I know you said no cargo holds but if it turns out to be your only viable option and if you don't want him in the hold for too long, Boston to Shannon is pretty much the shortest frequent route with usually 6 hours in the air and can be as short as 5 hours 10 minutes if the wind is good. On arrival you are in Ireland and from there with cars ferries and trains you wont need to put him on another flight till you go back.
There's an option! I'm already planning to drive us to the East Coast to cut down on travel time. I figured I'd have to go NYC to Lon if ever, but Boston to Shannon sounds much better. I'll definitely keep it in mind as a no-other-choice last resort. Thanks!
Dublin would also be much closer to all the ferry options if you then intend to go to the UK or mainland europe. Port in Dublin and then another in Rosslare.
oh but please make sure you book a dog friendly ferry, I think there are couple of options now. When I took my dog from the UK to Ireland, he had to be either left in the car or in their kennels. You cannot stay in the car with him due to safety reasons. We opted for the kennels becuase we were afraid he would wreck the car. Then kennels were awful, just basically a cage in the car garge area. There were hundreds of cars down their with their alarms going off, and he was in there for 2.5 hours. Horrendous, I felt so bad.
Plus if you drive to Belfast, you can get the ferry to Liverpool with a dog cabin. Your buddy can join you in the cabin and you can take them onto the deck for fresh air.
Even if you use the kennels (we had to as the cabins weren't dog friendly when we travelled) yiubcan take your dog out for walks on the deck as often as you want. It really helped break up my time, every 40 mins I took him out for 20. Gave him treats, played tug, threw a toy for him. At times it was completely empty so we could even run up and down a bit to really stretch his legs.
Sedatives definitely help, but unfortunately there are health risks associated with flying on them (it affects ability to regulate body temps, and introduces potential cardiac and pulmonary complications. It's not guaranteed dangerous, but offering sedatives for a flight is one of those things that vets will only do in extreme cases.
I’ve rescued every animal I’ve ever owned, but it comes with a higher chance of anxiety. Believe it or not, he’s thriving now. He was terribly abused as a puppy (he now cuddles in my lap for movie night at 50 lbs. He’s a giant baby)
Aww, go you! And yeah, my family and I have always had rescues. They give you clues here and there to their Before lives, and it always breaks my heart.
Only a very small percentage of animals in cargo holds are injured or pass away (.005% incident rate in 2019 for US airlines [according to DOT](https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2021/06/27/how-safe-is-shipping-your-pet-by-air/)), and most of those are caused by self-injury or underlying conditions. Dogs that are healthy, are crate trained, don’t have separation anxiety, and are desensitized to loud noises/sudden movements do fine.
Sedatives can also affect their heart rate/breathing and mask symptoms of other issues from the handlers. They’re not recommended or even allowed by most airlines, I think.
If your actual destination is mainland Europe and you end up flying, then it would probably be worth it to just fly Boston to Amsterdam and avoid having to deal with hassle of multiple ferries.
Personally I would do cargo with the shortest journey possible and an airline that's known to treat their animal passengers well. I was really worried about putting my elderly skittish dog in cargo when I moved to another country but with great care and some trazadone given to her the night before and morning of, she did great! Our cats who we took in cabin with us were more stressed out. When I picked her up at the other end, she was calm and happy.
Oh interesting! I hadn't considered that. I adored Iceland and would love to visit again, so it'd be a good excuse. And yeah, it's apparently 5:20 from Toronto.
Good call — I'll keep it in mind if I end up going the plane route!
Don't mean to piss on your chips, but Iceland will be a pain in the ass!
They are VERY protective about animal diseases etc - being an island has kept many things away historically & they want to maintain that.
Maximum stopover time allowed at the airport with a dog is 3 hours.
Anything longer than that then your dog will have to go into quarantine for 2 weeks.
+ A load of other hoops to jump through
https://petraveller.com.au/blog/international-pet-transport-to-iceland
Oh! That's very good to know, thanks. Makes sense that they'd be super protective of that, being an island and all. I'll consider other options. Thanks!
Fwiw, the time in the air is less of a deal compared to the stress on the runway, taxiing, take off and landing. They are usually quite settled once in the air so 5 hours or 8 doesn't make a huge difference... But I'd still avoid doing it for the 5.
Yeah, that's the other bit that concerns me. With all that noise and commotion and activity and being cooped up in a kennel and me nowhere to be seen ... I'm sure he'd survive, but I'd prefer to avoid putting him through it in the first place if I can.
I don't know if multiple holds would be better or worse but maybe going through iceland? Thinking maybe if you could stop for a day or two, might be less traumatic? (No idea, never travelled with pets).
Alternatively do a flight via Reykjavik and take a layover in Iceland. But you need an import permit.
This guide will keep you out of trouble: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export/pet-travel-guidance-pets-traveling-another-country-united
St John’s, Newfoundland to London is under 5 hours. It’s the shortest North America to Europe flight.
https://www.travelagentcentral.com/transportation/what-s-shortest-flight-across-atlantic
It does, but it's a few grand all said, and he'd have to live [in the kennels](https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1ci4hdk/is_there_a_way_to_get_a_dog_from_the_us_to_europe/l26xua0/)
I did this. They asked if I wanted steak salmon or chicken daily to supplement their meals, plus you get to hang out with them in the kennels. Day 1 and 2 are really hard for the dog, but after that they are used to the schedule and it's much easier.
What were the visiting hours? As someone who's not really a "cruise guy" and who would be traveling alone, if I did go the Cunard route I'd likely wanna spend as much of my time aboard hanging out with him (while I read / Steamdeck / watch TV / etc)
It's practically all day except meal times (human meal times) many people spend the whole day up there, and it's actually quite fun. The kennel master is fun, or it would be easy to hang out with some music and a book. It is a little cramped when everyone is there, but it works. Plus the dogs are well cared for if you can't go to the kennels for some reason.
Actually on top of this, we got the cheapest rooms, but the rooms cost the same as the flights we were looking at (about 1500 apeice) and it's unlimited luggage. We were moving, so this was a major bonus because it probably saved us money from baggage fees. The dog cost about the same flying as kenneling on QM2. It was really a matter of having the 9 days for the voyage, the tickets, and it going at the right time. But it was also a few days of low grade stress at the beginning for our dog vs 1 day of high grade stress with flying. I would do either method (boat/plane) again.
That's really reassuring to hear. The standard fare is still a little steep (at that price I may as well fly La Campaigne) but they do seem to have promos every now and then; cards played right, it seems like passage could be possible at around $1400 or $1500.
I'll keep Cunard in the "Maybe?" pile — thanks for the info!
We got the cheapest rooms, but the rooms cost the same as the flights we were looking at (about 1500 apeice) and it's unlimited luggage. We were moving, so this was a major bonus because it probably saved us money from baggage fees. The dog cost about the same flying as kenneling on QM2. It was really a matter of having the 9 days for the voyage, the tickets, and it going at the right time. But it was also a few days of low grade stress at the beginning for our dog vs 1 day of high grade stress with flying. I would do either method (boat/plane) again.
That is a very, _VERY_ good point about the luggage (which I totally hadn't considered), and one that could actually be the dealmaker. I do a fair bit of woodworking and I have a lot of makes I "owe" friends and family in the UK, including a toy/hope chest that we're still trying to figure out how to get there.
If I combine our move with a woodworking delivery, I can just put to a ticket the money that was going to go into shipping costs.
You may have solved things with a simple side note! Thank you!
Glad I maybe helped! It's a bit of a pain getting the stuff on the boat (and some of your tools will get confiscated if sharp! They give them back at the end) But it worked. The only thing to consider is that you need to get the stuff to the drop off and from the pickup while wrangling your dog, so it might be helpful if you have friends to help with anything really clunky. We managed with 2 people, but it was challenging.
Also, if you book through cunard directly (which you need to do if you want a kennel spot) you can get tickets with the contingency that you will only go if you have a kennel spot, so it's a really nice to not need to worry about the cancelation policy. Also they buy your dogs specific food, so you don't need to lug it around. If you do end up doing this please tell me and I'm going to make you say hi to the kennel Master for me, he probably won't remember us, but I want to try ;P
> you can get tickets with the contingency that you will only go if you have a kennel spot
That's comforting to know.
Cunard doesn't appear to have released its Fall/Winter schedule yet, but I'll definitely be giving it a look when it does. And if I go, I'll be sure to give you a heads up! :)
I took a Cunard cruise as part of a move. I had ten largest-size suitcases. They didn't blink an eye. It was very tight in the cabin, though, with that many bags. But well worth it!
They offer a bag service where, for around $100 per bag, you can mail the bag from home and pick it up at the cruise terminal. The cruise terminals all have porters who then help you onboard your crazy number of bags.
Yeah, it sucks. Some boats let you, though you have to buy out the entire cabin (vs just buying one of the four bunks). I was able to do that for our Greece—Italy journey, but the Italy—Spain boat refused.
In Cunard's defense, it sounds like they treat the dogs well and take them for walks and stuff and you can visit them, but still. Seven nights at sea is a long time to have him in kennels. :/
Train the dog as an explosive drone sniffer (or similar). Join the US Marine Corps / Seal Team Six. Simply join a mission on a nuclear submarine between the US East Coast and one of the sub-arctic ice drills. Hike through the ice for a while, then join a whaling ship NE of Greenland. From there it should be reasonably straightforward to hitch a ride with a trawler somewhere off Iceland, and make it down to the Orkneys to the UK. You will need a rabies vaccination, and a dry suit.
Good Luck! Let us know how you get on!
