# Bringing our dog to Spain



## plumeriachick (Mar 10, 2015)

Does anyone have experience in shipping their dog to Spain from the US? All I know now is because it's a Labrador and large, he will have to leave from a major hub in the States, i.e. Dallas or Atlanta, he will land in Madrid and we will have to pick him up there due to his size (he cannot be flown to Alicante or closer airport).

Anyone with experience picking up their pet at the Madrid airport and dealing with the officials? I know of all the paperwork needed beforehand, records, shots, forms, correct crate. I would be happier if it were us getting him out of the airport in Madrid or is it maybe better to let one of the international pet moving companies handle the officials in Madrid?


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Maybe things are a little different to my experience because you are sending pup from USA but I once shipped a dog by air from the UK to Spain and used AirPets in the UK to send him over. They handled all of the paperwork and I simply went to the airport cargo area with my ID when the flight had landed. To be honest the airport staff were excellent and they got him through very fast from the plane, looked at my ID and then went to get him. I wanted to take him in the car so they offered to dispose of the wooden crate and that was as simple as that.

I would use a professional company to deal with the paperwork to send him over and get him to the airport and obviously follow their advice but in general the Spanish airports in my limited experience were excellent.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Dogs*



plumeriachick said:


> Does anyone have experience in shipping their dog to Spain from the US? All I know now is because it's a Labrador and large, he will have to leave from a major hub in the States, i.e. Dallas or Atlanta, he will land in Madrid and we will have to pick him up there due to his size (he cannot be flown to Alicante or closer airport).
> 
> Anyone with experience picking up their pet at the Madrid airport and dealing with the officials? I know of all the paperwork needed beforehand, records, shots, forms, correct crate. I would be happier if it were us getting him out of the airport in Madrid or is it maybe better to let one of the international pet moving companies handle the officials in Madrid?


Yes. My husband brought our lab from Mexico to Madrid,Aero Mexico, and the dog was first off the carousel. After that absolutely nobody at Barajas asked questions and it was straight out the door and into a large sized taxi.
I did the same the previous year with a little Scotty and once again she was first off the plane and straight to the exit. As long as you have all the jabs in your homeland then it is systems go.
Just reread your question and will you be on the same flight?


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## plumeriachick (Mar 10, 2015)

Thanks to all and I am a bit more reassured. As we may all be moving during the summertime, the best scenario will probably be for my husband to fly ahead to already be in Spain to meet our Lab and if I am not on the same flight, there shortly after. The paperwork is not a problem at all and I actually feel quite confident in getting him on the plane from Atlanta or whatever major hub is used, it is just the landing in Spain and getting past the red tape that has me panicked. My Spanish is sketchy at best. If I could send our Lab in my seat and I take his in cargo, I would do it in a heartbeat.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

As I said before the red tape bit is done at your end not at arrivals. I was ready with the dog's papers when I went throigh customs and they only wanted my passport.
The vet will give you sedatives for the dog, so it will probably sleep its way across the Atlantic.
If your husband will have a car waiting or his own then make sure he has a harness for the dog to be attached to the back seat. It fits into the seat belt bit at the back. If he is asking for a taxi then the dog will have to stay in its cage. Fortunately, there are large taxis around


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## plumeriachick (Mar 10, 2015)

The taxi idea at Madrid airport is a good idea. It will be either that or he will have to rent a van to bring him back to Camposol. Getting the paperwork/shots/etc done on this end is absolutely no problem, and he already has a harness for a car ride we can bring with us. Now I am just trying to figure out how to get him to Atlanta with a huge crate. Hopefully I can rent a large SUV. Justina, I presume you had to go to the cargo area to pick up your dog in Madrid??


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

No, they both came off the carousel first and then all the passengers' suitcases just behind them, but there was plenty of time between getting off the plane and getting to the carousel so the dogs weren't going around and around. Other passengers helped my husband to heave off the lab's crate.


