Emotional reunion for couple sailing the Pacific Ocean

At Jetpets we pride ourselves on being able to transport any animal to any location in the world, so when the captain of the yacht “Sailing Nandji”, Jared Laver contacted us to reunite both himself and his partner, Bonita with their beloved Whippet Marley, we jumped at the chance.

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The challenge however was that Jared and his partner were currently sailing around the Solomon Islands on their yacht and Marley was travelling from Australia to meet with them.

While the decision to leave Marley behind in Australia for the first length of their voyage was unavoidable the pair were determined to be reunited with their travel buddy Marley somewhere along the way despite the challenges that this would pose but Bonita said it best when she said, “If you want to travel fast you go alone, If you want to travel far…you go together”.

Initially they had planned to arrange Marley’s travel themselves but after realising how complicated the requirements were, Marley’s veterinarian recommended they contact Jetpets to ensure that the important paperwork was completed correctly by the experts as an incorrect form could lead to a very expensive problem.

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“If any of the paperwork was incorrect or if we made one mistake then Marley could be sent straight back”, said Jared Laver.

So Jetpets set to work making all the unique arrangements for importation in to the Solomon Islands as well as the specific vet work that was needed prior to travelling. Our pet travel consultant was made aware of the unique circumstances and was able to communicate with Jared and Bonita via email from their yacht in the Solomon sea, making the entire process possible.

With the pet travel arrangements all made, and triple checked we informed Jared and Bonita when Marley would arrive, and the pair excitedly made their way to the little airport to be reunited with Marley. Although they experienced flight delays the pair were successfully reunited with Marley later that day and little Marley was so happy to see them, wagging his tail so vigorously he was almost drumming inside the pet travel crate.

It’s easy to see the strength of the bond shared between these three world travellers and to be a part of their reunion is just one of the many rewarding reasons we do what we do. Please click through and watch the entire episode on their YouTube channel you won’t regret it, and make sure you have a box of tissues handy, it’s a bit of a tear jerker.

Travelling Abroad With Your Pet? Here is our definitive list of tips you need to know.

Often pet owners can become discouraged when they realise how much organisation is required to transport their pets overseas, but this needn’t be a road block to your travel plans with your pet. We decided to put together the definitive list of tips for those interested in pet travel to make it easy for you to know what to do and when to do it.

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  1. The very moment you decide to travel abroad with your pet…call Jetpets.

Our pet travel consultants will step you through the process of planning your travel. They will also be able to give you an understanding of the time frames involved to prepare your paper work and arrange any veterinary requirements. Most importantly it will allow you to budget for your pets move and provide peace of mind, knowing that your pet is in great care with our team of pet travel experts.

  1. Create a travel itinerary for your pet.

A personalised pet travel itinerary will allow you to track where to be and when. Often when travelling internationally there are multiple flights, pickup times, drop off times, pet accommodation details (if required) and veterinary commitments that you need to be mindful of. Thankfully Jetpets will develop this itinerary for you which will cover everything you need to know in a simple and easy to follow layout.

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  1. Workout your veterinary requirements as early as possible

Every pet move is unique, and every country has unique entry requirements. Knowing what these requirements are as early as possible will allow you to make the correct decisions to ensure that you meet these requirements well in advance. The best way to do this is to have our Jetpets veterinarians manage your pets entire vet schedule. Our veterinarians have a wealth of experience and knowledge in pet travel which will ensure that your pets are correctly prepared for their departure from Australia and safe and seamless arrival in your overseas destination.

  1. Travel Crate Familiarisation

Having your pet be comfortable and relaxed in their pet travel crate is important. An easy way to ensure that your pet regards the travel crate as a safe and relaxing space is pet travel crate familiarisation. A Jetpets pet handler can bring the crate to your home weeks before your identified travel date to give your pet time to acclimatise to the new environment. Our travel crate design also allows you to split the crate in half allowing your pet to utilize it as a pet bed which is a great first step in crate training your pet if they haven’t travelled before.

  1. Choose a pet travel service that provides you value for money.

Jetpets provides various complimentary benefits that represent great value for money which includes…

  • The convenience of our complimentary “front door” pickup by our trained pet handlers.
  • Pet handler home visit to assist in choosing the correct crate size for your pet, and leave it with you for pet familiarisation.
  • Our stay dry fleece mat provides an absorbent padded surface to keep your pet dry and comfortable in their travel crate.
  • Jetpets on staff veterinarians can complete a home visit and health check.
  • One-night boarding stay prior to travel.

