# URGENT! HELP!! (moving out of country)



## Trudy_the_tortoise (Jan 2, 2021)

We think of moving out of the country. I don't think airlines allow fish and tortoises, plus it's a lot of work an money spent. Are there any shipping companies that ship live animals from country to country? I heard of people shipping live animals rather than taking them on planes. Can I ship 6 fish, and a small tortoise from Salmiya to Calgary? If you know any shipping companies, please reply. Also, if you can, please state their policies on live animal shipping. I know USPS ships live animals with requirements I can meet, but does USPS ship world wide or only in the United States? Do they accept tortoises? They say no snakes or turtles, but nothing about tortoises.

If yes, you find a shipping company with the requirements to ship live animals, and to ship worldwide, reply to my answer.


If I can ship a tortoise and 6 fish, how do I prepare the tortoise for shipping? (I know how to ship fish.)


Here is USPS link. https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_008.htm


My tortoise meets the requirements of their shipping of live reptiles, but does anyone know if they ship worldwide? If not, please provide another company.


Pictures are allowed if they are needed in your post.

(Please make sure pictures are on topic, and please do not post picture that are not related to this thread.)




Also, if you know the requirements they need for shipping live animals, please put links to all the requirements in your answer.


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## Blackdog1714 (Jan 3, 2021)

WHere are you going to and from? Permitting is often done through govt. agencies and takes months to get approved. Shipping worldwide is not suggested. With proper permits a tort could be carried on


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## Yossarian (Jan 3, 2021)

Blackdog1714 said:


> WHere are you going to and from? Permitting is often done through govt. agencies and takes months to get approved. Shipping worldwide is not suggested. With proper permits a tort could be carried on



The post says from Kuwait to Canada. 

@Trudy_the_tortoise there are usually pretty strict regulations on importing torts, fish, and other exotic animals into Canada. You will need to figure that out before you consider shipping.


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## Trudy_the_tortoise (Jan 3, 2021)

Yossarian said:


> The post says from Kuwait to Canada.
> 
> @Trudy_the_tortoise there are usually pretty strict regulations on importing torts, fish, and other exotic animals into Canada. You will need to figure that out before you consider shipping.




Ok. Are there any permits or docs that I need? If so, please post. I am shipping in June, not now. I am planning early.


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## Trudy_the_tortoise (Jan 3, 2021)

Trudy_the_tortoise said:


> Ok. Are there any permits or docs that I need? If so, please post. I am shipping in June, not now. I am planning early.




If you have any links please post so. I am willing to fill out documents.


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## Trudy_the_tortoise (Jan 3, 2021)

UPS accepts both tortoises and most turtles,and they accept all types of fish. UPS is international, so I will look at their requirements for packaging. If you have any more animal friendly shipping companies PLEASE reply.


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## Toddrickfl1 (Jan 3, 2021)

Trudy_the_tortoise said:


> UPS accepts both tortoises and most turtles,and they accept all types of fish. UPS is international, so I will look at their requirements for packaging. If you have any more animal friendly shipping companies PLEASE reply.


You need to look at the laws of the country your moving to. Just because usps will ship internationally doesn't mean the country will allow it in.


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## Tom (Jan 3, 2021)

Trudy_the_tortoise said:


> We think of moving out of the country. I don't think airlines allow fish and tortoises, plus it's a lot of work an money spent. Are there any shipping companies that ship live animals from country to country? I heard of people shipping live animals rather than taking them on planes. Can I ship 6 fish, and a small tortoise from Salmiya to Calgary? If you know any shipping companies, please reply. Also, if you can, please state their policies on live animal shipping. I know USPS ships live animals with requirements I can meet, but does USPS ship world wide or only in the United States? Do they accept tortoises? They say no snakes or turtles, but nothing about tortoises.
> 
> If yes, you find a shipping company with the requirements to ship live animals, and to ship worldwide, reply to my answer.
> 
> ...


The scope of what you need to know is way more than what we can tell you here. International animal movement is very difficult and expensive. I do it for a living.

What you need to do is contact an animal broker. Someone that moves animals from country to country for a living. They will know the current laws, all the pitfalls, and they usually have an established working relationship with the government officials who will either permit you to do it, or not. You tying to do it as an individual will be very difficult and likely to fail at one of several points in the process. Canada is very restrictive about what they will let in.

Having been through this process many times, I would recommend leaving your animals behind with someone who will give them a good home, and acquiring new animals in your new country.


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## Maro2Bear (Jan 3, 2021)

Where’s @Kristoff she “recently” moved from Turkey to Canada. Kristoff, did you ship any pets? Somehow, i don’t think that you did.


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## zovick (Jan 3, 2021)

Trudy_the_tortoise said:


> UPS accepts both tortoises and most turtles,and they accept all types of fish. UPS is international, so I will look at their requirements for packaging. If you have any more animal friendly shipping companies PLEASE reply.


