Pet Relocation in Thailand
From the first microchip check to the moment your pet arrives home. Compare your options, understand the paperwork and plan a move without avoidable surprises.
One move.
Three decisions.
The rules for bringing a dog into Thailand are not the same as those for taking a cat to Australia. Before you pay a deposit or book a flight, establish your route, your pet’s eligibility and who will handle each stage.
Coming to Thailand?
Start with Thai import requirements, airline acceptance and arrival procedures.
Dog import guide →Cat import guide →Leaving Thailand?
Work backwards from the destination country’s rules. Thailand’s export process is only part of the journey.
Export planning guide →Doing it yourself or hiring help?
Compare the real workload, risks and costs before choosing a relocation company.
Complete company guide →Pet relocation companies serving Thailand
Companies with a Thailand office or a Thailand partner that publish pet import and export services. We checked each one against its own website or the IPATA member directory. A listing is not a recommendation: always compare written quotes and check recent reviews.
Thailand Pet Mover (Dynamic Air Cargo)
The live-animal air freight department of Dynamic Air Cargo Co., Ltd, listed in the IPATA member directory. Arranges import, export and transit permits, airline bookings, custom-built crates, and door-to-door transport in Thailand and neighbouring countries; also lists boarding and veterinary support.
thailandpetmover.com ↗United Pet Express (United Relocations Thailand)
The international pet shipping division of United Relocations, a Bangkok-based moving company. Its 2026 company profile lists IPATA among its memberships.
unitedpetexpress.com ↗Asia Relocation — Pet Transport
The pet division of a Bangkok relocation company. Handles dogs and cats moving to and from Thailand, including the Thai import permit and Department of Livestock Development export permit, through Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket airports, with collection anywhere in Thailand.
asia-relocation.com ↗Thonglor Pet Hospital — Pet Relocation
A Bangkok animal hospital that offers health certificates, vaccinations and microchips, export permit processing for pets leaving Thailand, Thai import permits and licences, and collection from Suvarnabhumi Airport to your home.
thonglorpet.com ↗Ferndale Kennels & Cattery
A pet relocation and boarding company based in Hong Kong and Singapore that serves Thailand through a Bangkok partner. Relevant if your route to Australia goes through Singapore or Hong Kong, both approved countries for Australian pet imports.
ferndalekennels.com ↗Before you choose a company, ask:
- How many pets have you moved on my exact route in the last year?
- Who submits the Thai import or export permit, and who handles the destination country?
- Is the quote door-to-door or airport-to-airport, and what is excluded?
- Which partner handles my pet at each transit and arrival point?
- What happens, and who pays, if a flight is cancelled or my pet is refused?
Work backwards from the travel date
These are planning stages, not universal deadlines. Certain destinations require long lead times, specific test sequences or advance permits. Confirm the actual timetable for your route with the relevant authorities.
Check eligibility and destination rules
Confirm whether your pet may enter, any breed restrictions, the required microchip standard, vaccination history, rabies testing, quarantine rules and whether import permission is needed.
Speak to your veterinarian early
Check the order and validity of microchipping, vaccinations, blood tests and certificates. A correctly completed document issued at the wrong time may still be unusable.
Confirm the airline and route
Ask whether your pet travels in the cabin, as checked baggage or manifested cargo. Confirm carrier dimensions, seasonal restrictions, transit handling and available space before purchasing tickets.
Arrange permits and departure checks
Identify the correct Thai animal quarantine station or Department of Livestock Development process and any export health certification required. Allow for appointments and original-document checks.
Prepare for arrival
Know who will meet your pet, where inspection or customs clearance occurs, what original documents are needed and how your pet will travel safely to its final destination.
Do not book the human journey first.
A flight that works for you may not accept your pet, may require cargo handling, or may involve a transit country with additional conditions. Airlines can also impose limits by breed, temperature, crate size and aircraft type.
- Get pet acceptance confirmed for the exact flight and aircraft.
- Check every transit point, not only departure and arrival.
- Confirm what happens if the flight changes or the pet is refused.
- Keep the pet’s original paperwork accessible to the responsible handler.
What needs to be checked before departure?