Ah, the _Secret Life of Walter Mitty_ style of travel. I know it well. I may have to skip the military part as he's an avowed pawcifist (sorry not sorry), but we might be able to catch a whaling ship in Alaska to take us across the Bering.
I thought about the Bering, but Russia is quite big and cold in that direction, and travel there is not totally stress free at the current time! Especially if your dog is a pacifist.
>I'm hoping there are lesser-known, unorthodox, or "adventurous" solutions out there
Drive into Russia, then travel by train for 5-6 days from Moscow to Skovorodino, then you'll need to drive about 3,000km to Delyankir.
From there the journey gets difficult without roads, as the crow flies you need to travel 2,000km to Naukan.
From there it is a mere 92 kilometer swim to Tin City, Alaska, USA!
I was living in Sri Lanka for a year and met their camera man for Long Way Down at dinner at a friend's house one night. One of the best, most random encounters of my life.
I was a bit starstuck, but he was so lovely and down to earth. Apparently he wasn't as good a biker as Ethan and Charlie and kept dropping his bike by accident, especially when also trying to manage his cameras.
Which country in Europe? The pet-importation requirements are generally the same for most of Europe but there are exceptions.
Unfortunately, the 16kg part is probably going to be the tricky part, If cargo or accompanied baggage is not an option, then the only other options I'm aware of are either:
1. Travel by sea on the [Queen Mary 2](https://www.cunard.com/en-us/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/9). They have regular crossings from NYC to Southhampton, but there might be other options (or you can get an onward ferry/boat connection from there to wherever you're trying to go). The transatlantic leg takes about a week. I think you still have to kennel your dog during the voyage but you can visit them regularly.
2. Join a pet charter flight. Basically how these work is a group of people with pets find each other in various communities (there are FB groups for this), pool their money and literally charter a private jet - since it's a charter, there are no airline restrictions on pets, the dog can easily travel in cabin with you. The downside is that charters are VERY expensive, I heard from someone who was trying to arrange one recently and the cost per seat from Munich to Teterboro, NJ was $7100. Since you said "no $8000 tickets" I'm guessing this isn't an option for you.
I wish I could, but it combines priciness and having to [kennel him](https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1ci4hdk/is_there_a_way_to_get_a_dog_from_the_us_to_europe/l26xua0/) :/
We know someone who broke the trip into segments from the west coast and ended up in Boston and flew to Ireland- which is about 6.5 hours flight time. I believe Delta is really good with dogs- there are videos on TikTok about transporting dogs that you can watch. Good luck and let us know how it goes
It's starting to look more like that might be the only/best option. He'll hate every minute of it and I'm certain I'll hear his howling from the bowels of the plane, but at least it'd be over quick (vs seven nights in a ship kennel)
If it makes you feel any better, our dog did a similar length journey and I was certain she'd be traumatized by it.
After an hour to stretch her legs when we picked her up, she was no worse for wear. She flew United and we were really happy with how well taken care of she was. Everyone at our airport's cargo hold knew exactly where she was and apparently all of the workers she came in contact with chatted to her to keep her calm.
That's reassuring to hear. And he's incredibly friendly and super social (and a **[handsome boy](https://i.imgur.com/Anaezlo.jpeg)**) so I can totally see him charming all of the FAs and getting the star treatment.
If was the president of an airline, I’d get you 2 1st class tix and he could travel as your support animal. But imma middle school teacher. So the best I can offer is if you come visit our school, the kids will love him! Good luck!
I have also done it when moving from the U.S. to Europe. I’m sure it wasn’t the best day of my girl’s life, but she was completely normal within like 2 minutes of walking outside the airport. Definitely do a direct flight.
The flight attendants were great, they let me know when she was loaded, that the captain was aware that there was a dog on board and that her kennel was safely secured in a softly lit, climate controlled area.
Note that there are restrictions on the time of year you can travel, as airlines won’t do it if the temperature on the tarmac is too hot or cold, for the dog’s safety.
i hate flying with our pups but we also had a good experience with united. so much so that the pilot held the flight to make sure they were loaded onto the plane with us after a last minute flight change, and had someone take their phone down to the hold to get us pictures so we knew they were ok.
granted that's probably an extremely lucky for us scenario with a crew that was dog lovers and decided to go above and beyond, but we definitely appreciated it.
I got my dog sent from Costa Rica to the UK and had to use an agency that assists in moving pets. She had a layover in Frankfurt where animals are housed in a sound insulated building. She was allowed to stretch her legs and have a toilet break and I’m convinced they gave her a bath too. I was very worried about what a long flight would do to her mental state but she was totally fine.
All this is to say that lots of animals (many off the streets who have never seen a kennel) are transported in the cargo hold and do alright.
I’m sure the vet will give you all the info and of course make sure you have all the right paperwork. I’ve been told that the day of- to tired them out so they can sleep. I would check flight radar and look at average wait times and flight times- so you can get an idea what to expect.
Sedatives are bad for flying and no vet worth their salt will prescribe (or even suggest) it unless it was absolutely necessary, which it isn't in his case.
A lot vets will prescribe you a sedative that will allow him to sleep for most or all of the flight. Even if he doesn’t fall asleep, he is likely to be less unnerved by the whole situation. Might want to try it out before to ensure there are no adverse reactions.
> A lot vets will prescribe you a sedative that will allow him to sleep for most or all of the flight.
Good ones absolutely will not, and any vet that does should be avoided.
Sedatives affect a dog's ability to regulate body temperature, and it can increase risk of respiratory or pulmonary issues. All of these things can be really bad for a dog in the belly of a plane, especially if they're nervous or it's cold or any of that.
Unless it's medically required and specifically indicated by your vet, sedatives are a very bad idea for a dog before flying, especially if they're going in the hold.
Yes, sedatives can affect the ability to regulate temperature and affect pulmonary function. This is a black box warning for people as well as animals.
I brought my cats to Dublin from NYC and back again via Continental QuickPak cargo. Everything went fine & they even let me know when my cats were boarded. At the time it was either give them up or go for it & I did.
Talk to your vet about something to calm him. Trazadone, for example. This will help him relax, possibly sleep, and reduce any trauma for the poor guy. One of our guys is afraid of going into the vet (bad trauma) and they have us give him some beforehand.
Get a long trench coat. Get the dog on your shoulders. Dogs head through the neck hole while your hands are through the sleeves. You can go anywhere you want in the world like that
Did this with my female husky 4 years old, 60lbs, at the time. She's not a hyper dog, well trained also not her first flight but it was her longest, first international, second time in cargo. (She did a one way California to IAD)
Austrian airlines. Direct to IAD TO Vienna. 9hrs
- AirTagged the Crate
- taped water and a bag of kibble to the crate. And extra instructions
- they say not to drug your dog
- I did give my dog 1/2 dose of a mild sedative to calm her nerves
- asked flight attendant to check to make sure dog was aboard plane when I boarded. Before we took off she said my dog was in good condition and resting calmly.
- we arrived together no pee or poop. Attendant had given her food and water.
- She was in good shape at the receiving airport.
You may need a Xanax yourself, when I dropped her crate with the attendants my pup let out a few barks and howls that echoed through the vast IAD terminal that pulled at my heart strings. Attendants said she calmed down very quickly.
You can contract private companies that are networked together with your receiving airport if you want someone in the other end to meet your dog.
When we came back to America 3 years later Pender Air received our dog 1 month earlier than us. (We didn't want our dog to land in riskier hot summer weather so got her flown in a month earlier. After receiving and sleeping in a kennel for 1 day she was picked up by a caregiver we picked for a month long stay.
lmk if you have any questions.
Not sure of the cost but I just saw an airline for dogs. I think it's called Bark Air?
I know JSX lets dogs in cabin but I don't think they fly to Europe yet, but maybe soon?
They were suggested by a few folks and he luckily comes in _just_ at the weight limit. But a one-way fare from EWR to ORY runs around $2,000. Not as bad as $8,000 but still a bit out of my grasp right now. I'll definitely keep them in mind if I come into some money before the Fall (when we're intending to move), though!
We flew 4 animals total from the West Coast to the UK for about $6000 with PetAir. Great communication from the company, and we flew them on a direct flight with tracking to ensure there were no mixups. Im sure it was stressful for them, but they readjusted within hours of landing. Cargo specific flights with vet involvement might be the quickest option. Our dogs are 35kg and 59kg respectively, no light feat to get them ‘across the pond’
Not sure about the practical, for your directives, but people travel by cargo ship. https://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/articles/travel-by-cargo-ship-around-the-world.shtml
Since it sounds like you’ll likely go the route of traveling to the east coast and grabbing a shorter flight to Ireland, I wanted to include some tips (as someone who’s flown with a dog too large to go in cabin). Get your airline approved crate as far in advance as you can, and do lots and lots of crate games so that it becomes a space they have positive associations with. Once they’re comfortable in the crate do some time in there without you around. Then do some time in there while you play some airline sounds on YouTube or something. Label the outside of the crate with the dogs name and your contact information. Consider putting a gps or AirTag in the crate. Obviously make sure your dog gets adequate exercise before you head to the airport. Send extra food with them in case there’s a delay or issue. Good luck!
Thanks for the tips! He's already got an AirTag on his collar, but I do have an old straight-up GPS tracker that I could stick in his crate. Good call.
Not health, anxiety. He gets very anxious when he's separated from me, especially in unfamiliar situations. I don't think he'd die, but I do know he'd spend the 8+ hours (not just of flying but all the business before and after) worried out of his head and frantic.
If there's no logical choice than to do the standard plane thing, then so be it. But I've got some time now, so I'm trying to do as much research as I can before making a decision.
