Pet Move of the Month: Moving Marley to Singapore During a Pandemic

When moving your pets to Singapore, there is a lot to consider. The veterinary work alone is a large undertaking. When Marley's family realized how complicated this process was going to be, they called PetRelocation! Then, just as Marley was getting ready to start his journey, a global coronavirus pandemic began to take hold in the United States. The extra stress on Marley and his family was unexpected, but PetRelocation was there to help! Marley's very unique story is our Pet Move of the Month!  Read on to learn more about the experience. 

Tell us about Marley! What’s his personality like? How did he come to join your family?

Marley is a sweet and affectionate Bassett Hound- German Shepherd mix. He is extremely smart, expressive, and loyal. He loves humans and (almost) all other dogs. Ryan, my partner, adopted Marley from the San Francisco SPCA in 2007 when he was six months old. We met six months later and he has been a part of our lives ever since!  
 

What brought about your move to Singapore?

We moved to Singapore for an amazing career opportunity for Ryan. We were also very excited to live in Southeast Asia.

Had Marley ever traveled much before?

The flight to Singapore was Marley’s first plane ride! Although he made two cross country trips in a car across the United States when we moved to New York from San Francisco.
 

What were some of your immediate concerns about moving Marley?

We were very concerned that he had to travel such a long distance. We were also worried about completing all the paperwork and vet requirements correctly. We knew almost right away that we should hire a pet relocation company.
 

The veterinary requirements for Singapore are extensive. Would you say PetRelocation was an asset in helping you keep that straight?

Definitely. There is no way we could have kept all the requirements straight without the support from Andrea. She caught several very small corrections on the final paperwork that could have caused delays if they were not updated in time. Andrea also was incredibly helpful with last-minute questions and making sure we were on target with the timeline.

Relocation coordinator, Andrea Gold. 

What initially surprised you about the process of moving pets to Singapore?

The requirement for all the rabies titer tests! We had never even heard of a rabies titer. We were pleasantly surprised that the quarantine for animals arriving from the US to Singapore is only 10 days.

Marley’s move was affected by COVID-19. How did this change Marley’s travel plans and your own?

Unfortunately, Marley’s original flight was canceled while he was en route to the airport due to airline cancellations related to COVID-19. It was truly a terrible and scary experience. We didn’t know when and if he would be able to leave the US. We also had to change our travel plans and were worried that all air travel would be shut down. At the time, Ryan was already in Singapore and I had to change my flight after Marley’s flight was canceled. We were worried that we would all be separated for weeks.

Was it a scary experience trying to manage your own move, along with Marley’s move, during a worldwide pandemic?

It was a scary and intense time. As I mentioned, it was very uncertain for several days and we did not know when and if Marley would be able to leave the US.

Would you say PetRelocation was helpful in navigating the relocation during this crazy time?

PetRelocation was incredibly helpful!! We can’t emphasize this enough. I truly cannot imagine what would have happened to us if we had not hired PetRelocation and had to handle rescheduling Marley’s flight on our own. I know that Andrea spent hours on the phone with multiple airlines to find a flight for Marley and she was working practically around the clock to get him on a plane! It would have been incredibly challenging for us to do that on our own. As I mentioned, Ryan was in Singapore already and I was frantically trying to clean out our house and prepare for my own travel.

How did Marley’s move day go? Were there any surprises?

The main surprise, as mentioned above, was that his flight was canceled the day of. He had to come back home and we had to wait to find out when he would be able to get on another flight. When he actually flew out two days later, there were no surprises thankfully!

Marley, relaxing in his new home in Singapore. 

How did Marley do in quarantine? What advice would you have for “pawrents” who are nervous about the quarantine process?

Marley did great in quarantine. We were very impressed with how clean and well maintained the quarantine facility was. The staff was amazing and we felt that he was well taken care of. We were lucky we could visit him during his stay, so that also gave us some additional comfort with his wellbeing. 

Now that Marley is home with you in your new home, how is he adjusting?

He has adjusted very well, just a little warm! Lots of water and belly rubs.

What advice would you give pet parents who are planning a move with their pets?

I would strongly recommend hiring a pet relocation company. Especially in lieu of the situation with COVID-19, it seems like the best decision we ever made. That said, air travel is unpredictable even in the best of times, and having someone experienced to deal with any hiccups is really worth it. Not to mention the extensive preparation Andrea completed in preparation for the move day. You could never be prepared for something like COVID-19. That said, another piece of advice we would give to pet parents is- expect the unexpected! There are so many moving parts to this process and many things that are out of everyone’s control. Again, that is one of the reasons why having a pet relocation company is extremely helpful in the event that something does not go as planned.

We are so happy that Marley made it safe and sound to his new home despite everything. Seeing you all reunited in your new home is why we do what we do. Thanks for sharing your story with us! If you have a story you'd like to share, you can do so here. And if you're ready to start planning your own pet's move, we can help. Get started today!