Hi there! We are in the (very drawn out) process of buying a house in the west of Ireland and were scheduled to move mid July. We were under the impression that to move our 2 dogs and 5 cats, we could book directly with Aer Lingus cargo. Is this possible? I have so many questions and hope someone can help as we have been ripping our hair out for months! Thanks in advance!
Do we still need to use a pet relocator? Is it still required by Ireland to bring pets into the country from the US?
Can we only fly pets via Aer Lingus Cargo from specific airports (JFK for example) or can we fly them from somewhere closer to us? We are in Arizona.
We already have all their shots, microchips and paperwork and the vet is on alert to get the health certificate within the 10-day window prior to whenever we fly out. Additionally, we already have their airline approved carriers. Anything else? This has got to be the most confusing part about moving abroad! Help! 🙂
Hi Lee Ann, welcome to the site 🙂
Yes, unfortunately it is a very arduous process bringing your pets along when you move. But what else can you do....
This part of the move is ever-changing. I've written quite a lot on the site about it over the years, and there have been many forum discussions too.
A lot of airlines won't transport your pet from Arizona at this time of year due to heat (and it may also depend on your pet's breed). For that reason alone, you may have to go somewhere cooler to fly, but explore all options.
I plan to call Aer Lingus on Monday for confirmation on your question. They used to be very explicit for a long time, that you had to use one particular pet mover - Pet Express, but that info is no longer on their website. Also, as of now, they do indicate you cannot fly from Hartford, LA, Newark or San Fran and not on Fridays and Saturdays (that's due to the pet inspector/vet in Dublin being unavailable on Sat/Sun.
What is the 10 day window that you mention? I know there are timelines you must adhere to, but never had to meet a 10 day one. The full requirements can be found here if you need to double check what you need https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/pets/travellingwithyourpetcatsdogsandferrets/
Let's keep in touch on your question, and try to get an answer asap. I'll update as I find out more.
Best wishes,
Liam
Hi again Lee Ann,
I heard back from the Dept. of Agriculture today. This is direct quote from their email: "Pets do not need to travel with a licensed pet travel company into Ireland."
I guess that's it in short. However, each airline can impose their own restrictions e.g. which kind of pets they will take, which airports they will take pets at, etc...
I hope this helps,
Liam
Not anymore, David. A 'Let's Talk' client confirmed this recently for me. They travelled from the US, via Germany, into Ireland.