Delta Airlines will ship most animals from one airport to another. There are strict regulations on shipping tortoises/turtles and other animals internationally. Amount of space per animal, size and number of air holes in the WOODEN crate, etc., are all addressed. Also the animals must be picked up at the destination airport. Delta does not deliver them to an address.

As others have said, however, you will need to fill out the proper import and export documents from the two countries, many of which are very prohibitive and make it very hard to obtain said permits. And even if all that is met and you are able to make a shipment, you must go through customs after the animal(s) arrive which is usually best done with a customs broker (more $$).

Another consideration might be the size of the tortoise. How big is your tortoise? I am not sure about Canada, but the US does not allow any animals under 4" to be imported unless the export and import permits BOTH state that the importation to the new country is for scientific purposes. This type of permit is virtually never issued and is very difficult to obtain. If the stated reasons on the two permits do not match, customs will seize the shipment.

I have both imported and exported tortoises, and it is neither inexpensive nor easy. Although you may not wish to hear this, IMHO you will most probably be better off finding a home for your tortoise in your present country and leaving it there. You will save yourself a lot of money and frustration trying to get permits that will most likely be denied anyway. Then get yourself a new tortoise after you arrive and get settled.


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## Lyn W (Jan 3, 2021)

Maro2Bear said:


> Where’s @Kristoff she “recently” moved from Turkey to Canada. Kristoff, did you ship any pets? Somehow, i don’t think that you did.


No I don' think Lena moved any animals. She had to re home her torts and leave them in Turkey


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## Pastel Tortie (Jan 3, 2021)

Trudy_the_tortoise said:


> I know USPS ships live animals with requirements I can meet, but does USPS ship world wide or only in the United States? Do they accept tortoises? They say no snakes or turtles, but nothing about tortoises.


The term _turtle_ is more inclusive than the term _tortoise_. (_All_ tortoises are turtles, where only some turtles are tortoises.) Unless specifically defined as separate in a regulation or policy, assume that your tortoise is considered a turtle.


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## Canadian Mojo (Jan 3, 2021)

Start here:
https://www.inspection.gc.ca/animal...es-or-turtles/eng/1326658752555/1326658911065

The .gc.ca extension means it is an official Canadian government page, so it should be pretty accurate, but that's not a gurantee. Start now, because our bureaucracy can be slow and full of idiots.

Good luck.


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## Trudy_the_tortoise (Jan 3, 2021)

Canadian Mojo said:


> Start here:
> https://www.inspection.gc.ca/animal...es-or-turtles/eng/1326658752555/1326658911065
> 
> The .gc.ca extension means it is an official Canadian government page, so it should be pretty accurate, but that's not a gurantee. Start now, because our bureaucracy can be slow and full of idiots.
> ...




I read the whole thing. Thanks for the link. I will look at the form.


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## Kristoff (Jan 4, 2021)

Maro2Bear said:


> Where’s @Kristoff she “recently” moved from Turkey to Canada. Kristoff, did you ship any pets? Somehow, i don’t think that you did.


Alas, no. We did a 2-yr stopover in Denmark so it was too complicated


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## Trudy_the_tortoise (Jan 4, 2021)

zovick said:


> Delta Airlines will ship most animals from one airport to another. There are strict regulations on shipping tortoises/turtles and other animals internationally. Amount of space per animal, size and number of air holes in the WOODEN crate, etc., are all addressed. Also the animals must be picked up at the destination airport. Delta does not deliver them to an address.
> 
> As others have said, however, you will need to fill out the proper import and export documents from the two countries, many of which are very prohibitive and make it very hard to obtain said permits. And even if all that is met and you are able to make a shipment, you must go through customs after the animal(s) arrive which is usually best done with a customs broker (more $$).
> 
> ...





My tort is about 5''. I can't leave it because no one will take it. (We tried re-homing it). And torts in Canada cost around $650. Tortoises here only around cost 5 KD ($16 USD). I know I will save $$$ if I give it away, but no one came by and took the tortoise. Fish do not require permits or any special documents, and many airlines allow them on board, so I will look into that, if I cannot ship fish. It really sucks about the permit thing, and I know it will be hard. My friend keeps telling me that her friend secretly brought 2 turtles aboard on a flight. Not sure if that's even legal, but I think you can go to jail for that. Also airline people are pretty salty. One time I brought grass (yes GRASS) in a little mug with some soil in it, then they said it's "dangerous" and I had to throw the whole thing in the trash. I don't know what they do to animals the confiscate at the airport, but I heard they dispose of them. I'm thinking of NOT to ship it but to bring it aboard. I heard of many people who brought torts on airlines. I will try to get all the proper permits although it's hard, I can''t abandon my pets because no one will take them.


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## Trudy_the_tortoise (Jan 4, 2021)

Found a very helpful site by a tortoise owner: https://tortoiseexpert.com/what-documentation-do-i-need-to-travel-with-my-tortoise/


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