Pet Smarts

QH SENSATIONS

Pet Smarts

By Lynsey Riach Photography by Jessie Palanca

To many of us, we consider our furry friends to be part of our family. So when it comes to moving your entire world either into or out of Qatar, how do we ensure our pets are part of our safe journey?

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Little Cole (left) and big brother Subi (right) were both imported to Qatar from the UK

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ell, hopefully you’ll be comforted to know that I speak from experience on the whole moving your pet thing and it’s not as easy as perhaps you would like it to be… Upon our arrival to Qatar four years ago, our dog Subi (who is a pug) was flown as cargo by Lufthansa. As those who have snubbed-nose cats and dogs know, it can actually be quite challenging to find an airline willing to fly these breeds (but we’ll get to that).

What a lot of people aren’t aware of is that animals flying as cargo actually take a lot longer to fly than we do, for starters they have to have regular toilet and meal breaks, (you won’t see them making a dash for a final boarding call) and the route that Subi took through Frankfurt airport meant he had to actually stay the night in their ‘animal hotel’.

So before Subi left us, we had a lot of work to do. We had to ensure we had a suitable-sized animal crate that is IATA approved. This should be measured specifically to your animal allowing them enough room to stand up, turn around and sleep, but not much more. There has to be substantial ventilation and your beloved cannot travel with any toys that they could destroy so Subi’s oldest soft toy (a rat of all creatures) had to be swapped for a rubber bone that he didn’t care much for. You can put an item of clothing or a blanket that perhaps smells of you to keep your angel feeling connected to you on their journey, as let’s face it – the dark hold of an airplane can be a scary place especially on a long journey.

The exporting and importing of animals takes serious organization, perfect planning and of course expense. For Subi, we chose to use a reputable company based in Scotland who really took all the stress out of his passage to Qatar. As Subi made his way to us over the course of three days, I can tell you I was with him every part of the way. I worried,

I got excited, I checked the tracking number hourly until I read ‘last seen at carousel 4’. “He’s not a bag!” I screamed. We were reunited as if years had gone by much to the entertainment of the workers in the cargo unit at the old Doha Intl Airport. Although the process at times seem quite de-sensitized and clinical, it was actually very rigourous and of course this meant our Subi arrived here in his new home a little confused but, thankfully, in one piece minus a near fall from the forklift…

The Tale Of The Lapdog I’ll tell you another story about our other pug, Cole. She’s a little puppy that we only just recently brought to Qatar and she happened to enjoy a different, more comfortable travel experience than Subi, travelling as accompanied hand baggage not cargo. As she is a puppy, she weighs less than 8kg which meant she qualified to travel in the cabin as you guessed it, a lapdog. Sounds fun doesn’t it?

As we exported her from the UK to Qatar, I asked Nicky Roffey from Qatar Pet Travel to help with the documents Qatar side. She was fantastic and took care of every aspect of what is required to bring a dog into the country. With more than seven years of experience and many tales to tell she really knows her stuff, puts you at ease and is always on call to help. All I had to do was take care of things on the British side, which wasn’t too complicated. First you need to contact DEFRA and complete paperwork.

A vet then checks and certifies that the dog is fit for travel and an Export Permit is produced. You should confirm all of this with your chosen airline beforehand and make sure they are aware you will carry a dog in the cabin with you.

If you’re to or from Qatar the first thing you need to think about is what type of animal you have, then the breed, then the route you’ll travel. I mentioned

earlier that pugs are deemed snubbed-nose or ‘brachycephalic.’ Bulldogs, boxers and Persian cats also fall under this category and can often be (excuse the pun) snubbed by many major airlines for fear of them suffering breathing problems at high altitudes. From Qatar, there are currently only a handful of operators who will help out – Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and Emirates but there are weather restrictions in place so if you intend to attempt the process alone then you must check with each airline and plan for enough time to arrange all travel for your pet.

What Vaccinations Are Required For My Pet To Travel Abroad?

