for 2023

The ownership of cats and dogs has been steadily increasing across the globe. Families in the US, Brazil, EU and China alone account for over half a billion dogs and cats, while more than half the world is estimated to have a pet at home.

The pandemic impacted pet ownership hugely. For example, over two million people adopted a pet during the UK’s Covid19 lockdowns. In Australia, over a million pets were adopted during the height of the pandemic.

The increase in pet ownership has, in turn, increased the demand for pet relocation as part of international assignments. Each country has its own requirements for pet entry and transportation – some more involved than others. These terms reflect post-pandemic pet travel and the war in Ukraine.

As we move into 2023, here are five main issues affecting international pet relocation:

1. Quarantine

Quarantine periods are changing, with wait times increasing. There is a five-month wait for quarantine bookings for Australia and around six months for Singapore, for example. The time is influenced by the type of pet accommodation required during quarantine (such as air conditioning). International moves to Australia remain extremely popular. The pet quarantine period for this country may increase from 10 to 30 days. Please ask us for details if you’re moving with your pet(s) to Australia.

2. Pet Holding Capacity

Shipping ports and airports usually have limited capacity for quarantined pets, influencing wait times. Good news! London Heathrow is increasing its capacity, enabling quicker pet bookings for entry to the UK.

3. Shipping Capacity

As a result of the pandemic, shipping companies are overstretched trying to fulfil the backlog of demand for products. This limits the cargo space available to ship pets to new global destinations. For example, Taiwan manufactures and experts more semiconductors than any other country. This severely limits cargo space availability, creating huge price increases for the limited pet shipments available from Taipei.

4. Russia At War

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent difficult international relations mean that moving pets out of Russia is very problematic.

5. High-Risk Dog Imports

Dogs travelling from high-risk countries for rabies must meet the requirements of the host country. If relocating to the US, applications must be approved prior to travel with terms varying according to the age and number of dogs plus their vaccination status. Currently, applications are taking between two and three months to be processed and approved.

“An increasing number of assignees want to take pets with them when they relocate overseas,” says Sarah Huntridge of BTR International. “Requirements and timings vary greatly between various countries. We work closely with our specialist global partners to ensure that pets travel safely and are reunited with their families as quickly as possible.”

Do your assignees want to take pets with them to their new global location? Talk to the experts at BTR International about their destination’s requirements and the support available. We can offer some great tips for pet relocation and have an informal chat about how to support your workforce mobility requirements – for humans and pets!