The precise list depends on the species, destination, route and date. Use this as a verification framework, not as a substitute for the current official requirements.
Identification
Microchip number, implant date, scanner compatibility and consistency across all records.
Vaccinations
Rabies and any other required vaccinations, their validity and their relationship to microchipping.
Tests & waiting periods
Any rabies antibody testing, approved laboratories, sampling dates and mandatory waiting periods.
Official paperwork
Import permits, veterinary health certificates, export endorsements and original signed records where required.
Carrier & welfare
Appropriate crate size, ventilation, water provision, acclimatisation and airline handling arrangements.
Arrival & clearance
Inspection point, clearance agent, potential fees or quarantine, and safe onward transport.
Small details. Big consequences.
A cat’s carrier training and handling arrangements may be different from those of a large dog. Age, breed, temperament and health also matter. Discuss travel fitness with your vet and check the airline’s rules for your particular animal.
Read the cat travel guide →
Do it yourself, or use a relocation company?
There is no single right answer. The decision depends on your destination, pet, budget and confidence handling permits, airline bookings and arrival arrangements.
Owner-managed move
Potential advantage: greater control over arrangements and no full-service coordination fee.
Your responsibility: checking regulations, arranging veterinary work, booking transport, handling documents and responding if plans change.
Best considered when: the route is straightforward and the airline and authorities confirm an owner-managed process is permitted.
Professional relocation service
Potential advantage: a single coordinator for multiple stages, especially complicated cargo and arrival arrangements.
Your responsibility: verifying the provider, checking the written scope, supplying accurate records and independently confirming key entry rules.
Best considered when: the route involves complex permits, cargo handling, overseas agents or tight logistics.
How to choose a pet relocation company
Ask for recent experience with your specific route, an itemised quote, the name of each overseas handling partner, written exclusions and a contingency plan for delays.
How to choose a company ↓
What should your quotation include?
A meaningful quote separates mandatory third-party costs from the relocation company’s own service fees. Published flat prices are rarely comparable without the same animal, route and service level.
Pet airfare or cargo freight, airline handling, airport terminal fees and any transit services.
Consultations, vaccinations, tests, certificates, permits and official endorsements.
Airline-compliant crate, local collection, airport transport and final delivery.
Destination clearance, inspection, storage, boarding, rebooking and other possible extras.
Do you need one?
It depends on the route more than the pet
When owners usually manage alone, and when they use an agent
A guide based on how each route works. Your own confidence, time and budget matter too.
| Route | How the pet travels | Usual choice | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Into Thailand, pet flying with you | Cabin or checked baggage, where the airline allows | Often DIY | You email the Thai permit application yourself and clear the airport quarantine desk in person. |
| Into Thailand, pet as cargo | Manifest cargo to the cargo terminal | Often an agent | Cargo clearance involves the cargo quarantine office, Customs forms and the warehouse, on weekdays only. |
| Thailand to the UK | Manifest cargo on an approved route | Agent | Pets must fly as cargo; some airlines only accept pet cargo through an agent, and a UK agent arranges Customs clearance. |
| Thailand to the EU | Varies by airline: cabin, hold or cargo | Either | Simple with a direct flight and a cabin or hold booking; harder with cargo or connections. |
| Thailand to the USA | Varies by airline; dogs must land at one of eight airports | Either | Paperwork-heavy for dogs (CDC form, facility booking), but some owners manage it alone. |
| Thailand to Australia | Via an approved country for 180+ days, then cargo to Melbourne | Agent | Two countries' rules, a six-month stay abroad, an import permit and a quarantine booking. |
What a relocation company handles
Services vary widely. Some companies are mainly booking and paperwork coordinators; others offer door-to-door service with their own drivers, kennels and vets. A full-service move from Thailand typically includes:
- Route planning — airline, cabin/hold/cargo, transit points, seasonal and breed restrictions.
- Vet scheduling — vaccinations, blood tests and treatments timed to the destination's rules.
- Thai paperwork — the import permit, or the Ror.1/1 application and the AQS visit for the Ror.9 export permit.
- Destination paperwork — health certificate forms, endorsements and any import permit.