Note that terms and conditions apply.

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Resident Vet Dr Sam’s handy tips for pets travelling overseas

It’s an exciting time in your household as the whole family gets ready to move overseas.

Here’s some handy tips from our resident Vet Dr Sam, on getting your pet ready for overseas travel and what to expect….

  • What are important things to keep in mind to make sure a pet is comfortable in their travel crate? We recommend getting your pet’s travel crate delivered a few weeks before travel. This gives you time to introduce your pet to the crate in a familiar environment. For travel, Jetpets will line your pet’s travel crate with a stay dry fleece mat, where moisture sinks to the bottom, keeping your pet dry and comfortable throughout the travel journey.  Some countries will let you put a blanket or a t-shirt that smells like you in the travel crate, and this can be of extra comfort for your pet – it’s best to check with your Jetpets travel consultant to see if you can do this for your destination.  If your furbaby can be a bit nervous in new situations we also recommend Adaptil collars for dogs, and Feliway products for cats, to make pets feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible during travel – your Jetpets travel consultant can take you through your options and we can organise everything for you.
  • Will my pet need any vaccinations prior to travelling? Jetpets recommends that all pets are up to date with their annual vaccinations before travelling. Depending on your destination country, time sensitive vet work may be required. As resident Vets, we specialise in pet travel and can step you through everything that’s required, and can administer all vet work. We even do home visits!
  • Can my pet handle a long-haul flight? We understand when a pet owner expresses concern about how their pet will handle a long-haul flight. We are delighted when pet owners share back their happy travellers stories and express their delight at just how well their pet coped. As resident Vets we check on your pet prior to travel, and the sole focus of our pet loving team of experts is to provide a safe and comfortable travel journey for your pet. Want to hear from other Jetpets Happy Travellers? Visit us on Facebook.
  • Will my pet be provided with enough food and water to last the trip? Pets are lodged with sufficient water for their travel journey. We avoid feeding pets just prior to travel to avoid any tummy upsets.
  • What can I do to help my pet settle in to their new home after their trip? Let your pet ease into their new surroundings. Try and make sure your pet has familiar things around them – moving house is a big thing for your pet and a well-known bed or favourite toy can make settling into a new home much easier. And it goes without saying, don’t forget to give your pets lots of love!

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Moving House With Your Pet

Are you moving house and concerned about settling your pets into a new environment? We’ve put together our top tips to help make the transition as smooth and stress free as possible – for both you and your pet.

Cats

In Preparation:

If your cat is moving interstate or overseas by air, it’s a good idea to familiarise them with their travel crate well in advance. Make interacting with the crate a fun experience, so that when the time comes to move, they won’t be scared.

While Packing and Moving Out:

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Ensure your cat is in a secure room or in their crate before the removalist arrives. Your cat can easily become stressed by all of the unusual movement in the house, and securing them in a room or crate is the best way to prevent this – and to ensure they don’t accidently get packed away with the rest of your belongings and shipped off!

Arriving At Your Destination:

To make the transition to the new home as stress free as possible, wait until all removalists, friends and visitors have left before releasing your cat from their crate.

It’s a good idea to slowly introduce your cat to their new home, starting in a small, quiet room. Choose a room that your cat can ‘own’ for the next few days and place their food, water and litter in there, as well as a comfortable space to sleep and of course – somewhere to hide!

When the time comes to introduce your cat to the rest of the house, ensure all windows and doors are closed, and open fireplaces are covered, as cats have be known to use them as a hiding spot!

If your cat is feeling particularly stressed with the transition, you might consider using a pheromone spray such as Feliway to calm their nerves. Please contact your vet for more information on this.

If You Have An Outdoor Cat:

Transitioning a cat to a new, unfamiliar outdoor environment can be a difficult task. Make sure you supervise their first expeditions and only allow your cat outdoors for short periods over the first few weeks, until they form an attachment to their new home.

Dogs

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You may not think it of our laid-back canine friends, but in some cases, dogs can actually be more difficult than cats to settle into their new homes!

