How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Dog?- Dogs are the cutest company we can ever get. And we think we all agree with this. But what if you are planning to move across the country or overseas and you have to take your dog too with you.
Here’s a breakdown of the costs and factors involved in shipping a dog, plus key considerations:
Factors Influencing Shipping Costs:
- Dog’s Size & Breed: Larger dogs and breeds with travel restrictions cost more.
- Travel Distance: Longer distances = higher costs
- Airline Policies: Pet-friendly airlines vs. cargo, temperature restrictions, layovers
- Crate: Must meet airline requirements
- Vet Visits: Health certificates and necessary vaccinations
- Ground Transportation: May be needed if there are limited pet-friendly flights
- Pet Taxis: To and from the airport if your dog doesn’t fly with you
- Custom Clearance: Varies by destination country
- Import Permits: Required by some countries
- Quarantine: May be mandatory, adding significant cost
Estimated Price Ranges:
- Domestic Short-Haul (Small Dog): $275 – $300 USD
- Domestic Long-Haul (Large Dog): Up to $1000 USD
- International: Can easily double or triple domestic costs
- Ground Transport (10 Hours): $2000 – $2400 USD (price increases with distance)
DIY vs. Professional Shipping:
- DIY: Can be cheaper but requires extensive research and effort to handle logistics, paperwork, and ensure your dog’s safety.
- Professional Shipper: Reduces stress but comes at a higher cost.
Key Takeaways
- Shipping a Dog is Expensive: Be prepared for a significant financial commitment.
- Thorough Research is Essential: Know the requirements of your destination country, compare airlines and ground transport options carefully.
- Budget Accordingly: Factor in all potential costs, not just the base flight price.
- Your Dog’s Safety is Paramount: Choose reputable airlines or shipping companies with good track records in caring for animals.
- Start Planning Early: The process can be time-consuming, especially for international travel.
What to Choose for the Shipment of Your Dog: DIY or Professional Help?
Many people decide that they do all the things required for the shipment of their dog by themselves, while others go for professional help.
Shipping a dog from one place to another is a long and exhausting process. If budget is not an issue, go for professional help, so you will be relieved from one tiring process.
But if you are concerned about your budget, you can definitely go by yourself to do all the process.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship a Dog?
Shipping a dog depends on many factors. These factors decide the complete cost of shipping a dog.
Size of Your Dog
The larger the dog, the more they charge, i.e. if your dog is only a few months or 2-3 years old, shipping him can be done in less amount in comparison to a 4-5 or above years old dog.
It is so because a small dog can stay underneath his owner stage in a carrier. At the same time, larger dogs have to travel compulsorily in the cargo area.
The size of the dog’s carrier and its weight determine the final cost. Also, different airlines charge differently.
For example, American airlines (from New York to California) charge $265 with a dog under 25 pounds, while Delta ships (from New York to California) dogs for $244 with a dog under 25 pounds.
Dog Travel Crate
You have to purchase a kennel for your dog, keeping the airline’s requirements in mind. Before buying a crate for your sog, keep these things in your mind:
- The crate has to be tall enough for your pet to stand up comfortably.
- The crate should not create any hindrance when your dog sleeps or turn around.
A kennel for your dog will cost you somewhere between $50 to $400 USD. But if you need a specialized kernel for you, it will cost you much more. (around $1000 USD or above).
Dog’s Age and Health or Vet Visits
For international flights, dogs must be at least four months old, while for a domestic flight, the dog must be at least eight weeks old.
Airlines require a health certificate of your dog to make sure your dog is fit and fine and whether it is completely safe to transport your dog or not. And so you have to visit your vet for general vaccinations, blood tests, and health checks.
A simple health certificate will cost somewhere between $75 USD to $250 USD.
Airline Ticket and Fees
The airline ticket is where the majority of the money will be used from your dog’s moving budget.
The airline ticket for your dog will be much more expensive than yours. Airlines decide ticket pricing for dogs or any pet by considering the volume of travel crate and your dog’s weight.
Also, if there is a layover during the journey, the cost can increase. If the layover is more than a few hours, an additional fee is added.
Since shipping a dog is a difficult job. And shipping is done only by airlines that guarantee dogs’ safe shipment.
And so, some airlines don’t allow you to book your pet’s ticket with you and fly together. In this case, you have to go with a pet-shipping company for the safe shipment of your dog.
The Temperature of the Flight
Yes, you read it right. Temperature is one of the factors on which the shipping of your dogs depends.
If, at any point temperature of the flight rise above 85 degrees Fahrenheit then many carriers will not ship the dog, even if it’s very important.
Also, different airlines have different guidelines regarding the temperature and shipping of the dog.
Domestically, the shipment of one small dog with a pet-friendly airline can cost you between $275 to $300 USD.
If your dog is a large one and has to be shipped through cargo, the price may go up to $1000 USD. International shipments of your dog can cost you double or thrice the number of domestic shipments.
Distance of the Destination
More the distance, the higher the price. Obviously, the distance your dog is travelling will depend directly on the cost.
Generally, the cost lies around $120 to $250 per 300 miles. But again, it depends on the agency you are going for and the facilities tagged along.
Dog Ground Transportation
After COVID, the number of pet-friendly airlines has decreased. That is, now there is less number of pet-friendly airlines than before COVID time.
If you are moving your dog within the United Nations continental, you may have to consider the option of Ground transportation.
Ground transportation cost depends upon the length of your journey. Ground transportation for a 10-hour drive starts at $2000 to $2400, while it can increase up to $6000 to $6400 depending upon the length of the journey.
Dog Pet Taxis
If your dog is travelling with you or on the same airline, you can take your dog with you. But your dog may not travel with you if the airline you have chosen is not pet friendly. In that case, you have to hire a professional pet taxi to transport your dog to and from the airport.
The cost of professional help for the transportation of your dog depends on many factors like traffic, furl costs, distance from the airport, the number of pets, total distance travelled, and the time of the day when the travel will take place.
The transport of your one dog in US City can cost you up to $275 USD (if your home is within 10 miles from the airport).
Custom Clearance
Once your dog reaches the destination, clearance steps have to be taken at the airport. You have to pay for brokers and the country-specific fees needed to release your dog in custom Clearance.
The custom clearance amount will be shared with you when you were booking a ticket for your dog. If it is not shared, you can check the fee via call or mail, or you can directly check on the destination country’s government website.
Custom Clearance can cost you anywhere between $19 USD to $122 USD. The cost of custom Clearance mostly depends on the country you are travelling to.
Government Approvals
If Government approval is required or not depends on the country and who is going to. In this step, you have to take your dog’s health certificate to get government approval before travelling.
USDA endorsement fees for one dog can cost up to $38 USD.
Import Permits
Like government approvals, Import permits are also not required in all countries. Some specific country has a rule that your pet will be allowed in their country if you have an import permit in your hand.
You can check the government’s official website of whether they need an import permit and what their cost is.
Import permit of one dog going to Australia can cost you around $480 AUD ($345 USD).
Quarantine Period of the Dog
If the country you are travelling to requires a quarantine period for your dog, then extra charges will be added to your budget. A professional team does all the quarantine-related work for your pet. In the quarantine, these professionals will properly take care of the dog.
The quarantine fee for ten days for a dog moving to Singapore starts from $335 SGD ($ 245 USD).
All these costs mentioned above add up to complete your shipping from one country to another through aeroplane. Now you definitely know the cost is much high than you have expected.
How much does it cost to ship a dog? Everyone asks this question asks who is taking their dog with them when moving across the country or overseas. It is a long and tiring process, but you will be with your dog at the end of the day, and that matters.
