When we all came together as a family to discuss accepting the offer of an overseas posting, there were a couple of things that were just deal breakers. Well, actually, that's not quite true. There were perhaps less than a couple. Ok...there was one, just one. Wherever we went, Alby went to! Our beautiful boy has been a huge part of our lives for the last eight years and there was just no way we could leave him behind.
Relocating your pet from Australia to Malaysia is a long process that involves numerous health checks, vaccinations and document after document after document. It’s hard but it’s not impossible. It is also expensive so be warned. Some people choose to undertake the whole process on their own but with so many other things to organise in the next 6 months we decided to leave it in the hands of the experts and engage a pet relocation specialist. With so many to choose from it is hard to know which one to trust. I belong to a FB group called Pets Relocating to Australia and made sure I received some recommendations from them.
My chosen relocation firm will provide the following;
• Collection from home.
• Final health check.
• Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) Health Certificate and Export Permit.
• Airline export documents and air waybill.
• Complimentary one night boarding.
• All airline freight charges.
• Booking and handling fee.
• Malaysian import permit, Customs & quarantine clearance in Kuala Lumpur & delivery to KL residence after release from 10 days quarantine.
• IATA standard airline approved travel kennel including fleece mat.
It EXCLUDES the following;
• Microchipping,
• Rabies vaccination & Hendra blood test, your local vet can arrange this, note the Hendra test has to be done within 14 days before departure from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur.
Looking at the above all I need to take care of is the Rabies vaccinations and the Hendra blood test. They have also advised that I can collect the crate now in order to get Alby used to it. He has not been crate trained at all so this will give us 6 months to make him familiar with it. Thankfully, it is only an 8-hour flight and is direct so hopefully not too distressing for him. Upon arrival, he needs to spend 10 days in quarantine, which will be hard for all of us including him. I will organise with the pet relocation company to send someone out every day to check him and play with him, make sure he is eating and provide some new bedding. We are allowed to visit but have decided that that would just be too heartbreaking both for him and for us. I get the feeling it could be the longest 10 days of my life!
Pricing has been very up and down over the last few years due to COVID. Mainly up! At the moment we are looking at close to $5,000AUD. Apparently, prices go up in peak periods just as they do for our tickets so thankfully we are departing in November.
Of course I am full of guilt at what my poor little dog has to go through but I need to just keep telling myself that it is short term pain for long term gain. When the guilt overwhelms me, I try to picture the moment we are all reunited and just how amazing that will be.
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