Flossy Takes Flight: Exporting Our Dog from Malaysia

As we near the end of our time in Malaysia it became necessary to ship our wonderful Golden Retriever back to the homeland.  The process of figuring out which routes were best and which company to use was arduous. Flossy is a ball of nerves when it comes to traveling.  A 45 minute car ride stresses her out, so the prospect of sending her across the globe was a source of much anxiety.  We wanted her to have a safe and comfortable journey, but needed to keep costs reasonable as well.

Flossy : )

Thankfully, I can now happily say that Flossy is safe and sound in the U.S. keeping my mom company until we can once again be reunited.

Bearing in mind that this is my experience and the information I’m sharing is accurate to the best of my knowledge, here is what I learned along the way.

Pet Transport Companies

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) does not allow pets on the premises.  So traveling with Flossy was not an option.  Also heat restrictions prohibit the shipment of pets out of KL from May 15-September 15, and made it necessary for us to ship Flossy a few weeks ahead of our summer travel dates.  Furthermore, certain paperwork can only be executed by a pet agent, so there is really no getting around hiring someone to assist you with the process.

I wanted to find a reliable, trustworthy, and reasonably priced pet agent.  I asked friends, Facebook groups, and our local vet for advice.  These were the three pet relocation experts that came up consistently:

1. Pet’s Pet Taxi
2. Armstrong Pet Moving
3. Dr. C. Sockalingam , Yarl Livestock Services {email: drsocka@yahoo.com | mobile: +601-237-15566}

I emailed each and found all to be responsive. I asked for a price quote as well as some general questions concerning which route would be best for Flossy.  When researching online, I found that routes through Amsterdam and Doha were recommended.  Dr. Sockalingam was the only one to answer my questions thoroughly, and his price quote was several thousand ringgit cheaper than the others as well.  Dr. Sockalingam explained that flying Flossy through Doha would be a great option as the cost of her ticket would stay low, while the quality of her care would remain high.

Of course I researched this online and called the cargo department of Qatar Airways in Doha directly to make sure that she would in fact be in caring hands for the duration of her trip.  The airline associate that I spoke with was friendly and professional.  She explained that Qatar Airways’ facilities in Doha include a temperature controlled holding area where food and water is provided hourly (up to two hours before their flight), as well as a vet on hand who checks on each animal, and they clean the animal’s crate before the flight.  All of this was very reassuring to hear.

The journey ahead seemed daunting.

Flight Preparation

Dr. Sockalingam came to our place a couple of weeks prior to her scheduled departure date to give Flossy a check-up and make sure her paperwork was in order.  Flossy instantly took to him.  I think she would have left with him if I would have let her!  Since Flossy was already microchipped and all of her vaccinations were up to date she was good to go!

Travel Tips

I attached two water dispensers to her crate along with a bowl for holding her food.  Since her journey to Washington, D.C. was going to be a long one, I duct taped four individually zip locked portions of food (with treats inside buried in the mix) to the top of her crate.

I also decorated the front of her crate with her name.  I wanted her handlers to know her name in hopes that it might comfort her along the way.  According to my mom, when Flossy arrived in Dulles everyone around her was calling her by name and she was wagging her tail right and left!

Flossy’s travel crate.

I took two Polaroid pics of her and inserted them in Ziploc bags and taped them to the front of her crate. In the unlikely event that she escaped from her crate (you read some harrowing stories online!) people would know her name/what she looked like.

Finally, I placed a towel in Flossy’s crate to remind her of home and hopefully increase her sense of well-being.

Qatar Airways Cargo Tracking allows you to track your air cargo online.  I followed Flossy’s itinerary and saw she was on schedule for each of her flights.

Air Cargo tracking provides peace of mind.

It was a nerve-racking couple of days as I sat waiting to hear that Flossy had indeed arrived safely.  Flossy arrived in Dulles happy and surprisingly clean.  As it turns out she wasn’t nearly as stressed out as I was!  Thanks to Dr. Sockalingam her trip was a complete success.

Flossy is now enjoying her temporary new digs in the U.S.A. Thanks Mom!