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## plumeriachick (Mar 10, 2015)

Justina said:


> No, they both came off the carousel first and then all the passengers' suitcases just behind them, but there was plenty of time between getting off the plane and getting to the carousel so the dogs weren't going around and around. Other passengers helped my husband to heave off the lab's crate.


That is amazing. The animal transport companies I have spoken with all told me our dog will be held for 3 to 5 hours having the vet/customs, paperwork checked before leaving and to expect that wait if we are flying with him. It was because of that I started to panic thinking maybe I should let them handle it all in case my Spanish wasn't up to snuff and they decided to pick on an old American bat like myself.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

*Dogs*



plumeriachick said:


> The taxi idea at Madrid airport is a good idea. It will be either that or he will have to rent a van to bring him back to Camposol. Getting the paperwork/shots/etc done on this end is absolutely no problem, and he already has a harness for a car ride we can bring with us. Now I am just trying to figure out how to get him to Atlanta with a huge crate. Hopefully I can rent a large SUV. Justina, I presume you had to go to the cargo area to pick up your dog in Madrid??


After a couple of days to rest, the lab was sent by MRW to Cadiz. My husband walked the dog to the office with yet another sedative, and sent off to Cadiz. The only drag was that the dog had to be in the office by about 5pm and didn't arrive until about lunch time the following day.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

We have flown a few times to Spain and other places with our dog. Please note most airlines will not now accept sedated dogs as there have been "problems".


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

By sedated I didn't mean flat out. It was a gentle sedative that was given before the dog went into the crate. Both certainly came out wagging their tails.


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## m.van.adler (Feb 8, 2015)

Isobella said:


> We have flown a few times to Spain and other places with our dog. Please note most airlines will not now accept sedated dogs as there have been "problems".


Yes, and many dogs has died this way.
I would never let my dog be sedated when flying in cargo. I would be surprised if any veterinarian would give a dog sedative medication before flying since most of them probably know it can be fatal.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

That's good to know although I did say it was a very gentle one.


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## plumeriachick (Mar 10, 2015)

Guess I would leave it up to a vet to decide. Have heard good and bath with and without very mild sedation. Still have to say my biggest fear is getting him out of customs, etc in Madrid--have a fear of them holding the dog hostage or something. Also he will need to travel in a giant crate - it's going to take a really large SUV or van for transport to and from airports.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

I think you are just getting nervous with the unexplored. As long as the dog has its chip, the required vaccinations, all stamped by a registered vet, checked in at the airport with the animal office, then it is on its way. 
I nearly lost my flight with the little pooch cos although I arrived in what I thought was loads of time, there were only two workers taking data etc., and checking the papers of two bulldogs on their way to France and a cat going wherever and it took ages. It wasn't any quicker for me. However, we did discover at the airport that for the next dog my husband would be taking, he could go on the day before and do all the paperwork without the pooch and on the day of departure, just check in with the animal office to show it was a lab and not a poodle. They make have checked with his chip, too.
At Barajas there are plenty of suv type taxis. You may have to wait a few more minutes, but they are there.
Also, it wasn't a crate the dog was in but a large doggy carrier where it could look out and with a doggy diaper on the floor. She does weigh around 25 kilos.


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## plumeriachick (Mar 10, 2015)

All I know is it will take a giant crate for this Lab. He weighs right at 100 lb/45 kilos. It may well be, depending on when our house is sold here, that he can stay in Dallas with a relative who can then put him on the plane from there this autumn. Had to laugh--the animal transport companies that all want $5000 door to door said not to worry - it's tax deductible.....


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

No, we paid less than 300US dollars for the flight, so cheap we were surprised.
And yes, that is a big beastie. Although, our lab weighed in at 39 kilos after six months in Cadiz where it was just walking the dog rather than allowing to run around. She was put on a strict diet with certain type of food and alll the broccoli and carrots that she could eat.


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