Pic: Kamla enjoying a calm evening by the lake; little did she know that in a few months, she would cross multiple oceans to a new home.
The first part of this post dealt with the formalities needed for the dog to travel to the USA from India, specifically Mumbai- How to Bring a Dog to USA Part I- Navigating CDC and AQCS Requirements.
Continue on your journey with Part II of our guide on bringing your dog from India to the USA.
In this post, we will be covering flight routes in brief, layovers, and essential tips for a smooth travel experience.
To recap:
- Kamla traveled alone and before us. Her journey was complicated as her final destination state, Colorado, did not have a CDC-approved airport, and dogs from rabies-endemic countries like India can enter the USA only through CDC- approved airports.
- You will need the following paperwork:
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control) Permit for the dog to enter the USA.
- AQCS (Animal and Quarantine Certification Services) Permit from the state where the dog is leaving the country; in this case, Mumbai.
- Paperwork for the airline.
Quick Navigation
*CO- Colorado
DFW- Dallas Fort Worth Airport.
Flight Route
Kamla, our pet dog, traveled alone from Mumbai to the USA via Emirates.
She had a layover in Dubai.
Her final destination (CO) did not have a CDC-approved airport, so she landed in Texas and traveled to CO by road.
(The pet relocation company I had initially recruited in India insisted that as long as the dog landed at an airport, she would be allowed to exit, irrespective of the CDC factor. I emailed the CDC, and they told me that was not true. Always do your due diligence as a pet parent!)
The choice of Texas was based on the fact that the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was closest to CO.
Layover in Dubai
Pets are allowed to travel cargo for up to 12 hours at a stretch, and since flight time to the USA is typically over 20 hours, Kamla had a layover in Dubai.
This layover was for 15 hours!
We picked Emirates because it has an outstanding program for pets- Emirates Pets.
We were informed of her landing by the Daga Connect representative.
I could also see her on the Apple and Samsung Smart tags, a huge reprieve.
Kamla must have been taken out for a short walk and fed- there was no way for me to verify this. All I could do was put faith in the system Emirates claims they have in place.
Landing in the USA
To reiterate, Kamla traveled alone and before us.
She landed in DFW Airport, Texas, and traveled by road to CO, where she stayed with a friend till I arrived in the USA.
Jeffrey from Pet Portals LLC received her at the DFW Airport.
He told me about the fees to be paid to the airport authority (200$) and Homeland Security (11$) that I did via credit card and What’s Apped the payment details to him.
Jeffrey did all the paperwork and customs clearance for Kamla very effectively, with minimal stress for me in India. All I had to do was be available on WhatsApp to send additional personal documents to the airport authorities.
Jeffrey took excellent care of Kamla, drove safely through bad weather, and gave me regular video and picture updates. This journey would not have been possible without him. Kamla bonded with him in that short while and whimpered for him at the door when he left her at my friend’s place in CO.
I found Jeffrey at Citizen Shipper, where I contacted numerous pet shipping companies and found him to be the most knowledgeable. He is also USDA-certified.
Kamla traveled by road to CO, stopping overnight in a pet-friendly hotel. It was a 12-hour journey, and Jeffrey sent me regular video and picture updates.
Road travel in the USA
Things to remember if you are using a third party to receive your pet at the airport:
- The name and contact details of the third party should be entered in the Airway Bill (AWB).
- Emirates emails the third party to confirm that they will be there to receive the dog—ensure they reply.
- Prepare a power of attorney in the name of the third party you signed. Your local notary must notarize this.
- Last but not least, select a good pet relocation company. I lucked out with Pet Portals LLC. I was apprehensive at first, as I had no control over or an option of remedial measures in case something went wrong in the USA. I am glad things went well.
Trivia
According to the United States Department of Transportation, over 2 million pets travel by air annually. Pet travel by private charters has been soaring since the COVID era. This can be a private jet just for you and your pooch or a pooled jet where you and your pooch travel cabin with other pets and their owners. Expect to spend anywhere from 8000 USD to 10,000 USD for a pooled flight or 50,000 USD and above for a private jet. No cargo for Fido!
