98 lb dog to Brazil???

We flew our dog to Brazil a few years ago.  On Latam from MIA to GRU.  Latam has a max. weight of crate and dog being 45 kg so that will not work for you.  I think you will have to arrange for your dog to fly cargo.  It will be expensive but I don't think excess bagage will work on any airline for a dog your size.  The flights usually are at night with early AM arrival so that helps with the temperature issue.  Also I don't know if this is a permanent move but flying dogs back to the US after Aug. 1, 2024 will be very complicated and expensive from high risk rabies countries , which Brazil is.  We are dealing with that now ourselves.  Good luck!

@sjpetzold Ok, I am guessing I am one of the resident experts since I brought my Beagle Mix, SIMBA from Logan Airport in Boston to Jericoacoara Airport in Northen Brazil. I routinely say it was by far the MOST difficult thing I have done in my life.

Now for me Simba was about 36, 38lbs at the time. Obviously, yours is much larger so I would start the PLAN B process. SHIPPING HIM on a boat. He just may be too large to fly.

You have several challenges -

1). Matching a flight to your destination with an airline that allows for this heavy a pet.

2). My crate was a Large. Crates are chosen by the dimensions of the dog, (rather than the weight) so please provide us his dimensions to help you.

3). You need to attach a doggie food bag to the top of the crate as well as a full water bottle upon initial departure.

4). Pets flying in the cargo hold WILL NOT be accepted by most airlines when the current or forecasted temperature at the arrival, layover or departure airport is above 84°F (29°C) at any location on the itinerary (limit for snub-nosed dogs and snub-nosed cats is 75°F). The average temperature in Campos do Jorda is 62.5 °F, so if you travel early in the morning (SIMBA took off around 4am. in Boston.)

5). Chances are on a trip that long, not only will you not be traveling with your pet, but they may have to stay in a Doggie Hotel along the way until their next flight. Some of these Pet Hotels may have size restrictions also.

6). Because of the Heat Factor, you cannot even book the flight until you are actually at the doggie departure desk that day and they have checked your paperwork and temperature at locations.

7).  Numerous documents have to be obtained, signed by a licensed veterinarian for pet transport in a short window. Remember to make copies of them for yourself and have them at the ready at the Pet Departure Desk.

8).  Try to have help going to and at the Pet Departure Desk. My younger brother booked us a limousine to the airport and the driver watched over the SIMBA while they weighed him etc., while I took care of the paperwork.

Roddie in Retirement

06/11/24 @sjpetzold.  My brother and SIL moved their Chow mix to Europe with Continental Pet Relocation.  They said that the service was excellent, "though not cheap".  If you'd like the company's contact info, please DM me.

@roddiesho

thanks! I only wish my dog was as small as Simba. That would make transport really easy. But he’s big. i cant believe there arent plenty of airlines that transport large animals, bit there really dont  seem to be. id try to get him on as an ESA, but hes way too poorly behaved!

@sjpetzold I think your best bet now is what @abthree suggested. There are a lot of challenges to begin with, but 98lbs. Oh my goodness. I accidently left it out but there is a part I think it's going thru Customs where you are strongly advised to have a Broker work with you for your Pet.

Good Luck and fyi there is an earlier post about your return trip to the USA. Forgetaboutit. Simba is going to live and die in Ceara. We are not doing this again.

Roddie in Retirement

@roddiesho

oh no! once i get him here hes not going back!!

@roddiesho It sounds like you had a difficult time getting your dog to Brazil.  For us it went very smoothly.  Our dog was a 50 lb pitbull mix.  We had a military crate so we barely made the 45 kg weight limit (dog plus crate) on Latam.  We picked her up at the oversized luggage after arrival in GRU and took her through customs ourselves. She was not friendly so fortunately we did not have to take her out of the crate.  At customs everyone was very pleasant.  They just glanced through the paperwork and we were on our way.  Unfortunately our sweet dog died last year and we adopted a brazilian vira lata puppy from a rescue.  We were optimistic thinking the restriction would be lifted on Aug. 1 but unfortunately the opposite happened. So yes, she will have to go straight to CDC approved facility in Miami and will not be released for several days.  We had her rabies titer drawn.  Without titer it is 28 days quarantine at the CDC facility. It is also mandatory to have a broker.  I think that if you fly your dog to Brazil as cargo vs excess bagage you probably need a broker but if you fly on the same flight there should be no need.  KLM has a 75 kg weight limit but they don't fly from US to Brazil unfortunately.  There is a charter company called Perro air.  If you can get enough people together, probably ten, you can possibly charter a plane.  Currently they don't fly to Brazil but they probably would if you can organize it.  Cost is usually about 15000 USD for one passenger and a dog.

@Droplover Thanx! Just followed the rules. We had 4 flights from Logan Airport in Boston to Jercocoara in Northeastern Brazil (Virtually impossible to be on the same flight for 4 consecutive flights.) Yes, customs were very helpful and even though they recommended using a broker next time we did not this time. All the rules are there for a reason. As long as you prepare professionally it may be involved, but it was necessary, and we have no regrets that we followed the rules.

