Pet Move of the Month: Cole’s Move to Brazil
Congrats to Cole, our December Pet Move of the Month! Cole is a Labrador who moved from San Francisco to Brazil, a process that required quite a bit of preparation.
In addition to meeting standard health requirements and Brazil's specific import regulations, Cole's owners also had to make sure this big guy had a large enough travel crate (check out Cole's video tutorial illustrating how to choose the right size pet travel crate).
Thanks to Cole for showing us how it's done, and thanks to his owner, Mike, for answering a few questions about their trip. Good luck in Brazil!
What were some of your concerns going into the move?
Temperature and overall comfort level for Cole.
Did anything surprise you about the international pet moving process?
The amount of paperwork that is required!
How is Cole adjusting to the new location?
He loves all of the new space and especially playing with his red Frisbee in the pool and the hot tub.
What is life like in Brazil? Is it a pet-friendly place to be?
So far, we've seen that a lot of people have dogs and bring them everywhere -- a lot like San Francisco. There are some very good trails and open areas. We have not seen a vet yet, but are going to soon. It is difficult to find the same kinds of food here, so for now, we have ordered from PetSmart and had his food shipped.
There are some diseases and insects that can be dangerous to dogs here, so we also have to take extra measures to protect against these. Even though there are a ton of large dogs here, I still can't find a large pet bed for Cole. (Odd.)
What advice do you have for people who might be planning a move?
Having assistance is definitely worth it. I recommend planning very early because the last month goes by very fast and you can't always predict a veterinarian problem or unseen health issue with the dog.
For us, crate training was easy because Cole was trained to be in crate from two months of age, but for those who aren't as comfortable, this is probably a big priority.