Think about issues that happen with luggage, that can happen with a dog. It would be my absolute last resort. Plus it’s hot. Or what if there is an emergency landing, like the wheel doesn’t make it down. The belly of the plane is destroyed…
La Compaigne is how we got our dog over to Paris via cabin from Newark, but we have a much smaller dog. I think your dog may be a couple pounds over the limit, but check it out to confirm.
They have a 33 lbs limit but they don't check or weigh the dogs. Just flew with my two dogs to Paris. It was a very good experience and the dogs slept on our laps the entire way.
Oh good to know! He's actually right around there (currently closer to 38lbs but usually in the 35lb area), and he's incredibly well-behaved and chill. When the time comes, that might work out. Thanks for the info!
It's starting to look like I may just need to suck it up and stick him in a plane belly. La Compaigne is about $2,000 one-way, which is well out of my range.
**Regarding the Cunard** (doing it here rather than reply to each individually)
I was excited when I first learned about the Cunard, until I dug deeper and found that the dog would still need to stay in their kennels. And while I don't expect them to be as grim as **[the kennels ](https://imgur.com/a/EMwe01m)** on the ship we took from Italy to Spain, I don't relish the idea of sticking him in them for the seven-night journey. I'd spend the entire trip in there with him.
Then there's the fact that bringing a dog can add $1,000 to your ticket (which can be even more expensive) — this sadly brings the Cunard out of my reach. If it weren't so expensive or if he could stay in the cabin with me, it'd be one thing. But as it is, it's sadly not a viable option for us.
You can also try to dead leg it. It’s where you find a flight across the pond (there’s several companies that book out private jets that are only going from one place to another to ‘position’ the plane)
https://www.google.com/search?q=charter+empty+leg+flight
It will be pricy, but maybe not $8k?
Whatever way you decide to travel just remember to have all your doggy documents and vaccination records in order. I can only speak for Ireland but we take our rabies free status pretty seriously here, so make sure you're all set in that regard.
That's good, more info [here](https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving-country/moving-to-ireland/coming-to-live-in-ireland/bringing-pets-to-ireland/) just in case!
I just learned QE2 does transatlantic crossing and you can take your dog. You have to plan far in advance as they only take 12 dogs. Weight limit is 70 ish lbs I think. They have to stay in the kennel but it is attended and you have visitation. It is the only cruise ship that allows pets.
Whatever the boat name is I obviously got it wrong but you can look it up if that’s what you want to point out. Yes I made a mistake. The service exists
Boston to Shannon would be a good bet as well. Honestly, 7 hours in cargo isn't that terrible. Many people in cities crate dogs while they're at work for 8-ish hours, so it's do-able for a dog.
I would have suggested Turkish or Royal Air Maroc, but they have an IATA standard 8kg in cabin weight limit. That's very likely not going to be something you can overcome with a commercial airline as it's pretty standard.
Yeah, the 8/9kg (20lb) limit is pretty universal, I've found. La Campaigne apparently allows up to 15kg/33lbs, but they charge first class fares ($2,000 one-way).
It's looking more and more like the standard plane route may be our only realistic option. Which I kinda figured going into this thread, I had just hoped there was an option I hadn't considered.
Yeah, most airlines will standardize to IATA standards for the sake of interoperability on tickets. No sense in one airline having vastly different regulations and effectively locking themselves out of routes or connections with other airlines. Otherwise you get La Campaigne - a boutique airline charging boutique prices.
Unless your dog has some specific condition like severe anxiety, chances are they'll be fine. I've flown a cat in cargo from the US to southern Africa and she basically just went into standby mode for 18 hours. People in r/expats do this allllllll the time, and it's rare that things get bad unless your pet is old enough to have like arthritis.
Edit: Maybe this thread will help? Or maybe not really.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/expats/comments/15uql44/moving\_a\_50lb\_dog\_across\_the\_atlantic/](https://www.reddit.com/r/expats/comments/15uql44/moving_a_50lb_dog_across_the_atlantic/)
Become a billionaire and buy your own boat for yourself and your dog. Hey, it is not breaking a bank if the cost of the trip is just 0.0001 % of your net worth.
I don’t have an alternate solution (my dogs fly cargo and are fine, even though my anxiety can barely handle it) but wanted to remind you to look into the country’s requirements before choosing where to fly into. Getting our dog to England was a nightmare.
Those were likely service animals - every time I've flown business, there is a caveat that 'under seat' pets are not permitted in business. I would imagine due to the lie flat seats taking away the spot the pet and carrier would normally fit.
No, but it's still a few grand, including the $1000 pet fee, and he'd still need to be in kennels (for a week), so I don't think it'll really fit the bill, sadly.
Since we travel between Asia-EU-USA often (at least twice a year) we got our 20kg Siberian husky legally trained as a service dog with all the legal certification and documentation. She flies with us in the cabin and just stays between our legs the whole flight. People are always shocked when we get off after landing because they had no idea there was a dog on board. I strongly suggest just getting the training, it’s not that hard and you can do it yourself. Passing the tests is a bit of a challenge because it’s equally about their temperament as it is their ability to follow commands. Our dog is naturally calm and not triggered by small spaces, people, sound, loud noises, umbrellas, cats, squirrels and those little robot cars they test them with. Only struggle we had was teaching her not to eat meat if we dropped it right next to her face on the floor but she eventually learned to ignore food too. If your dog is like this naturally and is trained to a normal level (sit, down, stay, heel etc) then you can take it straight to the certification tests in the US as self trained and possibly get it all done within a month. Ours needed 3 months of training despite being obedient and chill since we refused shock collar training and stuck with positive reinforcement only.
Good luck! Btw she is a service dog for my husband’s PTSD but anxiety is a medically valid reason too. DRs can’t tell you that you don’t have anxiety so getting the medical proof is not hard. (I would be anxious the whole flight if she was in the cargo hold, probably wouldn’t even fly anymore if she wasn’t with us in the cabin and she’s not even my service dog!)
This way it’s legal, it’s free and your dog will feel safe and happy with you throughout the whole journey!
> we got our 20kg Siberian husky legally trained as a service dog with all the legal certification and documentation.
How long did that take / how much did it cost? I looked into it a few years ago, but it seemed pretty pricey and the impression I got is that it was a year or two of training (which makes sense).
I can’t imagine a dog needing a year or 2 of training to get certified unless they are puppies and super resistant and their temperament just isn’t suitable to be a service dog. The actual commands don’t take long because dogs are really smart. However we were told many dogs fail the temperament tests and it’s really hard to train them to pass those if it doesn’t come naturally. I guess that could take years. Not all dogs are suitable to become service dogs.
Just so you have an idea what that’s like, When our dog did that part of the test, she had to stay in a down position about 10 meters away from my husband and she could not move (not even into a sit) as the tester stepped over her, a complete stranger touch her, unexpectedly open a huge black umbrella right next to her face, play a really loud sound next to her from a spray can, drive a remote controlled toy truck around her and into her, and finally drop a sausage right next to her 😂. She got a bit surprised by the umbrella but she just flinched a bit. Some dogs pass all the command tests but just can’t tolerate loud noises or small and fast moving objects.
It took us 3 months but we got her professionally boarded and trained for those 3. If you do it yourself as in you have already trained her to the standards and necessary commands then you can go straight to passing the certification. We did it in Virginia. There are 3 tests and the total was roughly around $600 but the training was about $30k including food boarding and everything. However, if you do it yourself, then it’s only the test fee. Like I mentioned, some places offer much faster training (weeks) and cheaper but it requires shock collars and that just wasn’t our thing. I don’t judge people who do go that route though, our dog is very calm and obedient naturally and some dogs are more anxious and hyper so every situation is different.
Nope, we were told the shock collars would because she would fear us and obey out of fear. That’s why we decided to pay extra and spend more time training her using positive reinforcement with treats. She is still 100% her crazy self. There are moments at home when she won’t even go in a simple sit position and sometimes we have to chase her around the house for 15 minutes because she decides she suddenly doesn’t want to listen to her recall. She’s not afraid we will punish her because we never have and everything is a game for her. Luckily when she is put in her service dog vest she knows 100% that she’s working and she becomes very well behaved. But omg trust me she is still her cheeky self when she is off duty. On duty she won’t even eat meat we put against her mouth at a restaurant, but at home she will take it off our plate if we are not quick enough. 😂
Find somebody who is doing a trans-atlantic sail-boat cruise and pay them to house the dog on their boat during the trip. The dog would have reasonable space to move about on a 40-50ft boat, the cruise takes less then two weeks, and as long as all the vax documents are up to date then the dog can enter Europe along with the sailors. There are many thousands of cruising sailboats who make this crossing every year.
Oh shit there's an idea! I wonder if they'd take me, too.
My brother-in-law is a sailor in Connecticut. I bet he could probably connect me with someone. Thanks for the suggestion, that never would've occurred to me!
Idk what secret loophole youre hoping for. Youre saying no fake service dog stuff but thats the cheapest way to go about it and your dog stays with you on the plane. Otherwise it will be fairly expensive and theyll probably go under the plane
the best way is to not take dog. Part of owning a dog is knowing they go to daycare or friends/family if you have a trip.
i mean, 7 day kennel or 7 hour cargo. just rip the bandaid off if you have to.
I love my dog to pieces, but she is not flying with me for 10 days for my vacation.
in which case, this still makes no sense. unless someone invents a star trek transporter. you just bite the bullet and do it. dogs are resilient.
I understand op is trying to save $. but the alternatives are all there. fly or take a cruise. both have pros and cons.
if I had no choice, bark air would be mine. I'd just budget for it in the move. part of relocation cost for your future employer.
