Cape Town to Amsterdam and back.

Question
QUESTION: Hello Jerry,
I am taking my small terrier cross breed to compete in the World Agility Championships in Belgium in May. There are 5 other dogs travelling with us. Our tickets to Amsterdam are booked on KLM. The rabies shots are done and the titer test has been done. We are now having a bit of a problem finding an animal travel agent to use for our return trip to Cape Town. Can you please recommend someone? And can you please let us know what procedures we have to follow?
Many thanks
Anthea

ANSWER: Dear Anthea
There are several firms in South Africa.  visit: www.ipata.com
The two that I have worked mostly with are:
www.menlynkennel.co.za   julius@pettransportservice.co.za
AND,   duncan@petsentransit.co.za   www.petsentransit.co.za
Please let me know how this search goes for you.....
And, if I can be of any further assistance.
Good luck with the show!
Sincerely, Jerry Mishler

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Jerry,

We have got the trip to Amsterdam all sorted out. We are now looking for a company in Amsterdam that can ship out dogs back to South Africa.

ANSWER: Whoops !!!  Guess I mis-read your request!!!
Again, check out: www.ipata.com
There are a couple firms in AMS, as well as two in Belgium.
I have had good luck with: Rolf at First in Animal Transp in
Antwerp.,    first@pandora.be    sorry, no www
I am sure all would be most helpful.
Are you using someone in So Africa to help with the outgoing?
Your biggest problem would be the re-entry into So Af.  Do you have
that all sorted out?
In deed you should be able to deal with KLM directly at AMS.  You
may not need a pet shipper... This will add considerably to your
cost to use one!!!
Keep me posted!
Jerry
p.s.  Unfortunately, you will need to ship as cargo, as excess
baggage would have been much less expensive....

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Jerry,
We are using Animal Travel from Cape Town to ship the dogs to Amsterdam and they are sorting out all the paper work for our return. www.animal-travel.com
I shall pass all your information onto our team member. It is interesting that going straight through KLM at Amsterdam will save us money. Thank you once again for being so helpful. I shall keep you informed as to what we decide and the outcome.
Anthea

Answer
Anthea
This is ALL  SOOOO interesting.... Just where in Belgium is the dog
show? How are you planning to get from AMS to the show?
Are you aware that South African Airways has non-stop service from
CPT to Frankfurt?  Every day!!!  Frankfurt is not that far from
Belgium.  The big thing here is: SA is about half the costs of KLM
At least from my area.  I ship many U.S. State Department pets to
JNB and nearby countries.  I used to use KLM or Lufthansa (Luft is
by far my favorite)  Then a year or so ago, some pets came from JNB
to me on SA with great results.  When I further checked as to
shipping costs, found they were half the price of KLM or LH.
So, I only use SA now.  Their direct flight from Washington Dulles is
a bit longer than KLM or LH with a break in europe.  But, with
careful planning (no food for several hours before flight, water ok,
good exercise before flight) I have found that the pets do NOT
suffer.....
The pets welfare come first of course!!
Did you think you must use a pet shipper?  Naturally this way will
cost much more.  KLM does require only certain pet shippers to be
used on flights from USA, and this does add to the cost.  I am not
aware that you must use a pet shipper in So Afr or from AMS.
Unfortunately, SA does not have direct flights to AMS from CPT.
I know you do NOT need to use a pet shipper for pets entering So Afr
It does help to do so for people from USA on their first trip to
So Afr due to the requirements.  But, I would think you have that all
down as to entry back into So Afr.  You probably need the import
permit and So Afr health cert that requires 4 to 5 blood tests
depending upon what country the dog begins in.  From USA there are
4 tests required as the 5th disease does not occur here.
You should be able to do this all yourselves???
Anyway, keep in touch
Jerry