Moving abroad with a pet sounds simple until you actually start researching how it’s done. Suddenly you’re staring at terms like “IATA-certified,” “manifest cargo,” “CITES permits,” and “quarantine protocols,” and trying to figure out which company can actually get your dog, cat, or bird from Point A to Point B without turning into a six-month nightmare.
I’ve spent the last few years helping friends and readers navigate exactly this, and I’ve fielded enough panicked “which pet shipper do I use?!” messages to know the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. International pet relocation is a strange corner of the travel industry: part logistics company, part veterinary compliance office, part customer service hotline for anxious pet parents. The right choice depends heavily on where you’re starting from, where you’re headed, and how much hand-holding you want along the way.
This guide breaks down what actually matters when comparing pet shippers, and which companies tend to be the strongest fit depending on your route.
What to Actually Look For
Before you get into comparing specific companies, it helps to know what separates a solid pet relocation service from one that’s going to leave you anxious at 2am reading Reddit threads.
IATA certification. The International Air Transport Association sets the standards for live animal transport. A company that’s IATA-certified has demonstrated it understands crate specifications, airline live animal policies, and the handling protocols that keep pets safe in transit. This isn’t optional — treat it as a baseline requirement, not a nice-to-have.
End-to-end door-to-door service vs. “cargo drop-off only.” Some outfits will help you book a crate and fill out paperwork, then leave you to navigate the airline’s cargo counter yourself. Others manage literally every step: home pickup, import permit paperwork, customs clearance, and delivery to your new front door. If this is your first time moving a pet internationally, door-to-door service is worth paying for.
Destination-specific expertise. Import requirements are wildly inconsistent country to country. Australia and New Zealand, for example, have some of the strictest biosecurity and quarantine rules in the world, while EU pet passport requirements are comparatively straightforward if you follow the sequence correctly. A company that specializes in your specific destination will catch mistakes a generalist might miss — a missed microchip scan date or a rabies titer test done a week too early can add months to your timeline.
Real customer support, not just a booking form. Pet relocation paperwork has a lot of moving parts, and airline policies change without much notice. You want a team that answers the phone, not just an automated portal.
Transparent, itemized pricing. International pet shipping isn’t cheap, and it shouldn’t be a black box. Look for companies that break down import permits, crate costs, ground transport, and airline fees separately rather than bundling everything into a vague lump sum.
Comparing the Major Players by Region
Given how regionally specific this industry is, it’s genuinely useful to think about pet shippers by geographic specialty rather than trying to find one “best overall” company.
United States: Starwood Pet Travel
For pet owners relocating to or from the US, Starwood Pet Travel has built a strong reputation, particularly for cross-country and international moves that originate stateside. They’re IATA-certified and handle the full door-to-door process, which matters a lot if you’re juggling a job relocation, a lease deadline, and a nervous dog at the same time. What stands out is the depth of their destination-specific content and guidance — their team clearly puts real effort into publishing country-by-country import requirements (Australia, the UK, the EU, and beyond), which is more transparency than a lot of shippers offer upfront. If you’re a US-based pet owner and this is your first time doing an international move, it’s worth getting a quote from Starwood early, since some destinations require paperwork to start months in advance.
United Kingdom and Europe: PetAir UK
If you’re moving within Europe or relocating to or from the UK, PetAir UK tends to be the name that comes up most often. They’re well-versed in the UK’s pet travel scheme requirements and the documentation quirks that come with post-Brexit EU pet travel, which has genuinely gotten more complicated in recent years. Their regional focus means they’re dialed in on the specific paperwork sequence UK and EU officials expect, which reduces the odds of a rejected permit or a delayed departure.
Australia and New Zealand: Jet Pets International
Australia and New Zealand deserve their own category entirely because their biosecurity requirements are, frankly, in a league of their own. Jet Pets International has built its reputation specifically around this region, and that specialization shows. Moving a pet into Australia typically involves a lengthy pre-export process, specific vaccination and testing windows, and a mandatory quarantine period, and getting any single step wrong can mean starting the clock over. A shipper with deep, on-the-ground AU/NZ experience like Jet Pets is genuinely valuable here — this is not a route where you want to work with a generalist.
Other Companies Worth Knowing
Beyond the three above, there are a number of other established international pet shippers worth researching depending on your route and budget, including general relocation companies and regional specialists that handle everything from short-haul moves to long, multi-leg international transports. It’s worth requesting quotes from a few different companies regardless of which one you lean toward, since pricing and availability can shift based on the season, the airline, and how far out you’re booking. A side-by-side comparison of services, like the one Starwood publishes on their own site, can be a useful starting point for seeing how offerings stack up feature-for-feature.
Questions to Ask Before You Book
Once you’ve narrowed down a shortlist, it’s worth getting a few specific questions answered before committing:
- Is the quote itemized, or is it a lump sum that could hide extra fees later?
- Who handles the crate, the airline booking, and the ground transport, you or them?
- What happens if a flight gets cancelled or a permit gets delayed? Is there a contingency plan?
- Can they name the specific import requirements for your destination country off the top of their head, or do they need to look it up?
- What’s their communication style, do you get a dedicated coordinator, or a rotating support queue?
That last question matters more than people expect. International pet moves rarely go 100% according to plan, and having one person who knows your pet’s file and can troubleshoot in real time makes a measurable difference in stress levels.
The Bottom Line
There isn’t a single “best” international pet shipper, there’s a best shipper for your specific route. If you’re moving out of the US, Starwood Pet Travel’s combination of IATA certification and destination-specific expertise makes them a strong default. If the UK or wider Europe is your corridor, PetAir UK’s regional focus pays off in fewer paperwork surprises. And if Australia or New Zealand is on your itinerary, Jet Pets International’s specialization in that region’s uniquely strict biosecurity process is hard to beat.
Whichever company you choose, start early. Import permits, vaccination windows, and quarantine bookings all run on their own timelines, and none of them speed up just because your moving truck is already scheduled. Get quotes, ask the questions above, and give yourself more buffer than you think you need. Your pet will thank you for it, eventually, once the crate part is over.