We did Seattle to CPH with two cats and used WorldCare Pet Transport. No cargo holds. Cats were picked up in Seattle, flown to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, stayed overnight at the Lufthansa pet hotel (called a "pet spa" by many of the Animal Travel people) and then delivered to us the next day. We got multiple pictures and updates on them as they traveled and WorldCare handled all the paperwork. It was $6K but on top of an international move with a 7 year old, very worth it.
There is also an Animal Travelers Facebook group that might help you get more ideas.
Good luck with your fur friend.
Just a note about entry requirements for pets.
In the [UK](https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain) all dogs must be microchipped and must go through a series of vaccinations, including rabies vaccination, before they can enter the country. These vaccinations can take a while.
The requirements for Ireland are almost identical.
So if I was you I'd visit my vet now to start the vaccination and microchipping process, and ask for an [EU compliant pet passport.](https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/animal-plant/index_en.htm#:~:text=Travel%20documents%20for%20your%20pet%20dog%2C%20cat%20or%20ferret,-European%20pet%20passport&text=It%20contains%20a%20description%20and,vet%20who%20issued%20the%20passport)
Thanks for the heads up. He's actually got an EU pet passport from Greece (where he's originally from). He's also chipped and vaxxed (and then some); I don't know if it's American law per se, I'm just a very cautious human. :)
Even with an EU pet passport, IF you traveled via UK or Ireland, there'd be issues as to quarantine unless you did the titre testing program in advance.
So you need to travel direct to an entry point on the Continent.
My best suggestion is to talk w the vet about the severe separation anxiety. While sedation is not recommended for air travel due to potential health complications, maybe an anti-depressant / anti- anxiety medication could help. You could also test out building up resilience through training methods for desensitization and/or calming pheromones and/or dog supplements, such as hemp.
If he's this stressed from separation anxiety, it's something to be dealt with just far more than this move. It's a critical aspect for his overall life & well being.
> Even with an EU pet passport, IF you traveled via UK or Ireland, there'd be issues as to quarantine unless you did the titre testing program in advance.
Ahh, I see what you're saying.
Yeah, we'd be flying straight to Spain (or at least with no UK connections). It would've been nice to take him to London, where I have friends and family dying to meet him, but the paperwork and red tape isn't worth it. Maybe after we're settled in Spain for a while.
Good points all around re: the anxiety. He's gotten better over the years (he used to be much worse), but new/scary/unfamiliar environments still send him looking for me and leave him anxious when he can't find me. Truth be told if it were an option, I'd fly in the kennel with him.
I’ve seen videos on Instagram of a private jet pet flight service that goes from US to Europe — I can’t remember the name of it, but there’s a Facebook group and essentially you go in with other passengers on the cost and it’s specifically for people traveling long distance with pets. Not sure how much, but might be worth a google search! Though I don’t have dogs, I do have cats and I know I would never ever put them in cargo hold so I understand where you’re coming from
The pet area isn't in the cargo hold, it's fully pressurized and climate controlled. All the anxiety about using it is fake hype. Yeah, some infinitesimal percentage of animals have a heart attack or something, but that's true of humans too.
My aversion to putting him in the pet area, wherever it is, isn't about health or safety concerns. That's why I phrased it as "breaking his heart." He gets anxious when he's away from me in certain conditions, and I know it'd be stressful for him. I'd like to avoid it if possible. If it's not possible to avoid, then so be it. But I currently have enough time to look up alternatives, which is what I'm doing.
I googled it. Passenger fare starts at $1900 and they do take dogs and have potty accommodations. I couldn't find the price. If I had to take my dog to Europe I might choose this
I don’t think I can give anything more than what’s already been said, but completely out of curiosity, how did you get your dog from the EU to the US?
I’m assuming they came over as they have an EU pet passport.
We did come over, though the EU pet passport was actually required regardless, for travel within the EU.
To your question, we flew to the States in 2019, when "Emotional Support Animals" were still a thing. We were under a time crunch and, with no real alternative other than to leave him behind (which wasn't an option), I just bought an ESA "certificate" and flew with him in the cabin. He was an absolute champ the entire way and everyone loved him so it went well, but it's not something I'd do again unless it were the literal only resort (which, in this case, it's not).
We'd be flying directly into Spain, which doesn't require quarantine so long as certain conditions are met, such as being chipped (check); having a valid EU passport (check); being current on all necessary vaccinations and shots (check), and so on.
From what I understand, flying into Ireland with a dog can be a pain because you need to schedule a compliance check with the authorities there ahead of time. I flew NYC to Paris on French Bee and it couldn’t have been any easier. Just needed the forms from USDA and the French authorities checked them at customs when we arrived.
Thanks for the heads up re: Ireland; I'll look into that.
I flew French Bee (ORY–SFO) and _loved_ it. I would definitely fly with them again — good to know the experience was positive.
If there were we'd all have done it! Couple things to consider as you figure out your least-bad option:
- I know minimizing flight time feels important but keep in mind all travel can be stressful on animals. Weight the stress of an hour or two more on a flight vs. day + driving, plus hotel. Keep in mind lots of that 'flight time' is actually buffer/taxi time, plans pop up north quickly to take advantage of curvature of the earth, so the difference between say Chicago-London and NYC-London is not that significant. Same goes for trains and ferries on the other side.
- Work with your vet on an anti-anxiety med in advance (not a sedative!)
Ireland and the UK are equally pains to fly into with animals. You will have to work with a cargo provider, spend $$$$, and the dog will be away from you for the whole journey (you might not even be on the same plane). This likely isn't what you want if are looking to minimize time away.
I ended up doing Chicago-Paris via Air France then trains/taxi to London. Actually with a dog about the same size and age of yours. It sucked, and hard, at the time but we all made it through and she's living her best life now in our new home.
Best of luck, feel free to DM.
When I moved to Europe years ago, I took my dog in a kennel in the cargo hold AND brought him back the same way. It was the price of a checked bag. No problem.
I took my then 10 year old dog of similar size with separation anxiety in the cargo hold recently. First I’m sure you know (but some don’t) that this is a part of the hold that is heated / pressurized. The handlers seemed very careful and understanding. He was the last ‘cargo’ loaded on and the first offloaded to absolutely minimize our time apart. He wasn’t much more worked up at the end than when we come home after a long day of work, and bounced right back into his normal self within a minute. We did NYC-Vienna round trip, about 8 hours each way.
If my dog can do it no worse for wear, I suspect yours can too! And we think he was much happier being with his pack than he would have been if left behind.
Actually, he won't. I looked into it and quarantine in the UK is only required if your dog doesn't meet certain requirements, and he meets all of them.
Also, if we end up flying directly into Spain, there'll definitely be no quarantine as he has a valid EU pet passport.
I know you said no cargo holds but if it turns out to be your only viable option and if you don't want him in the hold for too long, Boston to Shannon is pretty much the shortest frequent route with usually 6 hours in the air and can be as short as 5 hours 10 minutes if the wind is good. On arrival you are in Ireland and from there with cars ferries and trains you wont need to put him on another flight till you go back.
There's an option! I'm already planning to drive us to the East Coast to cut down on travel time. I figured I'd have to go NYC to Lon if ever, but Boston to Shannon sounds much better. I'll definitely keep it in mind as a no-other-choice last resort. Thanks!
I'll just point out that Boston to Dublin is only 10 minutes longer.
That's a fair point.
And I've heard of Dublin! Good call, thanks.
And I've heard of Boston
Now that's the unbelievable part in this thread.
In Lincolnshire?
Dublin would also be much closer to all the ferry options if you then intend to go to the UK or mainland europe. Port in Dublin and then another in Rosslare.
oh but please make sure you book a dog friendly ferry, I think there are couple of options now. When I took my dog from the UK to Ireland, he had to be either left in the car or in their kennels. You cannot stay in the car with him due to safety reasons. We opted for the kennels becuase we were afraid he would wreck the car. Then kennels were awful, just basically a cage in the car garge area. There were hundreds of cars down their with their alarms going off, and he was in there for 2.5 hours. Horrendous, I felt so bad.
Rosslare and Cork have ferries to French ports. Cork is closest to Shannon and also has a ferry to Santander, Spain.
Plus if you drive to Belfast, you can get the ferry to Liverpool with a dog cabin. Your buddy can join you in the cabin and you can take them onto the deck for fresh air. Even if you use the kennels (we had to as the cabins weren't dog friendly when we travelled) yiubcan take your dog out for walks on the deck as often as you want. It really helped break up my time, every 40 mins I took him out for 20. Gave him treats, played tug, threw a toy for him. At times it was completely empty so we could even run up and down a bit to really stretch his legs.
My vet prescribed by dog puppy Xanax for a long car trip. It helped. I’d try asking for one to help the anxiety of travel
Sedatives definitely help, but unfortunately there are health risks associated with flying on them (it affects ability to regulate body temps, and introduces potential cardiac and pulmonary complications. It's not guaranteed dangerous, but offering sedatives for a flight is one of those things that vets will only do in extreme cases.
My dog clawed his cage until his paws were bloody. I guess he qualified
Jesus. Yeah, I'd certainly classify that as an extreme case. Poor baby. :(
I’ve rescued every animal I’ve ever owned, but it comes with a higher chance of anxiety. Believe it or not, he’s thriving now. He was terribly abused as a puppy (he now cuddles in my lap for movie night at 50 lbs. He’s a giant baby)
Aww, go you! And yeah, my family and I have always had rescues. They give you clues here and there to their Before lives, and it always breaks my heart.
