Transporting dog from airport to apartment

I am late to answer as I just came across your post. We brought our three huge cats from Hong Kong and had no trouble at all. Only 20 min. wait and they were given to us by SEVEN!! attendants . That was all. Got a mini-bus to our accommodation.
I hope everything went OK with your dog!!! Maybe you can let us know please?
Now we take our cats every year to Hungary for three months "working holiday". no problem except the Hungarians require a titre test every time. Feel bad about it but the cats are quite Ok with it and we have to do it as we won't leave them here for so long!
So it is possible to come and go with animals from/to Turkey.

Thank you for your reply. I haven't moved to Istanbul yet. It will probably be around November. I think the logistics of moving dogs is a bit different from moving cats because of the size issue. My dog is an adult Golden Retriever which means he will be in a large airline-approved crate which will not fit in a dolmuş, let alone a regular taxi. I need to hire the services of a transportation company which uses a dolmuş-like van but without the seats at the back so that the crate (with my dog inside) can be loaded easily. Since you happen to live in Istanbul, if you don't mind, can you ask around to see what options are available? Other nit-picky logistic details include the van driver having to wait for me and my dog at the curbside which the driver may or may not be allowed to do. Where and how would I take my dog to relieve himself after 13+ hours of early check-in in the US followed by a long flight across the Atlantic? Just trying to think ahead.

Sumerman Uluslararasi Tasimacilik
Transportation infrastructure in Istanbul, Turkey
Address: Ferahevler Mahallesi, Çelik Sk. No:40, 34000 Sarıyer/Istanbul, Turkey
Phone: +90 212 223 58 16
Istanbul Office - 1 Menekse Sokak, Ferahevler, Tarabya - Istanbul
+90 212 223 5818 (4lines) ıııııFax: +90 212 223 9369
koengiz@sumerman.com.tr
This gentelman helped  our HK vet. Speaks english.Look on his website,might be helpful? We came by Turkish Air, very good with animals!!!!!!
Will ask around for other transport. Will keep in touch.

Thank you very much for the info. When you said this gentleman helped your vet in HK, did you mean he actually contacted your vet about necessary vaccination shots, health certificates to prepare, etc.? Did you also use them for moving your things as well? Do they have a sister company in HK? What are their rates like? Anyway, I will contact them via email. Hopefully there won't be too much of an issue with turn-around time due to the 7-hour time zone difference.

Dr Gerry Pahl
BVSc (syd.) MRCVS
Room 8C Tower 2 Hong Kong Gold Coast
Tuen Mun, HONG KONG
Office/Fax: +852 2403 9628  Mobile: +852 93151470
IPATA Director at Large
www.petexportvet.com
This is the in HK, lovely man, he might able to help you more about the Istanbul guy..You can bargain here!!! If I think of anything else I will write.OK?  Our cats were in big containers-regulation!--and they traveled in the cabin where the crew rests, gave us some photos . Just one thing. Make sure the captain knows that the dog is in the hold!!! Tell the crew does not matter what!!!
The transport company was Allied Pickford, excellent , they packed in HK and un-packed here and took all the boxes away, waiting was three weeks. Had to pay custom 780 lira only for the computer and the Turkish representative of A.P. took care of it all. They do transport animals but we wanted to go with Gerry, he is an Australian friend. I hope you like Turkey, there is a lot of talk but it is pretty safe and the people are kind and helpful and the country is beautiful. Wish you the best!

Just got a reply from Gerry Pahl and if you get in touch with him he can help you to whom contact in the US.      Quote:
" I can guide him to the best contact in the USA to assist."
Good luck!!!

Thank you very much. I'll write him.