EXPORT
EXPORT – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
My small friend hates travelling. I am concerned they will find the journey very stressful, is it possible to have my small friend sedated for the time they are on the plane?
Sedating small friends for travel on aeroplanes is not a good idea and something that our vet advises against. Although baggage handlers and airport personnel take good care of your small friend during transit, whilst actually travelling your small friend will not be accompanied by a human friend. If your small friend is sedated and falls asleep in an awkward position or perhaps falls asleep with their head in their water bowl, there is no one there to safeguard them. We think it is much safer to have your small friend arrive safe and sound (and alive) than to arrive with an injury or worse.
I have been told my small friend is not allowed to travel in his normal crate. Why is this?
The crate that your small friend travels in must meet very specific criteria. The reason for these strict criteria is to safeguard your small friend on their journey. It is important that your small friend has adequate room for comfort, the crate is not too large for the handlers to manoeuvre, and the crate is “paw proof” (that is, your small friend cannot reach their paws out of the crate). AQIS is able to advise you of these criteria (For AQIS details please see our Export Information Page).
On arrival in some countries all bedding will be destroyed, to avoid transmission of disease. So you may need to be discerning when choosing the bedding for travel – this is not the trip for your small friend’s favourite blanket! To make small friends as comfortable as possible Small Friends Veterinary Hospital advise finding out what size / kind of crate is advised for your small friend’s journey, purchasing / hiring this crate as early as possible, keep this crate in your home so it will take on the scent on your home, feed your small friend inside this crate daily, select bedding that you are prepared to ‘donate’ to the journey and pop that inside this crate. All these steps will allow your small friend to become familiar with the crate and come to see the crate as a positive environment. This is the best way to keep your small friend at ease on the journey.
We are taking several of our small friends overseas, can they share a crate?
Generally for safety reasons, small friends need to have their own crate. There may be exceptions to this, but guidance on this matter would need to come from AQIS. (For AQIS details please see our Export Information Page).
How soon after arrival in my destination country am I able to see my small friend?
The length of time between touchdown and reunion with your small friend will depend on many different factors, including your destination country and the number of animals arriving in that country that day. The important thing to remember when you are reunited with your small friend is their safety DO NOT open their crate in the airport terminal. Your small friend may be feeling a little insecure and once the door of their crate is finally opened they may take the opportunity to ‘run for safety’.
I have read the appointment protocol recommended to achieve the veterinary preparation for my destination country, but it would suit me better to change some of the dates just slightly, is this possible?
In order to gain entry into your destination country your small friend must meet certain criteria. The criteria is set by the government of your destination country. The timing of each appointment for treatments, blood tests or health checks is stipulated by your destination country and therefore is just as important as the treatment, test or health check itself. For this reason the appointment protocols must be stringently adhered to.
One step of my small friend’s preparation involves the administration of a flea and tick treatment, I have some at home can I apply it myself?
No, this is not possible. In order to meet the veterinary requirements as set by your destination country, all treatments and blood tests must be performed by an AQIS accredited veterinary surgeon.
To obtain a quote to have Small Friends Veterinary Hospital complete the veterinary preparation for your small friend’s travel to another country please click here.
