Your Name: Scott
Pet’s Name: Cayman
Pet’s Breed: Old English Sheepdog
Moving From: Austin, TX
Moving To: New York, NY
How many times have you moved with your pet before? Are they an experienced traveler, or was this their first time?
Cayman had done some Texas road trips and even a multi-day road trip to Montana to come fly fishing with me, but really the only time he had ever flown was when he was 8 weeks old and he was flown from Missouri to Austin when he first joined my family. When I picked him up, and got him out of his crate, he was tiny and immediately peed on my shoes. It was impossible to get upset when he looked like a mini panda bear!
What were your big concerns with moving your pet?
I was moving in December by myself. With it being the winter and with Cayman being almost 70 pounds we ran into limitations for flying him pretty quick. If there were any cancellations or delays due to weather or cold temperatures that would prevent Cayman from flying, I could be in NYC already. Luckily Pets With Passports was able to work with my boarding company, Austin Urban Vet & Upper Paw, to make sure that all of his last-minute medical checks were done, then he had a place to stay in the event there was a delay. Elaine and Pets With Passports made everything seamless!
What made you decide to hire a professional pet mover? How did you hear about Pets with Passports?
When I first had Cayman flown from Missouri to Austin as a puppy, there was a service that could fly him, but the above concerns made moving him now a much bigger challenge than an ala carte plane ticket for him. I researched a number of different services through Google and after asking around, a friend recommended Pets with Passports.
Why did you decide to hire Pets with Passports?
After the many conversations via phone and email with various services, I was starting to feel overwhelmed and confused. Not to mention, there were a handful of companies that had very limited flexibility or options, especially if I was on a plane across the country and Cayman couldn’t fly. The professionalism, organization, and the forward thinking showed clearly that this wasn’t their first rodeo. Even aspects of the move that I hadn’t thought of were clearly laid out for me, including pet carrier recommendations, backup plans if one of us had flight issues, and the ability to take the stress out of the moving process, which had plenty of logistics planning just for my own possessions.
How was your communication with Pets with passports before your move and during your pet’s move?
All of it was completely on point. They made sure I had alerts and notifications every step of the way. They also sent me pics when he was all loaded up and being dropped off at the airport. The communication was fantastic!
What was the biggest surprise you encountered during your move? (Airline requirements? Vaccinations? Timing? Something else?)
The winter travel aspects surprised me, due to the limited flights, the inability to put dogs on connecting flights, then also, the size restrictions for certain sized dogs on certain planes due to cargo hold restrictions. Fortunately, Pets With Passports found the perfect Delta flight to bring Cayman to JFK and turn him into a big"ger" city dog.
Has your pet adjusted well to their new home after the move? What was the timeline like before they started acting like themselves?
Cayman has been used to moving around. I would take him on trips with me ranging from camping & fishing trips in Montana to luxury stays at St. Regis hotels. He’s always acclimated well, and as I would have expected, once he sniffed around and was able to start walking around, he quickly learned what snow is, and that NYC has more pigeons to chase than Texas had squirrels. He quickly became a big fluffy dog in the big city in Manhattan.
Is there anything else you think future Pets with Passports’ clients should know before moving their pets?
If you are planning to move your pet, I couldn’t recommend Pets with Passports any more than I have. They made everything so easy, seamless, and at a great value. They were worth every dollar and if Cayman and I ever need to move again, they’ll be my first phone call.
Tell us something cool or a fun “pet friendly” place or business you have found new your new home that we can share with other clients!
Many people not from NYC think of Time Square and wonder how I could have such a big dog in the city. There is plenty of open space and dog parks. In fact, there is no better way to end the day than walking out our back door to take a walk along the Hudson River. The views of the Colgate Clock and the Statue of Liberty as the sun sets make for the perfect stroll for both Cayman and me.