Simba is relaxing next to me in my Glass Enclosed State of the Art YouTube Studio. We go everywhere together.

Roddie in Retirement

Book a trip on a cargo ship, with enough accomodations for you and your dog.

@sprealestatebroker

l looked into that a while back but l could not find one currently accepting pets.

@KenAquarius Why am I thinking "Weekend at Bernie's" No one will notice if you have a dog dressed up as a pretend person.

Roddie in Retirement

06/13/24 @sjpetzold. Important update.  Our friend @KenAquarius has checked with Continental Pet Relocation, and they DO relocate dogs to Brazil, although it's not listed on their website.

My dog is the one with a nasty disposition. But because he is so cute he gets away with it 

Just like the Argentinian president and his dog KKKKKKKK

@abthree

Thanks! I’ll check into it!

In 2022, I transported my 11-year-old Boston Terrier using Lufthansa Pet Transport, facilitated by a pet relocation service from LAX to GRU. Due to his brachycephalic breed, he had to travel in cargo. Here's my experience and opinion:

I paid approximately $5000 USD for the service. He flew from LAX to GRU via Frankfurt, requiring USDA certifications for both Germany and Brazil, each with distinct requirements. Unfortunately, my local vet was unfamiliar with these specifics. Consequently, I drove my dog to a pet transporter near Los Angeles, where their vet examined him and completed the necessary certifications.

1) The paperwork was handled well, and he passed through customs smoothly.

2) However, upon arrival, he was traumatized, soiled with urine and feces, and had developed an upper respiratory infection, which required immediate treatment. It's unclear whether this stemmed from his time at the boarding kennel in California or during transport, but he responded well to antibiotics.

3) The pet relocation service from LAX was average; communication was slow and somewhat curt. In contrast, the service in GRU was exceptional. Their representative spoke fluent English, communicated effectively, and showed empathy, unlike their counterparts in the US.

In hindsight:

Knowing what I know now, I would have chosen a vet experienced with USDA certifications and customs requirements for different countries. I would have personally driven my dog to the airport, avoiding boarding kennels and minimizing crate time. I would have exclusively relied on the relocation service in Brazil, which was outstanding. I wouldn't have engaged a pet transport service in the US.

It's worth noting that Lufthansa Pet Cargo does not remove dogs from their crates during transfers. Knowing this, I would minimize crate time as much as possible and ensure my dog has food and water securely attached.

As they say, "hindsight is 20/20," and procedures may have evolved since then.

@sprealestatebroker

how in the world would i find such a thing??

@duzzimenino I should specify that the only way that I could get him here was through Lufthansa Pet Transport the dedicated service that exclusively flys animals in a pressurized transport plane and processes them through Frankfurt

@sjpetzold try maybe Certa Pet?? They specialize  in Pet relocation. Maybe they got some answers.

    @sprealestatebroker
l looked into that a while back but l could not find one currently accepting pets.
   

    -@KenAquarius

There's more of you looking into this.

I used to have a field boss, who chided  me under training, on even how I spoke about "Problems"

He would reply,   There is not such a thing as a "problem", there are , rather unsolved opportunitiies. The word problem had to be striped from my vernacular.

Look into the numbers, maybe there is a business opportunity into it..

    @sprealestatebroker
how in the world would i find such a thing??
   

    -@sjpetzold

Diggin....   

Go look for, and if there is none, create one, assuming there is, money is there to be made. 

For all dog lovers ( and I am not one of them, I confess ), this is worth looking into. 

People are obsessed about dogs. I recall a Brazilian settler, in nearby Worcester MA, who had to bring his rottweiler , with no landlord takers.   He made through ,and got a single family home.

I am sure as heck  he faced some serious obstacles in bringing in Fido. 

06/17/24    @sjpetzold try maybe Certa Pet?? They specialize  in Pet relocation. Maybe they got some answers.   

    -@Cserebogar

These people (if we're talking about https://www.certapet.com/) appear to be all about the now mostly defunct "Emotional Support Animal Letter" racket for allowing passengers to travel with their pets in the cabin with them, not the actual business of transporting animals.

@duzzimenino Wow @ $5K, Simba is going to have to chip in.  Thanx. It was quite a journey for me, but I hope that those wanting to transfer their dog read this and realize it is not something to be taken lightly.

Roddie in Retirement

I HIGHLY recommend PetRelocation.com.  it's expensive but you get detailed personalized service.  My dog and I flew separately after driving from Missouri to the Dallas area.  Door to door service is available. Good communication throughout the move, from my initial inquiries right up through delivery to my doorstep in the almost-hinterlands of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais.  I was provided with her detailed itinerary and contact numbers for agents and handlers. Our vet was given all the forms and instructions she needed and we had a list of everything needed for the trip: paperwork, crate, food and water requirements.

