Pet Travel Question: Moving With an Older Dog

Name: Kathy
From: Austin, TX
To: Prague, Czech Republic
Pet: Emily, 11-year-old Great Dane, 130 lbs

I am looking at the possibility of relocating to Prague for school for a year. I know it is probably not the best idea for a large old dog to be relocated, but I cannot imagine leaving her behind so I need to know what my options are. Can this be accomplished safely?

I know there are no quarantine requirements in the Czech Republic, but need to know the best airline and the cost to transport her. It is a very long time to be traveling and caged. Are animals able to de-board and go potty?

She is healthy, but can get stressed at times. I do have a crate that will fit her. She has not used it since she was small, but I could get her used to it again.

 

Thanks,

Kathy

 

 

Hi Kathy,

 

Thanks for the questions! Your concerns mirror those that many pet travelers have, and we hope we can offer some guidance. While it is possible to move dogs in your situation (we have moved older dogs, larger dogs, and older larger dogs), it's important to first talk with your vet and consider doing an in-depth  health screening to properly assess whether or not your Great Dane is up for the trip.

 

If you decide to go forward, choose a pet-friendly airline. We often use KLM and Lufthansa for European flights, as they operate with well-established pet policies that make long journeys as comfortable as possible.

 

If she's prone to stress and hasn't been in her crate for awhile, you'll want to start re-acclimating her to the kennel as early as possible. If she has grown bigger since you first used that one, you'll also need to make sure the crate you  have is airline-approved and large enough for her to move around and enjoy good airflow. Here's more info about pet travel crates and custom crates.

 

Finally, here are the pet import requirements for the Czech Republic for your reference. If you have any more questions, please contact us or fill out our free quote form. Since you're in Austin, you're even welcome to stop by our office to talk to a Specialist if you'd like!

 

Good luck, and we hope to hear from you soon.

 

 

Oakley recently moved safely from Austin to Amsterdam. She required a custom crate.