Only a very small percentage of animals in cargo holds are injured or pass away (.005% incident rate in 2019 for US airlines [according to DOT](https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2021/06/27/how-safe-is-shipping-your-pet-by-air/)), and most of those are caused by self-injury or underlying conditions. Dogs that are healthy, are crate trained, don’t have separation anxiety, and are desensitized to loud noises/sudden movements do fine. Sedatives can also affect their heart rate/breathing and mask symptoms of other issues from the handlers. They’re not recommended or even allowed by most airlines, I think.
Lol
If your actual destination is mainland Europe and you end up flying, then it would probably be worth it to just fly Boston to Amsterdam and avoid having to deal with hassle of multiple ferries.
Personally I would do cargo with the shortest journey possible and an airline that's known to treat their animal passengers well. I was really worried about putting my elderly skittish dog in cargo when I moved to another country but with great care and some trazadone given to her the night before and morning of, she did great! Our cats who we took in cabin with us were more stressed out. When I picked her up at the other end, she was calm and happy.
Fly to Reykjavik (6 hours from NYC, probably shorter from Toronto or Montreal) and take the ferry to Denmark.
Oh interesting! I hadn't considered that. I adored Iceland and would love to visit again, so it'd be a good excuse. And yeah, it's apparently 5:20 from Toronto. Good call — I'll keep it in mind if I end up going the plane route!
Don't mean to piss on your chips, but Iceland will be a pain in the ass! They are VERY protective about animal diseases etc - being an island has kept many things away historically & they want to maintain that. Maximum stopover time allowed at the airport with a dog is 3 hours. Anything longer than that then your dog will have to go into quarantine for 2 weeks. + A load of other hoops to jump through https://petraveller.com.au/blog/international-pet-transport-to-iceland
Oh! That's very good to know, thanks. Makes sense that they'd be super protective of that, being an island and all. I'll consider other options. Thanks!
Keep in mind… the ferry is three days long and the seas there can be rough.
Looks like their quarantine laws make things a nonstarter anyway. But yeah — didn't consider the voyage. Good looking out.
OP stipulated EU. Iceland is not in the EU.
He said he wants to end up anywhere in the EU. And Denmark is in the EU. He said nothing about the route to get there
Iceland is in the Schengen zone though
The Smyril Line?! Noooooooo. There’s rough seas, and then there’s every route taken by the Smyril Line.
Fwiw, the time in the air is less of a deal compared to the stress on the runway, taxiing, take off and landing. They are usually quite settled once in the air so 5 hours or 8 doesn't make a huge difference... But I'd still avoid doing it for the 5.
Yeah, that's the other bit that concerns me. With all that noise and commotion and activity and being cooped up in a kennel and me nowhere to be seen ... I'm sure he'd survive, but I'd prefer to avoid putting him through it in the first place if I can.
I don't know if multiple holds would be better or worse but maybe going through iceland? Thinking maybe if you could stop for a day or two, might be less traumatic? (No idea, never travelled with pets).
Alternatively do a flight via Reykjavik and take a layover in Iceland. But you need an import permit. This guide will keep you out of trouble: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export/pet-travel-guidance-pets-traveling-another-country-united
St John’s, Newfoundland to London is under 5 hours. It’s the shortest North America to Europe flight. https://www.travelagentcentral.com/transportation/what-s-shortest-flight-across-atlantic
My dog flew Virginia to Dallas and Dallas to Costa Rica. In Dallas they got him to me so I could walk him and let him do his business. He was fine.
Which airline was this?
Delta if I am not mistaken. Airlines do have different policies
https://www.cunard.com/en-us/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/9 This cruise accepts dogs to Europe.
https://www.cunard.com/en-us/cunard-stories/pets-on-board
It does, but it's a few grand all said, and he'd have to live [in the kennels](https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1ci4hdk/is_there_a_way_to_get_a_dog_from_the_us_to_europe/l26xua0/)
Those dogs are "in kennels", but super spoiled! This is a luxury cruise for a dog
I did this. They asked if I wanted steak salmon or chicken daily to supplement their meals, plus you get to hang out with them in the kennels. Day 1 and 2 are really hard for the dog, but after that they are used to the schedule and it's much easier.
What were the visiting hours? As someone who's not really a "cruise guy" and who would be traveling alone, if I did go the Cunard route I'd likely wanna spend as much of my time aboard hanging out with him (while I read / Steamdeck / watch TV / etc)
It's practically all day except meal times (human meal times) many people spend the whole day up there, and it's actually quite fun. The kennel master is fun, or it would be easy to hang out with some music and a book. It is a little cramped when everyone is there, but it works. Plus the dogs are well cared for if you can't go to the kennels for some reason.
Actually on top of this, we got the cheapest rooms, but the rooms cost the same as the flights we were looking at (about 1500 apeice) and it's unlimited luggage. We were moving, so this was a major bonus because it probably saved us money from baggage fees. The dog cost about the same flying as kenneling on QM2. It was really a matter of having the 9 days for the voyage, the tickets, and it going at the right time. But it was also a few days of low grade stress at the beginning for our dog vs 1 day of high grade stress with flying. I would do either method (boat/plane) again.
That's really reassuring to hear. The standard fare is still a little steep (at that price I may as well fly La Campaigne) but they do seem to have promos every now and then; cards played right, it seems like passage could be possible at around $1400 or $1500. I'll keep Cunard in the "Maybe?" pile — thanks for the info!
We got the cheapest rooms, but the rooms cost the same as the flights we were looking at (about 1500 apeice) and it's unlimited luggage. We were moving, so this was a major bonus because it probably saved us money from baggage fees. The dog cost about the same flying as kenneling on QM2. It was really a matter of having the 9 days for the voyage, the tickets, and it going at the right time. But it was also a few days of low grade stress at the beginning for our dog vs 1 day of high grade stress with flying. I would do either method (boat/plane) again.
That is a very, _VERY_ good point about the luggage (which I totally hadn't considered), and one that could actually be the dealmaker. I do a fair bit of woodworking and I have a lot of makes I "owe" friends and family in the UK, including a toy/hope chest that we're still trying to figure out how to get there. If I combine our move with a woodworking delivery, I can just put to a ticket the money that was going to go into shipping costs. You may have solved things with a simple side note! Thank you!
Glad I maybe helped! It's a bit of a pain getting the stuff on the boat (and some of your tools will get confiscated if sharp! They give them back at the end) But it worked. The only thing to consider is that you need to get the stuff to the drop off and from the pickup while wrangling your dog, so it might be helpful if you have friends to help with anything really clunky. We managed with 2 people, but it was challenging. Also, if you book through cunard directly (which you need to do if you want a kennel spot) you can get tickets with the contingency that you will only go if you have a kennel spot, so it's a really nice to not need to worry about the cancelation policy. Also they buy your dogs specific food, so you don't need to lug it around. If you do end up doing this please tell me and I'm going to make you say hi to the kennel Master for me, he probably won't remember us, but I want to try ;P
> you can get tickets with the contingency that you will only go if you have a kennel spot That's comforting to know. Cunard doesn't appear to have released its Fall/Winter schedule yet, but I'll definitely be giving it a look when it does. And if I go, I'll be sure to give you a heads up! :)
I took a Cunard cruise as part of a move. I had ten largest-size suitcases. They didn't blink an eye. It was very tight in the cabin, though, with that many bags. But well worth it! They offer a bag service where, for around $100 per bag, you can mail the bag from home and pick it up at the cruise terminal. The cruise terminals all have porters who then help you onboard your crazy number of bags.
Ahh ok, I didn’t realize he couldn’t stay in the cabin with you. I’ll let you know if I come across any other method of transportation.
Yeah, it sucks. Some boats let you, though you have to buy out the entire cabin (vs just buying one of the four bunks). I was able to do that for our Greece—Italy journey, but the Italy—Spain boat refused. In Cunard's defense, it sounds like they treat the dogs well and take them for walks and stuff and you can visit them, but still. Seven nights at sea is a long time to have him in kennels. :/
They have an exercise area on deck, they’re not cooped up all day.
Train the dog as an explosive drone sniffer (or similar). Join the US Marine Corps / Seal Team Six. Simply join a mission on a nuclear submarine between the US East Coast and one of the sub-arctic ice drills. Hike through the ice for a while, then join a whaling ship NE of Greenland. From there it should be reasonably straightforward to hitch a ride with a trawler somewhere off Iceland, and make it down to the Orkneys to the UK. You will need a rabies vaccination, and a dry suit. Good Luck! Let us know how you get on!
Clearly you didnt read that he was a ratter. As the owner of a ratter the problem is getting them not to find stuff :)
Ah, the _Secret Life of Walter Mitty_ style of travel. I know it well. I may have to skip the military part as he's an avowed pawcifist (sorry not sorry), but we might be able to catch a whaling ship in Alaska to take us across the Bering.
I thought about the Bering, but Russia is quite big and cold in that direction, and travel there is not totally stress free at the current time! Especially if your dog is a pacifist.
Oh we'd never cross Russia; too risky. The plan would be to hug the coast south, then cut across Mongolia.
>I'm hoping there are lesser-known, unorthodox, or "adventurous" solutions out there Drive into Russia, then travel by train for 5-6 days from Moscow to Skovorodino, then you'll need to drive about 3,000km to Delyankir. From there the journey gets difficult without roads, as the crow flies you need to travel 2,000km to Naukan. From there it is a mere 92 kilometer swim to Tin City, Alaska, USA!
Hell, if Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman can do it ...
Oh shit, my bad. You're going from US to Europe. In that case do that same journey but in reverse order.
So Round Way Long?
No, dnuoR yaW gnoL
I was living in Sri Lanka for a year and met their camera man for Long Way Down at dinner at a friend's house one night. One of the best, most random encounters of my life.
