Need help flying my big dog to NYC!

[tamy]

Hey guys, I need some help! Trying to get my big dog (a labrador) from Argentina back to NYC but airlines aren’t taking large dogs in cargo right now. Anyone know someone who can help or has done this recently? Open to any tips or contacts!

 

[Katy V]

Copa Airlines let me fly with my dog as a service animal. There are some companies that can give you the service animal certificate, even though it’s not always required. I did two flights: EZE to Bogotá, then Bogotá to JFK. Just call the airline ahead of time and let them know you’re flying with a service animal (if they still allow it).

 

[lemonade]

Try asking @StatusNomadicus. I think I remember he posted about this! Or maybe it was someone else. His friend?

 

[Maxx]

A few years back, we used Animal Cargo to bring our golden retriever to Argentina, and honestly, it was a great experience. Since he's a big dog, no airline wanted to take him directly, so Animal Cargo stepped in. They picked him up from Michigan, drove him down to Miami, flew him to Buenos Aires, handled all the customs paperwork, and even brought him right to our doorstep. They kept us updated with videos throughout the trip, which really helped ease our nerves. The best part? It cost way less than any U.S.-based service we looked into. The economy’s changed since then, but I’d still recommend them without hesitation.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

labrador

what a sweet baby...i have a half Chocolate, half Golden here in Mendoza, 90 pounds.

asking

haven't flown with a dog since Nov2023 coming MIA-EZE on American, but for sure if i can help, post here @tamy !

my choices at the time were to fly Private in a jet with a small group, 2k to 10k USD ... or put him under the plane (no-go for me, even if a 0.001% chance of suffocating) ... or take a cruise ship, which was expensive and too long and too hard and booked-out for a year ... or lie and tell American Airlines that he was a Service Animal, and over-prepare to fly with him for a 9-hour flight from Florida to Argentina

there really are NO good options for pet owners in these circumstances, sadly. too much government regulation and laws, so no way to do it for normal people.

Animal Cargo

there are some services like this for sure, but i would only use one if i HAD to and if i had a personal referral. i don't trust anyone with my pup, especially not Argentines and other cultures where attention to detail and work are hard to find

Argentina back to NYC

what's your story? maybe more details will get someone to think outside the box for us. if i had to get my poochy back to the States right now, i would rent a car and drive him to EZE airport, book an AA flight ahead of time and choose the same back-right seats where he slept on my feet for 9 hours, and forge the usual paperwork to obtain the necessary SENASA stamp to get him back legally with USDA APHIS. the last updates i know about this is the old site @Nomadoggo posted a while back:

Argen-Tails: A Step-By-Step Guide To Importing Your Dog To Argentina

Ever dreamt of packing up and living in another country? Or even just wanted to take an international vacation but felt it was impossible with your furry best friend in tow? Well, IT.IS.POSSIBLE. After months of navigating through a maze of Google searches, blogs, Reddit, consulate documents...

www.nomadoggo.com

BUT keep in mind that's November 2023, and almost all the Expat Dog blogs online quickly become irrelevant as laws and times change

@fetch rover you still here? old post for the reverse trip, USA to Argentina, here to link them: https://www.expatsba.com/threads/he...og-to-buenos-aires-aphis-stamp-from-usda.880/

 

[Mother Russia Argentina]

my choices at the time were to fly Private in a jet with a small group, 2k to 10k USD ... or put him under the plane (no-go for me, even if a 0.001% chance of suffocating) ... or take a cruise ship, which was expensive and too long and too hard and booked-out for a year ... or lie and tell American Airlines that he was a Service Animal, and over-prepare to fly with him for a 9-hour flight from Florida to Argentina

there really are NO good options for pet owners in these circumstances, sadly. too much government regulation and laws, so no way to do it for normal people.

My friend put her dog under once and the dog die! Never do that! Terrible not better options.

 

[StatusNomadicus]

Terrible not better options.

true, in a free market there would be affordable options for middle-class folks to fly their pets. even if you had to book it 3 months ahead. there just isn't a good way to do it now, unless you have 10,000 usd or something. or if you lie for one flight. sadly, government over-regulation causes this. the same thing happened when i wanted to take a bus or train with my 45-kilo dog from CABA - if he was a small caniche no one cared, but the laws say none of the carriers can accept him. i would have paid extra, waited for a dog-only-one-a-week bus, etc. - no options exist. so i had to rent a car (expensive in Argentina), drive one way using blankets to hide the fur (car rentals have strange policies as well, even in Perrero Argentina), drop my dog and lady off in Cordoba, drive back, fly one-way, and then take a bus/Uber to the new place. same thing for Cordoba to Mendoza. overall i just wouldn't recommend traveling with a dog, but for me i moved to Argentina so it wasn't a choice

@tamy if your emails aren't on, activate them so you can see when people reply here 🙂 super friendly and helpful folks on this forum

 

[tamy]

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all your advice, and sorry for not replying sooner, like StatusNomadicus said, I didn't have my email notifications turned on here. These past few days have been crazy! I've gotten in touch with a company that's helping me with everything, so my dog will be back in NY soon. Even though the service isn't cheap, I'm really happy to have found a company that seems very trustworthy.

Pet Transport Service | We are Veterinarians | Boardingpet

We are veterinarians who are passionate about providing solutions to the needs of your pet. Our pet transport service is designed so that we take care of everything.

www.boardingpet.com.ar

 

[StatusNomadicus]

a company

the best part of these forums are when people come back and share real data - when you get a second, it would be immensely helpful to future Labs and future "Tamy" folks to know which company, how much out-the-door cost, the timeframe, the policies, and how it went 🙂

safe travels to that good pup!

 

[import export]

true, in a free market there would be affordable options for middle-class folks to fly their pets. even if you had to book it 3 months ahead. there just isn't a good way to do it now, unless you have 10,000 usd or something. or if you lie for one flight. sadly, government over-regulation causes this. the same thing happened when i wanted to take a bus or train with my 45-kilo dog from CABA - if he was a small caniche no one cared, but the laws say none of the carriers can accept him. i would have paid extra, waited for a dog-only-one-a-week bus, etc. - no options exist. so i had to rent a car (expensive in Argentina), drive one way using blankets to hide the fur (car rentals have strange policies as well, even in Perrero Argentina), drop my dog and lady off in Cordoba, drive back, fly one-way, and then take a bus/Uber to the new place. same thing for Cordoba to Mendoza. overall i just wouldn't recommend traveling with a dog, but for me i moved to Argentina so it wasn't a choice

@tamy if your emails aren't on, activate them so you can see when people reply here 🙂 super friendly and helpful folks on this forum

Wow what a hassle. Glad pup made it ok.