I am an Australian who lived in the states for 7 years. Due to unforeseen circumstances I had to move back home quickly with the intention of returning to the States once I had taken care of a few things however, in the interim I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and have made the decision to remain in Australia permanently. In the move I left my best friend Kado a 7 year old black lab with a friend of mine who I trust and knew would and will take great care of him and who loves him almost as much as I do. I know Kado is happy there, I know he is well looked after, I know he has a friend in an 18 month old Newfoundland pup who hasn't known life without my lab but the intention ever since I decided to remain in Australia has always been to bring him here. I have been gone for 8 months now and with the whirlwind of my diagnosis I am just now settling d
*sorry hit post accidentally as I am on public transport* Things are just now settling down and I am ready to arrange the travel for him to Australia through a pet travel agency. But I'm worried I'm being selfish.... I want nothing more than for him to be here. I miss him terribly and honestly don't feel as though I could have another companion of any kind (cat, fish, dog etc) if I just leave him behind. People have asked why I don't just get another dog but they obviously haven't had a dog since they were 7 weeks old.... My heart breaks to know I won't be there if he gets sick or if something happens to him. I can't look at another dog without tearing up, I hate going to places I'd usually take him and I can't even post to this forum without bursting into tears because I miss him. But is it best for him? The travel will be stressful, it will take several days and once he reaches Australia he will have to be in quarantine for 10 days Before he can be picked up and brought to me and it will be a whole new world for him here. Am I being selfish bringing him and pitting him through all of that when I know he's happy, well looked after, and comfortable where he is? Should I be ok with visiting him once a year? He'd be moving from buffalo to Sydney.
Welcome to the forum Hi from me and Obi in Canberra. Dogs do this trip all the time and handle the quarantine period with ease. If your boy is a healthy, confident dog who doesn't suffer from any anxiety problems then there is no reason why he wouldn't take this in his stride. It sounds like you really need your boy with you. It is definitely not a selfish thing to do at all.
Bring him over! He will be fine... you will worry much more than he will. He'll be so happy to see you again and will soon forget the journey. And please let us know how you get on. Welcome to the forum!
Hello and welcome to the forum. I really feel for you, and it's clear you only want what is best for your boy. I can see why it's such a difficult choice for you. I think you know your boy best and know how the trip will affect him. If he is a confident dog, who doesn't suffer from anxiety, then he'll forget about it in no time at all. If he's more nervous, then it may take longer for him to recover from. Can I ask why it would take several days of travelling? Couldn't he just fly in a day? I know nothing about transporting animals, but Angela @Dexter just flew with her dog from Dubai to the UK, and I would have thought that would be a lot less stressful than several days of travelling by other means? I can't even imagine how hard it would be for you if he were to get sick, or even to hear about him getting older, from afar. Good luck in making your decision.
Welcome to the forum. Decisions decision...... All the "what ifs" can make you miserable. Your boy will be fine without you. But. Your friend and her puppy will cope without him fine. Sounds like YOU are struggling with adjusting to more than your lost boy. If you don't do it you will constantly live with regrets. I think you should do it....bring him home. Did writing it all down like that make it clearer to you?
I'd also be flying my boy to me. You will be so much happier, he will be fine. I hope you are soon reunited xx
Having just met the gorgeous lovely Dexter who flew from Dubai to Yorkshire only 2 weeks ago and is quite clearly not suffering a jot....I would say bring your dog home. Not much could stand in the way of me getting my dog back home . I wish you all the best with your decision making, Emma and Meg .
Hello there Kadash.... Don't hesitate for a second ......bring him to you as soon as you can.I was worried about how Dexter would cope ,he's can be quite highly strung and really alert to his environment so I wondered if it would be too much for him....whilst I will never know exactly what went on in the hold,he and his travel box showed no physical evidence of stress.He greeted me like he does when I've just got back from the shops and jumped straight into the back of a strange car and settled down for a snooze. He probably slept a bit deeper the next day than his normal 'passing the time ' snoozes but he's just slipped into life here great. You sound like you love him and miss him very much so arrange to get him to you....it won't be the best couple of days of his life but he will forget that as soon as he is with you.That really is true...people said it to me and now I've seen it with my own eyes I believe it. Will he need to have a human 'flight buddy ' with him to accompany him ? I was talking to an Aussie ,in Dubai which is where we live ,and she said the whole process of taking your dog back from the UAE to Ausralia takes 6 months ....is that the case? If so ,there's no time to lose. I say start the process and look forward to your reunion ,you have many more years to enjoy together X And Dexter and I say Meg was so lovely too.....and a very,very well behaved girl x
I agree - start the process now. There are a number of tests and vaccinations that are needed and then follow-up waiting periods. For rabies the waiting period between testing and the import date is long - 6 months. Start now by looking up the rules and then by having your friend take your dog to a vet that can do all the pre-import tests and vaccinations. Go for it
I had started all of his paperwork and he met the 6 month requirement in April but it was days after my diagnosis. I had a new treatment in May that knocked me for 6 and am just now getting myself back together. The process to get him to Australia is a nightmare but it's just paperwork, money and red tape. He will fly from Buffalo to LAX which is a 6 hour flight. He will then be taken to a kennel overnight. I believe it's the American Kennel Club. He's never been to a kennel before so that worries me... He's then taken back to LAX where he is seen by a vet and put on a plane for the 14 hour flight from LAX to Melbourne. From Melbourne he is taken to the quarantine location where he stays for 10 days. At that time I can have him put back on a plane to Sydney but have advised that I'd prefer to just drive to Melbourne and pick him up from quarantine to drive home. He's healthy, a bit overweight these days judging by the pics and videos I get of him haha He's a very gentle and quiet guy but he's by no means anxious. I'm confident he will be ok traveling but if I'm wrong and something happens.... Whichever angle I look at this from I always come to the same answer. Hopefully he loves the beach and the ocean as much as I think he's going to! Haha
Sounds like Kado is going to become an international pup. I wish him smooth travels as he starts his journey back to you. I am sure it will be an amazing reunion. Also welcome to the forums....I wish you the best in your continued treatments
Don't worry about him being in kennels - he really will be fine.You will have an amazing reunion, and then he will be with YOU. It will be amazing.