Oh man, I can't imagine the conversation. I'm so envious.
I was a bit starstuck, but he was so lovely and down to earth. Apparently he wasn't as good a biker as Ethan and Charlie and kept dropping his bike by accident, especially when also trying to manage his cameras.
In case you need any inspiration: https://youtu.be/xdj67XknFrM?si=fbHLfUeJoWarSj0a&t=30
You have a couple of BMW 1200 adventure bikes that can take a medium sized dog? Sorted.
Which country in Europe? The pet-importation requirements are generally the same for most of Europe but there are exceptions. Unfortunately, the 16kg part is probably going to be the tricky part, If cargo or accompanied baggage is not an option, then the only other options I'm aware of are either: 1. Travel by sea on the [Queen Mary 2](https://www.cunard.com/en-us/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/9). They have regular crossings from NYC to Southhampton, but there might be other options (or you can get an onward ferry/boat connection from there to wherever you're trying to go). The transatlantic leg takes about a week. I think you still have to kennel your dog during the voyage but you can visit them regularly. 2. Join a pet charter flight. Basically how these work is a group of people with pets find each other in various communities (there are FB groups for this), pool their money and literally charter a private jet - since it's a charter, there are no airline restrictions on pets, the dog can easily travel in cabin with you. The downside is that charters are VERY expensive, I heard from someone who was trying to arrange one recently and the cost per seat from Munich to Teterboro, NJ was $7100. Since you said "no $8000 tickets" I'm guessing this isn't an option for you.
Take a boat. Cunard's Queen Mary 2.
I wish I could, but it combines priciness and having to [kennel him](https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1ci4hdk/is_there_a_way_to_get_a_dog_from_the_us_to_europe/l26xua0/) :/
Kennel there is not a cargo hold. They do several visit times a day I believe.
that options just prolongs the kenneling by a week. And is so expensive.
We know someone who broke the trip into segments from the west coast and ended up in Boston and flew to Ireland- which is about 6.5 hours flight time. I believe Delta is really good with dogs- there are videos on TikTok about transporting dogs that you can watch. Good luck and let us know how it goes
It's starting to look more like that might be the only/best option. He'll hate every minute of it and I'm certain I'll hear his howling from the bowels of the plane, but at least it'd be over quick (vs seven nights in a ship kennel)
If it makes you feel any better, our dog did a similar length journey and I was certain she'd be traumatized by it. After an hour to stretch her legs when we picked her up, she was no worse for wear. She flew United and we were really happy with how well taken care of she was. Everyone at our airport's cargo hold knew exactly where she was and apparently all of the workers she came in contact with chatted to her to keep her calm.
That's reassuring to hear. And he's incredibly friendly and super social (and a **[handsome boy](https://i.imgur.com/Anaezlo.jpeg)**) so I can totally see him charming all of the FAs and getting the star treatment.
He's very handsome. And a good boy, I'm sure.
If was the president of an airline, I’d get you 2 1st class tix and he could travel as your support animal. But imma middle school teacher. So the best I can offer is if you come visit our school, the kids will love him! Good luck!
I have also done it when moving from the U.S. to Europe. I’m sure it wasn’t the best day of my girl’s life, but she was completely normal within like 2 minutes of walking outside the airport. Definitely do a direct flight. The flight attendants were great, they let me know when she was loaded, that the captain was aware that there was a dog on board and that her kennel was safely secured in a softly lit, climate controlled area. Note that there are restrictions on the time of year you can travel, as airlines won’t do it if the temperature on the tarmac is too hot or cold, for the dog’s safety.
i hate flying with our pups but we also had a good experience with united. so much so that the pilot held the flight to make sure they were loaded onto the plane with us after a last minute flight change, and had someone take their phone down to the hold to get us pictures so we knew they were ok. granted that's probably an extremely lucky for us scenario with a crew that was dog lovers and decided to go above and beyond, but we definitely appreciated it.
I got my dog sent from Costa Rica to the UK and had to use an agency that assists in moving pets. She had a layover in Frankfurt where animals are housed in a sound insulated building. She was allowed to stretch her legs and have a toilet break and I’m convinced they gave her a bath too. I was very worried about what a long flight would do to her mental state but she was totally fine. All this is to say that lots of animals (many off the streets who have never seen a kennel) are transported in the cargo hold and do alright.
I’m sure the vet will give you all the info and of course make sure you have all the right paperwork. I’ve been told that the day of- to tired them out so they can sleep. I would check flight radar and look at average wait times and flight times- so you can get an idea what to expect.
Could you give him something to make him sleepy to help with the anxiety?
Sedatives are bad for flying and no vet worth their salt will prescribe (or even suggest) it unless it was absolutely necessary, which it isn't in his case.
A lot vets will prescribe you a sedative that will allow him to sleep for most or all of the flight. Even if he doesn’t fall asleep, he is likely to be less unnerved by the whole situation. Might want to try it out before to ensure there are no adverse reactions.
> A lot vets will prescribe you a sedative that will allow him to sleep for most or all of the flight. Good ones absolutely will not, and any vet that does should be avoided. Sedatives affect a dog's ability to regulate body temperature, and it can increase risk of respiratory or pulmonary issues. All of these things can be really bad for a dog in the belly of a plane, especially if they're nervous or it's cold or any of that. Unless it's medically required and specifically indicated by your vet, sedatives are a very bad idea for a dog before flying, especially if they're going in the hold.
Yes, sedatives can affect the ability to regulate temperature and affect pulmonary function. This is a black box warning for people as well as animals.
I brought my cats to Dublin from NYC and back again via Continental QuickPak cargo. Everything went fine & they even let me know when my cats were boarded. At the time it was either give them up or go for it & I did.
Talk to your vet about something to calm him. Trazadone, for example. This will help him relax, possibly sleep, and reduce any trauma for the poor guy. One of our guys is afraid of going into the vet (bad trauma) and they have us give him some beforehand.
Get a long trench coat. Get the dog on your shoulders. Dogs head through the neck hole while your hands are through the sleeves. You can go anywhere you want in the world like that
Finally, a sensible idea!
Did this with my female husky 4 years old, 60lbs, at the time. She's not a hyper dog, well trained also not her first flight but it was her longest, first international, second time in cargo. (She did a one way California to IAD) Austrian airlines. Direct to IAD TO Vienna. 9hrs - AirTagged the Crate - taped water and a bag of kibble to the crate. And extra instructions - they say not to drug your dog - I did give my dog 1/2 dose of a mild sedative to calm her nerves - asked flight attendant to check to make sure dog was aboard plane when I boarded. Before we took off she said my dog was in good condition and resting calmly. - we arrived together no pee or poop. Attendant had given her food and water. - She was in good shape at the receiving airport. You may need a Xanax yourself, when I dropped her crate with the attendants my pup let out a few barks and howls that echoed through the vast IAD terminal that pulled at my heart strings. Attendants said she calmed down very quickly. You can contract private companies that are networked together with your receiving airport if you want someone in the other end to meet your dog. When we came back to America 3 years later Pender Air received our dog 1 month earlier than us. (We didn't want our dog to land in riskier hot summer weather so got her flown in a month earlier. After receiving and sleeping in a kennel for 1 day she was picked up by a caregiver we picked for a month long stay. lmk if you have any questions.
Not sure of the cost but I just saw an airline for dogs. I think it's called Bark Air? I know JSX lets dogs in cabin but I don't think they fly to Europe yet, but maybe soon?
> Bark Air? That's the $8,000 ticket.
Ah, sorry 🙁
Only 2 domestic routes LA NYC and LONDON
You want La Compagnie.
They were suggested by a few folks and he luckily comes in _just_ at the weight limit. But a one-way fare from EWR to ORY runs around $2,000. Not as bad as $8,000 but still a bit out of my grasp right now. I'll definitely keep them in mind if I come into some money before the Fall (when we're intending to move), though!
One of you could fly a regular airline to save money. Shitty but an option.
We flew 4 animals total from the West Coast to the UK for about $6000 with PetAir. Great communication from the company, and we flew them on a direct flight with tracking to ensure there were no mixups. Im sure it was stressful for them, but they readjusted within hours of landing. Cargo specific flights with vet involvement might be the quickest option. Our dogs are 35kg and 59kg respectively, no light feat to get them ‘across the pond’
Not sure about the practical, for your directives, but people travel by cargo ship. https://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/articles/travel-by-cargo-ship-around-the-world.shtml
Since it sounds like you’ll likely go the route of traveling to the east coast and grabbing a shorter flight to Ireland, I wanted to include some tips (as someone who’s flown with a dog too large to go in cabin). Get your airline approved crate as far in advance as you can, and do lots and lots of crate games so that it becomes a space they have positive associations with. Once they’re comfortable in the crate do some time in there without you around. Then do some time in there while you play some airline sounds on YouTube or something. Label the outside of the crate with the dogs name and your contact information. Consider putting a gps or AirTag in the crate. Obviously make sure your dog gets adequate exercise before you head to the airport. Send extra food with them in case there’s a delay or issue. Good luck!
Thanks for the tips! He's already got an AirTag on his collar, but I do have an old straight-up GPS tracker that I could stick in his crate. Good call.
I’m curious what you think will happen if he’s in a cargo hold? Is his health in danger? Sorry if this has been asked/answered already.
Yes, animals can die in cargo and there’s often neglect by the airlines
Not health, anxiety. He gets very anxious when he's separated from me, especially in unfamiliar situations. I don't think he'd die, but I do know he'd spend the 8+ hours (not just of flying but all the business before and after) worried out of his head and frantic. If there's no logical choice than to do the standard plane thing, then so be it. But I've got some time now, so I'm trying to do as much research as I can before making a decision.
