At K2 many of us are mad for our fluffy (and less so!) friends. And we’re not alone, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association there were 17 million pet owning households globally in 2021; that’s a sizeable club of proud pet parents around the world.
And boy do we show them how much we love them – spending $109.6 billion on pets in the US alone last year!
But for many, a family pet is not just a cute companion, they’re an important member of the family unit, a stress reliever, and for some they’re an absolute soul mate.
It’s safe to say that pets are paramount in scores of households, and in fact, in the UK, a 2018 Freshpet survey found that 44% of people would rather cuddle up with their pet than with their life partner!
It’s understandable then, that the transportation of a four-legged-friend can be a major concern when starting to think about the assignment process.
Here at K2, we partner with our pet experts to ensure that your relocating employees’ pets travel safely and comfortably door-to-door, all around the world.
K2 Relocation Manager Natalie has worked on a multitude of pet moves. We asked her to tell us a bit about her favourite experience:
“Paddy the sausage dog, he was my first pet move at K2 and he was so cute! I got on really well with his owners and we would send voice notes to check in on Paddy’s relocation.
I enjoy supporting pet relocations because you get a great insight into the family which makes the assignment more interesting and rewarding. You can connect more closely with them over the love of their pet and this helps ease them into the moving process. And as a bonus you get to see lots of cute pictures!”
From quarantine and vaccination considerations to visa and permit requirements and individual policy restrictions, there are many essential elements that need to be factored into the pet move process – ensuring they get to where they need to be, safely and happily.
We also know how crucial it is to remember that where a pet is involved, other services, such as temporary accommodation and home search can be impacted. If we’re engaged to provide a pet move in combination with other move management services, the K2 Relocation Manager responsible will ensure all plans are devised with the pet in mind. Services can have many intricate interdependencies, so planning with precision is key.
Natalie continues: “We initiate the pet company after the initial briefing call and are looped into all of the communications from start to finish. This helps us all to be on the same page and assist with planning travel dates and checking on welfare.”
We have a number of trusted pet transportation specialists within our Global Accredited Partner Programme and we work closely with assignees from the outset to allocate the right provider to suit the needs of their particular pet – ensuring a safe and successful delivery to our standards and expected outcomes.
Key communication ‘touch points’ with K2 during the pet move process include:
– Introduction to a pet specialist
– Pre pet check-in liaison
– Debrief after safe arrival in destination
But we all know too that where there are pets concerned there’s always the potential for plans to change unexpectedly. It’s at these key times that additional communication is critical:
Natalie explains: “With one assignment we needed to move three dogs from Los Angeles to the UK. They were pug and bulldog breeds so respiratory issues need careful consideration. Temperature spikes in LA meant that their travels had to be delayed for important safety reasons. We worked with our pet service provider to proactively manage the situation, keeping the pets safe and happy whilst timings could be adjusted to ensure maximum travel safety. We made sure that the assignee and client were updated at every step of the way until they were safe with their family in the UK.”
From guinea pigs to German Shepherds, our relocation teams have successfully supported moves for over hundreds of family pets since 2002 so assignees can rest assured even the furriest members of the family are in good hands.
Because it’s purrrsonal.
Contact a member of the team today to find out more.