- Crate and handling — an airline-compliant crate, airport drop-off and handovers.
- Arrival — a partner agent for Customs clearance and delivery to your door.
What stays your responsibility
Even with a full-service company, you are usually responsible for giving accurate information about your pet — breed, age, weight, health and vaccination history — and for keeping vet appointments. A wrong weight or crate size can change the price or the airline; a missed booster can restart a waiting period.
You should also read the official rules for your route yourself. Our country guides link to every official source. If a company's plan does not match the official rules, ask why before you pay.
Costs and quotes
What you are paying for, and how to compare
Where the money goes
There is no reliable single price for moving a pet from or to Thailand. The total depends on the destination, the size of the pet and crate, cargo or accompanied travel, and how much the company does. These are the components to look for in every quote.
| Component | What it covers | Check in the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Air transport | Pet fare, or cargo freight priced by weight and crate size | Airline, route, cargo or baggage, fuel and handling surcharges |
| Travel crate | An airline-compliant crate sized for your pet | Bought or rented; size approved by the airline |
| Vet preparation | Exams, vaccinations, microchip, blood tests, treatments | Which vet visits and laboratory fees are included |
| Thai government fees | Import licence (500 baht per animal), export permit, Customs duty | Whether duty and tax are estimated or excluded |
| Destination fees | Permits, reception centre or quarantine charges | Official charges listed separately from the company's fee |
| Ground handling | Collection, airport transfers, delivery | Door-to-door or airport-to-airport |
| Contingencies | Boarding, storage, rebooking after delays | Who pays if a flight is cancelled or the pet is refused |
How to compare companies fairly
- 1
Same details for all
Give every company the same pet details, crate size, dates, addresses and service level.
- 2
Itemised, in writing
Ask for each component separately, with exclusions listed. A single total cannot be compared.
- 3
Official fees apart
Government and reception centre charges should be shown separately from the company's service fee.
- 4
Same scope
A cheaper quote that leaves out destination clearance or delivery may cost more in the end.
- 5
Terms
Compare deposit, cancellation, date-change and refund terms, and what happens after a delay.
Choosing a company
Questions, warning signs and where to look
12 questions to ask every relocation company
Ask for the answers by email or in the service agreement. A company that will not put a critical step in writing is telling you something.
Warning signs to walk away from
- "We guarantee entry" — only the destination authority decides that.
- Shortcuts on waiting periods — the UK's three months, the EU's 90 days and Australia's 180 days cannot be shortened.
- A total price with no breakdown, or vague "plus local charges".
- No named partner at the destination or transit airports.
- Payment in full up front to a personal account, with no written agreement.
- Pressure to book flights before the pet's documents and dates are confirmed.
- Advice that contradicts official sources, with no explanation.
Finding a company that serves Thailand
The companies listed above are companies with a Thailand office or partner, each checked on 3 November 2026 against its own website or the IPATA member directory. We do not publish prices or ratings we cannot verify, and a listing is not a recommendation.
Membership of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) is a useful sign of a specialist pet shipper, but it is not a licence or a guarantee. Ask for recent references on your route and read independent reviews.
Sources for this section
Last checked 3 November 2026. Official rules change — always check the authority for your route.
Make the day of travel predictable.
Confirm feeding and watering guidance with your veterinarian and airline, practise crate familiarity in advance, prepare an emergency contact sheet and establish who is responsible for your pet at every handover.
Choose your guide
Step-by-step guides for every stage of a move to or from Thailand, each checked against official sources and dated. Always confirm the current rules with the authorities before travel.
Bringing a dog to Thailand
Import preparation, documentation and arrival planning
Bringing a cat to Thailand
Cat-specific travel preparation and entry planning
Thailand pet import rules & documents
Every form and certificate: R1/1, import permit, vaccines and the R-7 licence
Arriving in Thailand with your pet
Airport quarantine desk, Customs, cargo collection and getting home
Taking a pet out of Thailand
Work backwards from the destination country’s rules
Moving a pet to the UK
UK-specific route and entry preparation
Moving a pet to the EU
EU entry requirements and route considerations
Moving a pet to Australia
Biosecurity and long-lead-time planning
Moving a pet to the USA
Federal, state and airline requirements
Moving pets to and from Thailand
Explore the wider import and export section, including practical planning, travel preparation and country-specific guides.