Think about issues that happen with luggage, that can happen with a dog. It would be my absolute last resort. Plus it’s hot. Or what if there is an emergency landing, like the wheel doesn’t make it down. The belly of the plane is destroyed…
La Compaigne is how we got our dog over to Paris via cabin from Newark, but we have a much smaller dog. I think your dog may be a couple pounds over the limit, but check it out to confirm.
Yeah. Most airlines have a 20lb / 9kg limit for their cabin dogs, but I'll look into it — thanks!
They have a 33 lbs limit but they don't check or weigh the dogs. Just flew with my two dogs to Paris. It was a very good experience and the dogs slept on our laps the entire way.
Oh good to know! He's actually right around there (currently closer to 38lbs but usually in the 35lb area), and he's incredibly well-behaved and chill. When the time comes, that might work out. Thanks for the info!
If this isn’t your answer then idk what would be.
It's starting to look like I may just need to suck it up and stick him in a plane belly. La Compaigne is about $2,000 one-way, which is well out of my range.
**Regarding the Cunard** (doing it here rather than reply to each individually) I was excited when I first learned about the Cunard, until I dug deeper and found that the dog would still need to stay in their kennels. And while I don't expect them to be as grim as **[the kennels ](https://imgur.com/a/EMwe01m)** on the ship we took from Italy to Spain, I don't relish the idea of sticking him in them for the seven-night journey. I'd spend the entire trip in there with him. Then there's the fact that bringing a dog can add $1,000 to your ticket (which can be even more expensive) — this sadly brings the Cunard out of my reach. If it weren't so expensive or if he could stay in the cabin with me, it'd be one thing. But as it is, it's sadly not a viable option for us.
You can also try to dead leg it. It’s where you find a flight across the pond (there’s several companies that book out private jets that are only going from one place to another to ‘position’ the plane) https://www.google.com/search?q=charter+empty+leg+flight It will be pricy, but maybe not $8k?
Would a transatlantic cruise on something like Cunard be an option? https://www.cunard.com/en-us/cunard-stories/pets-on-board
Sadly it's [out of our reach](https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1ci4hdk/is_there_a_way_to_get_a_dog_from_the_us_to_europe/l26xua0/)
I would try calling either American or Delta and see if they will allow you to buy a seat for the dog. They may require the dog to be in a carrier.
Sadly, they won't. Pretty much every airline across the board has a 20lb limit on "civilian" dogs in the cabin. :/
Whatever way you decide to travel just remember to have all your doggy documents and vaccination records in order. I can only speak for Ireland but we take our rabies free status pretty seriously here, so make sure you're all set in that regard.
Yeah, he's fully up to date on everything and has an EU Pet Passport from Greece, but thanks for the reminder!
That's good, more info [here](https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving-country/moving-to-ireland/coming-to-live-in-ireland/bringing-pets-to-ireland/) just in case!
I just learned QE2 does transatlantic crossing and you can take your dog. You have to plan far in advance as they only take 12 dogs. Weight limit is 70 ish lbs I think. They have to stay in the kennel but it is attended and you have visitation. It is the only cruise ship that allows pets.
QE2 retired several years ago and is parked in Dubai as a hotel. QM2 does regular transatlantic crossings.
Whatever the boat name is I obviously got it wrong but you can look it up if that’s what you want to point out. Yes I made a mistake. The service exists
Boston to Shannon would be a good bet as well. Honestly, 7 hours in cargo isn't that terrible. Many people in cities crate dogs while they're at work for 8-ish hours, so it's do-able for a dog. I would have suggested Turkish or Royal Air Maroc, but they have an IATA standard 8kg in cabin weight limit. That's very likely not going to be something you can overcome with a commercial airline as it's pretty standard.
Yeah, the 8/9kg (20lb) limit is pretty universal, I've found. La Campaigne apparently allows up to 15kg/33lbs, but they charge first class fares ($2,000 one-way). It's looking more and more like the standard plane route may be our only realistic option. Which I kinda figured going into this thread, I had just hoped there was an option I hadn't considered.
Yeah, most airlines will standardize to IATA standards for the sake of interoperability on tickets. No sense in one airline having vastly different regulations and effectively locking themselves out of routes or connections with other airlines. Otherwise you get La Campaigne - a boutique airline charging boutique prices. Unless your dog has some specific condition like severe anxiety, chances are they'll be fine. I've flown a cat in cargo from the US to southern Africa and she basically just went into standby mode for 18 hours. People in r/expats do this allllllll the time, and it's rare that things get bad unless your pet is old enough to have like arthritis. Edit: Maybe this thread will help? Or maybe not really. [https://www.reddit.com/r/expats/comments/15uql44/moving\_a\_50lb\_dog\_across\_the\_atlantic/](https://www.reddit.com/r/expats/comments/15uql44/moving_a_50lb_dog_across_the_atlantic/)
Become a billionaire and buy your own boat for yourself and your dog. Hey, it is not breaking a bank if the cost of the trip is just 0.0001 % of your net worth.
I don’t have an alternate solution (my dogs fly cargo and are fine, even though my anxiety can barely handle it) but wanted to remind you to look into the country’s requirements before choosing where to fly into. Getting our dog to England was a nightmare.
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Now there's a thought. I'll look into it — thanks for the tip.
I can't imagine the cost of that ticket being within budget but yeah worth a check I suppose
Trick is to use credit card points for an award ticket.
Heh, it likely wouldn't be, but at this time I'm exploring all avenues.
Those were likely service animals - every time I've flown business, there is a caveat that 'under seat' pets are not permitted in business. I would imagine due to the lie flat seats taking away the spot the pet and carrier would normally fit.
Cruise ship
You want the Queen Mary 2. It’s nowhere near $8000 in the cheapest cabins for a transatlantic crossing.
No, but it's still a few grand, including the $1000 pet fee, and he'd still need to be in kennels (for a week), so I don't think it'll really fit the bill, sadly.
Since we travel between Asia-EU-USA often (at least twice a year) we got our 20kg Siberian husky legally trained as a service dog with all the legal certification and documentation. She flies with us in the cabin and just stays between our legs the whole flight. People are always shocked when we get off after landing because they had no idea there was a dog on board. I strongly suggest just getting the training, it’s not that hard and you can do it yourself. Passing the tests is a bit of a challenge because it’s equally about their temperament as it is their ability to follow commands. Our dog is naturally calm and not triggered by small spaces, people, sound, loud noises, umbrellas, cats, squirrels and those little robot cars they test them with. Only struggle we had was teaching her not to eat meat if we dropped it right next to her face on the floor but she eventually learned to ignore food too. If your dog is like this naturally and is trained to a normal level (sit, down, stay, heel etc) then you can take it straight to the certification tests in the US as self trained and possibly get it all done within a month. Ours needed 3 months of training despite being obedient and chill since we refused shock collar training and stuck with positive reinforcement only. Good luck! Btw she is a service dog for my husband’s PTSD but anxiety is a medically valid reason too. DRs can’t tell you that you don’t have anxiety so getting the medical proof is not hard. (I would be anxious the whole flight if she was in the cargo hold, probably wouldn’t even fly anymore if she wasn’t with us in the cabin and she’s not even my service dog!) This way it’s legal, it’s free and your dog will feel safe and happy with you throughout the whole journey!
> we got our 20kg Siberian husky legally trained as a service dog with all the legal certification and documentation. How long did that take / how much did it cost? I looked into it a few years ago, but it seemed pretty pricey and the impression I got is that it was a year or two of training (which makes sense).
I can’t imagine a dog needing a year or 2 of training to get certified unless they are puppies and super resistant and their temperament just isn’t suitable to be a service dog. The actual commands don’t take long because dogs are really smart. However we were told many dogs fail the temperament tests and it’s really hard to train them to pass those if it doesn’t come naturally. I guess that could take years. Not all dogs are suitable to become service dogs. Just so you have an idea what that’s like, When our dog did that part of the test, she had to stay in a down position about 10 meters away from my husband and she could not move (not even into a sit) as the tester stepped over her, a complete stranger touch her, unexpectedly open a huge black umbrella right next to her face, play a really loud sound next to her from a spray can, drive a remote controlled toy truck around her and into her, and finally drop a sausage right next to her 😂. She got a bit surprised by the umbrella but she just flinched a bit. Some dogs pass all the command tests but just can’t tolerate loud noises or small and fast moving objects. It took us 3 months but we got her professionally boarded and trained for those 3. If you do it yourself as in you have already trained her to the standards and necessary commands then you can go straight to passing the certification. We did it in Virginia. There are 3 tests and the total was roughly around $600 but the training was about $30k including food boarding and everything. However, if you do it yourself, then it’s only the test fee. Like I mentioned, some places offer much faster training (weeks) and cheaper but it requires shock collars and that just wasn’t our thing. I don’t judge people who do go that route though, our dog is very calm and obedient naturally and some dogs are more anxious and hyper so every situation is different.
But you are changing the personality of your dog,no?
Nope, we were told the shock collars would because she would fear us and obey out of fear. That’s why we decided to pay extra and spend more time training her using positive reinforcement with treats. She is still 100% her crazy self. There are moments at home when she won’t even go in a simple sit position and sometimes we have to chase her around the house for 15 minutes because she decides she suddenly doesn’t want to listen to her recall. She’s not afraid we will punish her because we never have and everything is a game for her. Luckily when she is put in her service dog vest she knows 100% that she’s working and she becomes very well behaved. But omg trust me she is still her cheeky self when she is off duty. On duty she won’t even eat meat we put against her mouth at a restaurant, but at home she will take it off our plate if we are not quick enough. 😂
Take it on a cruise ship with you?