In Preparation For The Move:

Just like with cats, it’s a good idea to get your dog used to his/her travel crate well in advance of the move. Check out this video featuring Sahara for some helpful hints.

Arriving At Your Destination:

Dogs get very attached to their home turf, so it’s a good idea to start settling your dog into their new routine as soon as you move in.

Walk your dog once daily, especially in the morning, along the same route each day. Not only will this familiarise them with their new neighbourhood and its smells, but it will also help burn off any excess energy they may have and reduce stress levels, which will help if you will generally be out during the day.

Settling In:

You may be tempted to buy new toys, accessories and bedding for your pet when you move into a new home. It’s best to avoid this as providing them with items they are familiar with will help make the transition less stressful.

Behaviour Issues:

If your dog is barking or digging excessively, you will need to consider the cause. Are they bored? Do they have separation anxiety? If the problem is not easily rectified with training and exercise, you may need to consult your vet for an effective solution.

Safety:

Before you release your dog or cat into their new home, you should do a quick check on the following:

  • Check to make sure your garden fences are secure before allowing your pet into their new yard.
  • Be sure to check the garden beds in your new home for any rat or snail poison left in the yard by previous owners.
  • Discard any old bones or chewable objects that your pet might be tempted by in the new yard.
  • Make sure your pet is wearing a collar, and has an identification tag with your new phone number. It’s wise to have your pet registered with up to date address information, so that should they go missing, you will be contacted immediately.

As always, these things take time. Feel free to contact your pet travel consultant at any stage of your journey should you have any concerns.

Wild Dogs to Melbourne Zoo

IJetpets transports 4 African Wild Dogs from Perth Zoo to Melbourne Zoo!n November, we were lucky enough to transport 4 African Wild Dogs from Perth Zoo to Melbourne Zoo! The 4 dogs, Samawhati, Saba, Duara and Maana, travelled in style in their own custom, airline approved dog crates and have now settled into the new ‘Lion Gorge’ at Melbourne Zoo, where they sit alongside the kings of

Jetpets transports 4 African Wild Dogs from Perth Zoo to Melbourne Zoo!

the jungle, the lions!

We visited them recently, to see how they were settling in, and we felt like we’d just stepped onto the set of the Lion King! It’s a fantastic new exhibit and we encourage you to check it out if you’re in Melbourne. Click here to check out some more info on Lion Gorge.

Did you know that African Wild Dogs used to live throughout sub-Saharan Africa but now are mostly limited to southern Africa and the southern part of East Africa. Populations have diminished in the face of human activity and habitat loss as well as infectious disease. There may be no more than 5,500 African Wild Dogs remaining in the wild. They are classed as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (on the IUCN ‘red list’).

The zoo has plans to breed from the largely female group, to assist in slowing the worrying loss of these animals in the wild. For more info, click here.

Koalas head to Hirakawa Zoo

Last month we were lucky enough to transport 3 beautiful Koalas to their new home at Hirakawa Zoo in Kagoshima, Japan!

The Koalas, Boonda, Franc and Brandy, headed from their home at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast to Japan – in style! For the move, Jetpets had crates custom built just for them that featured Indigenous artwork created by the local Aboriginal community.

We were extremely excited to be a part of this move and know that our friends in Japan will enjoy visiting these Koalas in their new home soon!

For more information on Hirakawa Zoo, visit: http://hirakawazoo.jp/lang/en/

Jetpets were lucky enough to transport 3 beautiful Koalas to their new home at Hirakawa Zoo in Kagoshima, Japan!  We were lucky enough to transport 3 beautiful Koalas to their new home at Hirakawa Zoo in Kagoshima, Japan!

 

Australian Working Dog Rescue

Australian Working Dog Rescue and JetpetsWe’re thrilled to be officially working with Australian Working Dog Rescue to support the amazing work they do! Thanks guys!

 

A note from Australian Working Dog Rescue:

“As we do our work all around this great country, plane travel is an essential part of moving our dogs to adopters, and to get some special cases to a suitable foster carer in another state. In this regard, Jetpets have stepped up assist us with some donated flights from their providers, TOLL. It’s great to have large companies paying attention to animal welfare, and giving us a helping hand to save some more lives, so if your business can assist, then why not follow the lead set here?”