Explore the moving-pets hub →Your pet relocation checklist
Use this list with your vet, airline and any relocation provider. Check each item against your exact route.
Verify the rules before you travel
For Thailand-side procedures, consult the Department of Livestock Development. For entry into another country, check that country’s official animal health or border authority. Confirm airline carriage rules directly with the airline operating each flight. Last checked 3 November 2026.
Pet relocation FAQs
Do I need a pet relocation company?
Not always. Some routes allow owners to manage their own arrangements. A professional may be useful for complicated permits, cargo bookings or overseas clearance. Confirm what you can do yourself with the relevant authorities and airline.
How much does it cost to relocate a dog or cat?
There is no reliable universal price. Animal size, destination, carrier requirements, airline, veterinary work, permits and level of service all affect the total. Compare itemised quotes on identical terms.
Can my dog or cat fly in the cabin?
It depends on the airline, route, aircraft, carrier size and animal. Some pets must travel as checked baggage or cargo, and some flights do not accept pets at all. Confirm with the operating airline before booking.
Does my pet need a rabies blood test?
Some destinations and circumstances require rabies antibody testing and specific waiting periods; others do not. Check the destination’s current official requirements and the timing of any microchip and rabies vaccination.
What if my flight connects through another country?
Transit rules, airport handling and airline transfers may create additional requirements. Check each transit country and each operating airline, even when your pet is not expected to leave the airport.
Can a relocation company guarantee entry?
No. Only the destination authority can decide admission. A company can help prepare documents and logistics but cannot override entry rules or guarantee that an airline will accept your pet.
How early should I begin planning?
Before booking travel. Some destinations have testing sequences, mandatory waiting periods or limited transport capacity. Work backwards from your intended arrival date using current official rules.
What happens if my pet is refused boarding or arrival clearance?
Consequences depend on the route and authority and may involve delays, boarding, rebooking, return transport or quarantine. Ask your provider and airline for written contingency arrangements before travel.
Which pet relocation companies operate in Thailand?
Companies we verified on 3 November 2026 include Thailand Pet Mover (Dynamic Air Cargo), United Pet Express (United Relocations Thailand), Asia Relocation's pet transport team, Thonglor Pet Hospital's relocation service, and Ferndale Kennels through its Bangkok partner. See the list above for details and links.
What is IPATA?
The International Pet and Animal Transportation Association, a trade body for pet shippers. Membership is a useful signal of specialist experience, but it is not a licence or a guarantee — still compare quotes and check recent reviews.
Can a relocation company get my pet into the UK in the cabin?
No. Apart from recognised assistance dogs, pets must travel to Great Britain as cargo on an approved route, whoever arranges the move.
Do I need a pet relocation company to move a pet to Thailand?
Not always. If your pet flies with you in the cabin or as checked baggage on a direct flight, many owners apply for the Thai import permit themselves and clear the airport quarantine desk in person. A company helps most with cargo shipments, connections and pets flying alone.
Do I need a company to move a pet from Thailand to the UK?
In practice, usually yes. Pets must enter Great Britain as cargo on an approved route, some airlines accept pet cargo only through an agent, and a UK agent arranges Customs clearance at the animal reception centre.
Can a relocation company shorten a waiting period?
No. Waiting periods such as three months for the UK, 90 days for the EU and 180 days for Australia are set by law. Be wary of any company that suggests otherwise.
What is the difference between door-to-door and airport-to-airport?
Door-to-door should include collection from your home, all handling and delivery at the destination. Airport-to-airport covers only the flight and handling between airports. Check exactly which official charges each includes.
Should I pay the full amount up front?
Look for a written agreement with clear deposit and payment terms tied to stages of the move, and clear cancellation and refund terms.
Can the company take my pet to the Thai quarantine station for the export permit?
Many full-service companies do. Confirm in writing who takes your pet to the Animal Quarantine Station within three days of departure and who collects the Ror.9 export permit.