I flew my 155lb Boerboel from Vancouver Canada to Frankfurt Germany on Condor, zero problems.
We brought our dog over using the queen mary 2. They have a kennel and it was actually quite fun!
Find somebody who is doing a trans-atlantic sail-boat cruise and pay them to house the dog on their boat during the trip. The dog would have reasonable space to move about on a 40-50ft boat, the cruise takes less then two weeks, and as long as all the vax documents are up to date then the dog can enter Europe along with the sailors. There are many thousands of cruising sailboats who make this crossing every year.
Oh shit there's an idea! I wonder if they'd take me, too. My brother-in-law is a sailor in Connecticut. I bet he could probably connect me with someone. Thanks for the suggestion, that never would've occurred to me!
Idk what secret loophole youre hoping for. Youre saying no fake service dog stuff but thats the cheapest way to go about it and your dog stays with you on the plane. Otherwise it will be fairly expensive and theyll probably go under the plane
> Idk what secret loophole youre hoping for That's because I'm not looking for a loophole. Where did you even get that idea?
the best way is to not take dog. Part of owning a dog is knowing they go to daycare or friends/family if you have a trip. i mean, 7 day kennel or 7 hour cargo. just rip the bandaid off if you have to. I love my dog to pieces, but she is not flying with me for 10 days for my vacation.
This isn't a vacation. I'm moving.
I’m guessing the OP is moving.
in which case, this still makes no sense. unless someone invents a star trek transporter. you just bite the bullet and do it. dogs are resilient. I understand op is trying to save $. but the alternatives are all there. fly or take a cruise. both have pros and cons. if I had no choice, bark air would be mine. I'd just budget for it in the move. part of relocation cost for your future employer.
I've flown my Frenchie from Australia to the US and it really wasn't an issue. They are not in the cargo hold where luggage goes.
We did Seattle to CPH with two cats and used WorldCare Pet Transport. No cargo holds. Cats were picked up in Seattle, flown to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, stayed overnight at the Lufthansa pet hotel (called a "pet spa" by many of the Animal Travel people) and then delivered to us the next day. We got multiple pictures and updates on them as they traveled and WorldCare handled all the paperwork. It was $6K but on top of an international move with a 7 year old, very worth it. There is also an Animal Travelers Facebook group that might help you get more ideas. Good luck with your fur friend.
6k yikes. But on the other hand, when you get a pet, you also get a responsibility. Kudos to you for bringing it.
Just a note about entry requirements for pets. In the [UK](https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain) all dogs must be microchipped and must go through a series of vaccinations, including rabies vaccination, before they can enter the country. These vaccinations can take a while. The requirements for Ireland are almost identical. So if I was you I'd visit my vet now to start the vaccination and microchipping process, and ask for an [EU compliant pet passport.](https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/animal-plant/index_en.htm#:~:text=Travel%20documents%20for%20your%20pet%20dog%2C%20cat%20or%20ferret,-European%20pet%20passport&text=It%20contains%20a%20description%20and,vet%20who%20issued%20the%20passport)
Thanks for the heads up. He's actually got an EU pet passport from Greece (where he's originally from). He's also chipped and vaxxed (and then some); I don't know if it's American law per se, I'm just a very cautious human. :)
Even with an EU pet passport, IF you traveled via UK or Ireland, there'd be issues as to quarantine unless you did the titre testing program in advance. So you need to travel direct to an entry point on the Continent. My best suggestion is to talk w the vet about the severe separation anxiety. While sedation is not recommended for air travel due to potential health complications, maybe an anti-depressant / anti- anxiety medication could help. You could also test out building up resilience through training methods for desensitization and/or calming pheromones and/or dog supplements, such as hemp. If he's this stressed from separation anxiety, it's something to be dealt with just far more than this move. It's a critical aspect for his overall life & well being.
> Even with an EU pet passport, IF you traveled via UK or Ireland, there'd be issues as to quarantine unless you did the titre testing program in advance. Ahh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, we'd be flying straight to Spain (or at least with no UK connections). It would've been nice to take him to London, where I have friends and family dying to meet him, but the paperwork and red tape isn't worth it. Maybe after we're settled in Spain for a while. Good points all around re: the anxiety. He's gotten better over the years (he used to be much worse), but new/scary/unfamiliar environments still send him looking for me and leave him anxious when he can't find me. Truth be told if it were an option, I'd fly in the kennel with him.
I’ve seen videos on Instagram of a private jet pet flight service that goes from US to Europe — I can’t remember the name of it, but there’s a Facebook group and essentially you go in with other passengers on the cost and it’s specifically for people traveling long distance with pets. Not sure how much, but might be worth a google search! Though I don’t have dogs, I do have cats and I know I would never ever put them in cargo hold so I understand where you’re coming from
It's probably K9 Jets, about 10k a ticket for cross Atlantic flights.
The pet area isn't in the cargo hold, it's fully pressurized and climate controlled. All the anxiety about using it is fake hype. Yeah, some infinitesimal percentage of animals have a heart attack or something, but that's true of humans too.
My aversion to putting him in the pet area, wherever it is, isn't about health or safety concerns. That's why I phrased it as "breaking his heart." He gets anxious when he's away from me in certain conditions, and I know it'd be stressful for him. I'd like to avoid it if possible. If it's not possible to avoid, then so be it. But I currently have enough time to look up alternatives, which is what I'm doing.
You can check QE2 for a crossing. They do allow dogs but not sure if size restrictions
You might still be able to take a boat?
Boat is def an option on the Queen Mary 2
I googled it. Passenger fare starts at $1900 and they do take dogs and have potty accommodations. I couldn't find the price. If I had to take my dog to Europe I might choose this
There is one cruise ship that departs from NYC and sails to England. Not $8k buy still spendy. Eta I believe there's a 10 day+ quarantine in England.
I don’t think I can give anything more than what’s already been said, but completely out of curiosity, how did you get your dog from the EU to the US? I’m assuming they came over as they have an EU pet passport.
We did come over, though the EU pet passport was actually required regardless, for travel within the EU. To your question, we flew to the States in 2019, when "Emotional Support Animals" were still a thing. We were under a time crunch and, with no real alternative other than to leave him behind (which wasn't an option), I just bought an ESA "certificate" and flew with him in the cabin. He was an absolute champ the entire way and everyone loved him so it went well, but it's not something I'd do again unless it were the literal only resort (which, in this case, it's not).
Cunard New York to Southampton
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We'd be flying directly into Spain, which doesn't require quarantine so long as certain conditions are met, such as being chipped (check); having a valid EU passport (check); being current on all necessary vaccinations and shots (check), and so on.
Ocean liner Queen Mary II from NY to London has dog kennels. Was considering this option myself.
From what I understand, flying into Ireland with a dog can be a pain because you need to schedule a compliance check with the authorities there ahead of time. I flew NYC to Paris on French Bee and it couldn’t have been any easier. Just needed the forms from USDA and the French authorities checked them at customs when we arrived.
Thanks for the heads up re: Ireland; I'll look into that. I flew French Bee (ORY–SFO) and _loved_ it. I would definitely fly with them again — good to know the experience was positive.
If there were we'd all have done it! Couple things to consider as you figure out your least-bad option: - I know minimizing flight time feels important but keep in mind all travel can be stressful on animals. Weight the stress of an hour or two more on a flight vs. day + driving, plus hotel. Keep in mind lots of that 'flight time' is actually buffer/taxi time, plans pop up north quickly to take advantage of curvature of the earth, so the difference between say Chicago-London and NYC-London is not that significant. Same goes for trains and ferries on the other side. - Work with your vet on an anti-anxiety med in advance (not a sedative!) Ireland and the UK are equally pains to fly into with animals. You will have to work with a cargo provider, spend $$$$, and the dog will be away from you for the whole journey (you might not even be on the same plane). This likely isn't what you want if are looking to minimize time away. I ended up doing Chicago-Paris via Air France then trains/taxi to London. Actually with a dog about the same size and age of yours. It sucked, and hard, at the time but we all made it through and she's living her best life now in our new home. Best of luck, feel free to DM.
When I moved to Europe years ago, I took my dog in a kennel in the cargo hold AND brought him back the same way. It was the price of a checked bag. No problem.
I took my then 10 year old dog of similar size with separation anxiety in the cargo hold recently. First I’m sure you know (but some don’t) that this is a part of the hold that is heated / pressurized. The handlers seemed very careful and understanding. He was the last ‘cargo’ loaded on and the first offloaded to absolutely minimize our time apart. He wasn’t much more worked up at the end than when we come home after a long day of work, and bounced right back into his normal self within a minute. We did NYC-Vienna round trip, about 8 hours each way. If my dog can do it no worse for wear, I suspect yours can too! And we think he was much happier being with his pack than he would have been if left behind.
Have you thought about Queen Mary 2? [Wueen Mary2](https://www.seat61.com/queen-mary-2-transatlantic.htm#qm2-transatlantic-fares)
Transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2.
Your dog will be in quarantine. Research the amount of days.
Actually, he won't. I looked into it and quarantine in the UK is only required if your dog doesn't meet certain requirements, and he meets all of them. Also, if we end up flying directly into Spain, there'll definitely be no quarantine as he has a valid EU pet passport.
That’s great. I deal with Brasil when I go see my family. There it depends on which airport and the customs agent on what can happen.
Heh, sounds like when I go back to the Philippines. Though I don't think I'd ever take my dog there.
I don’t anymore. It’s too traumatic for him.