Bringing pets along on a move to the UK is expensive and way too complicated. I have moved a total of 4 animals from the US to the UK because I love an expensive and complicated challenge. Also, I love them, which helps.
In 2014, I brought my two elderly cats with me when I moved to the UK for a postgraduate degree program. One of those cats passed away while we lived here, and the other passed a few years after we returned her to the US.
When it came time to make the move again in 2021, there was never a question as to whether we would bring George (our cat) and Loki (our Husky/Shepherd mix dog) with us.
Why is it expensive?
Let’s start with the important bit. You should expect to budget a minimum of $1,750-3,000 per pet to move them by yourself. This is mostly to account for air transport. The UK only allows pets to enter via cargo. There are other options if you really want to bring your cat or small dog in the cabin with you that we will get to later. For a cargo hold, it is surprisingly costly to travel in there.
In addition to the flight, you should expect vet visits and treatment to meet current regulations. There is also the cost of paperwork and taxes along the way. Finally, you’ll need to coordinate transport to/from airports and coordinate everything around your own travel plans.
Transport service or DIY?
It is possible to handle all of the paperwork and reservations yourself to move your pet. Both times we started our move plans I was determined to do it myself. Both times I ultimately hired a transport service. I’ve encountered plenty of people who have pulled it off themselves, and we were very lucky to have the funds available to cover service fees. The idea that I’d accidentally make a mistake and get my fur babies stuck in quarantine was more than I could stomach ultimately.
If you do opt to use a service, you are paying for expertise and varying amounts of hand holding. The main selling points in my mind are:
- the service should connect with your veterinarian and guide them on the paperwork;
- the service will hound the government agencies as needed; and
- the service will ensure that all details beyond the regulations (such as booking space at welcome centers) are taken care of.
The best way to get up-to-date pricing is to visit service provider websites or send them an estimate request. For our dog and cat in 2021, we paid approximately $6,400 total for a mid-range service. That booking included keeping me from utter panic when the USDA appeared to ghost our paperwork. They also arranged transport for our pets to our temporary flat once they cleared customs.
Fancy a private jet, a cruise, or a visit to France?
Our dog has separation anxiety and has never done well in a crate. This made me apprehensive about sending him crated alone for a very long plane ride. He’s too big to travel in cabin, so this initially sent me looking for non-plane travel.
The Queen Mary II cruises from New York to Southampton and does allow pets on board. I ultimately discounted this option as there aren’t that many sailings, Covid-19 was causing cancelations, and pets have to stay in a designated kennel on board. This is also ultimately a luxury cruise, so set your price expectations accordingly.
Finding an option to travel with the pets by private jet was a surprising option to stumble upon. No, I cannot afford to charter a jet. However, there are groups of pet owners making similar moves who may be willing to split costs with you. I found one such group on Facebook. The cost for this type of arrangement depends on how many people are ultimately splitting the rental. Our best option would have required a cross-country road trip to New York, and then ~$9,000 for the flight with the pets and one adult human.
If we had been moving with a smaller dog or cats only, I might have been tempted to look into flying to France and then driving to the UK through the Chunnel. This routing avoids the UK requirement that pets travel into the country in cargo. This wouldn’t work for us, but is probably the most cost effective of these extra options.
Ultimately, how much you’ll spend to move your pets depends on your comfort level navigating the process and with cargo transport for your fur baby.
At the lowest end, you may be able to arrange transport for a small pet for under $2,000. At the high end, you can spend $10,000+ for a luxury arrival together with your pet. Transport services are unlikely to come in below $5,000.