It’s a good idea to keep your pet's vaccinations up-to-date regardless of whether the country of destination specifically requires them. If required, rabies vaccinations generally need to be done more than 30 days prior to your pet's travel. Other vaccination times will vary, so it’s important to consult with your vet before booking any flights.

Importing Requirements Importing pets into Qatar is possible as long as you follow the rules and regulations. All dogs and cats need to be micro-chipped and vaccinated against rabies, as well as the other booster shots needed.

You’ll need to get your pet an import licence from Qatar in order to bring them and they can enter as manifested cargo, or they can travel with you as accompanied baggage.

Your pet will also need certain health certificates from the departing country before entering Qatar, and this varies country to country. Your vet in the departing country can often help with these papers.

Make sure to have all the correct papers in hand with spare copies before flying into Qatar as you don’t want any issues with customs!

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QH SENSATIONS Full Vaccination Records All vaccinations must be given at least 30 days and maximum of 12 months before pet can travel. a. Dogs: • Rabies vaccination – given at 3 months • DHPPL/distemper, hepatitis, parvo-virus, parainfluenza and leptospirosos – given at 2 ½ months b. Cats: • rabies vaccination- given at 3 months • Feline flu – primary can be given at 2 ½ months old and the booster shot after 3-4 weeks.

Before travel, your pet must be at least four months old and hold a Health Certificate acquired from a local vet in your country of origin that indicates that pet has been examined, is fit to fly and is free of worms.

Banned Breeds Please be aware that although you may have heard of leopards and cheetahs roaming the estates of Qatar, there’s actually a list of banned dog breeds.

The following breeds require special documents or else they’re not allowed to enter the country: • Japanese Akita • Shar Pei • Great Dane • Doberman Pinscher • Boxer • Bulldog • Mastiff • Rottweiler • Bull Terrier • American Staffordshire Terrier • Staffordshire Bull Terrier • Afghan Hound

Subi's cargo carrier has all his information required for a safe journey in the skies

Exporting Requirements When it comes time to leave Qatar, you’ll need time to get everything ready so please remember this when deciding to leave. Some countries need only rabies vaccinations and a micro-chip, while others might need blood tests, quarantine stays and many other treatments. Every country has different regulations so it’s best to get in touch with a professional pet re-locator in your destination country to ask them for advice. Some countries allow pets to enter as accompanied luggage but some do not and the pets must travel as manifested cargo.

The same rules for vaccination records, Health Certificate and age of travel apply as above.

An Export Permit from the Ministry of Environment’s Department of Animal Resources is also required before your pet can leave the country. Also, remember to be sure to check with your airline as often there are weight limits, baggage restrictions and, normally, only a few animals per flight allowed to fly.

Help Me Move My Pet! Members of IPATA (International Pet and Animal Transport Association), an international network of concerned pet shippers, both Qatar Pet Travel (www.qatarpettravel.com) and Parkview Pet Center (www.parkviewpetcenter.net) here in Doha offer excellent service including: IATA approved kennels, import/export documentation, pet boarding, health check. Their Door-to-Door Delivery Service is a

Because pugs are a snub-nosed breed and often have breathing problems, they require special Qatar documentation before entering

complete package where all export documentation, flight arrangements, final vet checks, delivery to airport and custom clearance is included.

Give An Animal A New Home, Overseas…

fee. Paperwork and permits for exporting is also free of charge if the adopted animals are then sent overseas, normally travelling with a volunteer chaperone taking them as accompanied baggage.

Flight fees are shouldered by the new owner adopting the animal in the destination country.

2nd Chance Rescue and QAWS (www.qaws.org) in Qatar both offer dog and cat adoption services to those living overseas in an effort to help with the growing number of abandoned animals in the country. Parkview Pet Center and 2nd Chance Rescue offer dog and cat adoption that includes vaccination, micro-chip, spay/neuter and de-worming for a flat

At present, 2nd Chance Rescue has over 150 dogs and 50 cats for adoption. With this overseas adoption system we can help with the issue of strays in Qatar and find new loving homes for these animals. For more information please contact 2nd Chance Rescue or Parkview Pet Centre directly. n

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