Don’t be mad at me, but I will now start praying to the weather gods and ask for the summer to be delayed a little bit this year. Not a lot! Just a little bit. A tad. Just enough for my dogs to be transported safely over to Europe.
I’ve heard back from the Pet Relocation place. It took them a little while, but they finally gave me a quote. My guesstimate was pretty much spot on (I was thinking $2500 per dog; their quote came to a little over $5500 for both dogs and the cat). So let’s swallow that cost and hope we never have to move with these animals across oceans ever again.
But as I’ve been known to do, I again misunderstood. For some reason when they said that they’ll provide “airport supervision, tendering and check in”, a “comfort stop at Lufthansa’s Animal Lounge in Frankfurt” and “expedited customs clearance” followed by “delivery within Copenhagen city center”, I thought they meant someone will be there with them every step of the way. But when I asked if there’ll be someone flying with Mochi, Cosmo and Bixby, I was basically told “no, lady. No one is flying in the cargo hold with your pets, scratching them behind the ear from time to time and refreshing their water bowls.” Well… Okay then.
So whatever supervision they’re promising will be remote and outsourced to many different people along the way. Bummer.
Another issue is the weather. Because boxers are a short-nosed breed, they will not fly them if the temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
I’m so stressed out, I think I might be getting an ear infection.
UPDATE
Yes, of course I’m freaking out. If summer arrives early my dogs might be grounded until October. What does this mean? Do I stay with them? (Although they’re extremely adorable, not one of my friends would be willing to take them in for an extended period of time. Apparently they’re considered “a bit much” by everyone who knows them.)
I spent another sleepless night wondering what to do, so naturally I called London at 6:30 am and asked about booking spots on the Queen Mary 2 for the sea voyage. It would be a pain getting over to New York, but it’s doable. They put me on hold. When they got back to me they told me in that flawless queen’s English that they’d be delighted to book our passage. The earliest spot they have available is August 2018.
Bloody brilliant.
UPDATE
We decided that we’ll just have to fly. I will see if maybe I can get over there earlier in June and not risk having any hot weather. That’s the best I can do.
But I’m not convinced that I want to go with this particular service. I’ve looked at their Yelp reviews. Some are glowing 5-star, others are 1-star nightmare scenarios. I can’t have this be a 1-star experience. I’m already hanging by a thread.
So I contacted another company, one that had better Yelp reviews. It’s called Happy Tails Travel. Let’s see what they have to say.
UPDATE
Last night, at dinner, we were having some take out banh mi’s (we’re bingeing on Asian food while we still can) and Mochi was begging at the table, like she often does. My husband leaned in and told her that she’s the boss. It’s true, she is the boss.
Of course, if Mochi had to choose she’d choose to stay here. I don’t think she wants to move. But what Mochi doesn’t realize is that many of our decisions regarding this move have so much to do with her and Cosmo’s needs!
For example, in the beginning we were considering Singapore and New Zealand, in addition to Denmark and Sweden. That’s because that is where the jobs are. But… Both Singapore and New Zealand have lengthy pet quarantines. Also, Singapore is pretty much on the equator and our dogs don’t like the heat. So we took Singapore and New Zealand off the list fairly quickly – because of the dogs.
Next week I will be in Copenhagen and I’ll be looking at houses, but only the few that accept pets. Our relocation agent asked if we’d consider apartments in the city and we thought about it. We concluded that no, we better not move into an apartment. What if Cosmo has to go and pee or throw up in the middle of the night? So, our housing search is focused on the dogs. We will pay more and live further out to accommodate these animals.
Now, the departure date is looking more like mid-June for me, rather than late June. That’s because I’m so worried about the heat. The sooner we leave the better chances of having cool weather for the flight over.
Mochi and Cosmo: I wish you understood more than “wanna go for a walk” and “where’s the ball” and “who wants a treat”. I hope you knew how important you are to us, you furry pups.
Post-Amerikan 