Absolutely expensive.  For me, absolutely worth it. I flew separately two days after she left, and arrived at my new apartment a few hours before the van pulled up with my dog.  Her trip was 72 hours,  with overnight stays in Houston, in the air, and in São Paulo.  She was exercised and stayed in a secure enclosure out of her crate in Houston and São Paulo. The last leg, from São Paulo to Valadares was a 5+ hour trip by van.  She arrived bewildered and bedraggled, but I can't imagine the state I'd have been in if I'd had to accompany her and make all the arrangements independently.

Again, a good, reliable pet relocation company is the only way to go.  Mine was excellent. Moving to Brazil is expensive, especially when "dog prep and travel" is one of the line items in the budget.

@abthree

Not cheap is an understatement. 7500 cad + taxes for my presa canario to come with on private charter. Big cost.

@Mikeflanagan Must be a celebrity dog.  Did you have to pay for the Paparazzi to follow along?

Lol no just a very restricted breed. That and his weight. Diablo is about the same weight as most adult males lol

@sprealestatebroker

Prob IS money to be made, but I'm not interested in it! I want a relaxing retirement!

@Droplover good evening. i am in the same position as you. fly from las vegas to brazil. no problem. have rabies good for three years and health certificate and everything but its the airlines that are not allowing me

to

take him home. he is my baby. he is so little.

help!! i left las vegas in December with my dog to brazil. I came for kidney procedure. Now for the last five months I've been trying to keep my thug out back to USA. Every airline will not allow me to fly with my God. I have all the credentials needed everything done but Airlines are saying no.. he is my family. I am not leaving him here, but I can't stay much longer. I'm scared. How come travel agencies tell me that they can transport him from Brazil to USA but won't tell me the airlines, but have many reviews pets, traveling on airlines why airlines not allowing me why do I have to hire someone I don't trust, please help me someone

08/15/24 @Moiraienterprises.  New, more stringent regulations went into effect for returning dogs to the United States on August 1.  You can find them here:

https://www.state.gov/returning-to-the-u-s-with-pets/

@Moiraienterprises...which airlines? Some won't  accept pets during certain times of the yr if they are bug n have to fly cargo due to heat or cold. Try certain.com they might be able to help you.

I finally figured out a way to bring my dog (98 lb Giant Schnauzer) to Brazil, but it was difficult, expensive and hard on him. i drove him from Madison WI to Miami where i met up with a pet relocation specialist who had booked him in cargo on a non-stop Latam flight. he had to be secured in his crate about 4 hours before the flight and had to stay locked in there

until i finally located him almost 24 hours later at a cargo facility where he had to go through customs. We were both wreaks because for a couple of hours, nobody could tell us where he was. i highly recommend using a broker at the receiving end if youre using cargo services.

As to your problem, i know there's an embargo on pets returning to the US, but I think it's of finite duration so you might be able to wait it out. Latam seems to be one of the only airlines that transports large pets anymore, but I really don’t recommend them because of the way my dog and I were treated.

I do known it's possible to transport a dog to the US though, because a friend of my wifes did it just a couple of weeks ago. She and her husband had to get a judges order to fly her in-cabin and even so, they ran into trouble. Theyre Brazilian though, and could figure their way around the barriers. if you don’t speak good portuguese and dont have connections, it will prob be almost impossible.

@sjpetzold I have to admit, I remember your post a while ago when I mentioned that I had brought Simba from Boston to Jericoacoara Brazil.

Bravo. Great Strategy.

I remember during my 99 yr. old fathers last day he summoned me from MD to R.I.  I rented an SUV and took the 8 hour trip with Simba in a crate in the passenger seat. It was a journey, but I felt more comfortable having him by my side for the trip. I also took Latham later on and they treated me very well.

It is the hardest thing I have done in my life, and I have no intention of going back with Simba. I am also now a Permanent Resident.

One word of advice, my wife has cautioned me that some stray dogs in our neighborhood have contagious diseases, so be careful who he interacts with.

Roddie in Retirement

@sjpetzold Congratulations! I am glad it worked out for you. I have decided not to try and ship my dog. He is too old with some health issues. I'm afraid it would kill him. No way I can risk it. So, looks like my retirement to Brazil is going to have to wait a few more years. That's fine. Everything happens in due time.

08/20/24  I just went to the LATAM website to look for flights, and found this notice prominently displayed on the login page:

Suspension of Pet Transportation Service to/from the United States

São Paulo, Tuesday, August 20, 2024 7:00 p.m.

LATAM Airlines Brazil clarifies that, due to the new restrictions announced by the United States authorities, the service of transporting dogs in the hold or cabin to/from the United States on LATAM flights is suspended between July 31, 2024 and August 31, 2024. During this period, the company will implement the required measures to provide the service in compliance with the new health requirements for entry into the country.

LATAM reinforces that cats, service dogs and other pets returning to their place of origin are not affected by the embargo during this period. All customers affected by the ban have been contacted and have been given the flexibility to change their flight date or request a refund.

@abthree Well I guess that settles it. Me and Simba are Permanent Residents now.

Roddie in Retirement