# Ship from Europe or go pick up?



## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Hypothetical question:
Let's say you were purchasing an adult dog from Europe - maybe Slovakia. Assume the dog is everything you'd want and you don't particularly need to verify that in person. Would you pay to have the dog shipped to you, or would you travel to Europe to bring the dog back with you as "luggage?"

Has anybody done eiother of these recently? If so, what were the costs involved?

(If this has been discussed in the recent past, please direct me to that thread)


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## Trish Campbell (Nov 28, 2006)

I've always had mine shipped...the way the rates are now, it's all so expensive. Would be worth doing some comparison shopping on doing it both ways to see what is cheaper or works best for you.


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## Ashley Pugh (Nov 9, 2007)

I shipped from Slovakia earlier in the year. The cost wasn't so terribly bad and we had no way to travel to have him as carry on. I don't regret shipping him to me, and I'll probably do the same with the next pup, unless I can travel to pick him up.


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## Jamielee Nelson (Apr 24, 2008)

I shipped my puppy not adult 1 month ago from Czech it was around 900-1000 if you add the little charges when I came to pick up. It also took 3 hours to get through all the paperwork and actually get him in my car.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I am seeing prices of over $2500 for a return flight from CT to Bratislava, if you want a non-stop flight you will have to fly from somewhere like JFK to Vienna. Vienna is about 45-60 minutes from Bratislava. Of course, it depends where your seller lives too. Alternatively you can do a direct flight from JFK to Budapest for about $1500 with "Malev" or $1900 with American Airlines. Budapest is about 2 hours drive from Bratislava (again, depends where the seller lives or will meet you).

If you want a hotel, thats about $120+ for a moderate hotel. Maybe find something cheaper if you don't mind a dump. Car rental if the seller won't deliver the dog to you will probably be about $80 for a car that will fit a crate.

Cost of taking the dog on board depends. I don't know what current rates are. Some airlines on sunny days will let you take the dog for free, or for $150 or so. But I wouldn't be surprised if it would go up to $500.

Ask the seller how much they would charge to ship the dog for you. Usually they know the prices or know who to call, and include the price they want for the effort of delivering the dog to the airport etc.


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Thanks for all the info. I was thinking it would just be easier to have a dog shipped.

Thanks, Mike for all the travel info! I looked at flights too, and found some a tiny bit cheaper than that, but not much.

It would be a cool trip though...


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

I know I'm late on this topic, but I just had a dog shipped from Germany last week, and it was only about $610 including the crate. I don't know if it was cheaper because the guy from Germany came over with the dog, but shipping and the crate together was 450 Euro


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Thanks, Kristen!


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## Melody Greba (Oct 4, 2007)

Konnie:

Just got a 4 mos old pup (out of Jim Beam Talka Marda) a couple of weeks ago. Excess baggage fee was 450 Euros with NW airlines! Excess baggage used to be $150, but no longer with Delta or NW. Luftansa is still in the $150 excess baggage range but I think they are the only ones.


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## Sue DiCero (Sep 2, 2006)

The rates for dogs as excess have gone up tremendously in the last two months. Check into it.

The jfk to budapest flight (gabor and cara leaves on thursday due his mother) is not every day.

It is a quick drive from the airport to brats. I drove from the house last year (it is on the Buda side, near the new bridge) had to go through the city. Took me about 2.5-3 hours in a SMALL car.....


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Kristen Cabe said:


> I know I'm late on this topic, but I just had a dog shipped from Germany last week, and it was only about $610 including the crate. I don't know if it was cheaper because the guy from Germany came over with the dog, but shipping and the crate together was 450 Euro


Seriously?! That seems cheap. I shipped a dog from MN to MA and it was over $500.


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## Melody Greba (Oct 4, 2007)

Excess baggage used to be $120 and then it went up to $150, now it is 450 Euros. Excess baggage is a dog flying in cargo with a passenger. 

Shipping a dog by himself as cargo is much more expensive, yet.


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

From my last litter I sended 2 puppies over (together in 1 crate) as cargo. From Amsterdam- Houston and it was almost 1000 euro ( I believe 980 orso).


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## Alyssa Myracle (Aug 4, 2008)

Then factor in the unbelievable exchange rate.
Passing through Germany in May, I was blown away at the exchange rate between USD and Euro. Had to spend $10 just to buy a pack of smokes, and since they were German, I only got 18 cigarettes, vs the standard 20 in an American pack. 

I was pretty steamed, until the Army paid me 48 hours worth of COLA.


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

Don't tell me about it 8-[ a Camel pack of 23 cigarettes is 4.40 euro's :? 1 liter benzine is 1.42 euro (lowered has hit the 1.50 euro border earlier this year).


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Ya know...you shouldn't smoke [-X


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## Alyssa Myracle (Aug 4, 2008)

With my line of work, I doubt it'll be the cigarettes that kill me.


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## Ian Forbes (Oct 13, 2006)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> Ya know...you shouldn't smoke [-X


Especially when filling the car with overpriced fuel....:-\"


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## Daryl Ehret (Apr 4, 2006)

23?! Our packs of Camels have 20. I've considered having a friend return with a pregnant female from one of her yearly trips to the Czech Republic. The initial cost may be higher, but the resulting litter will recover that. Then there's the matter of finding the right female and the proper timing for the trip.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Alyssa Myracle said:


> With my line of work, I doubt it'll be the cigarettes that kill me.


That comment reminds me of a cartoon that ran in the armed forces newspaper while I was in Vietnam. The cartoon showed 2 guys in a bunker with bullets flying over their heads.

One guy says to the other guy who had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, "do you know smoking is hazardous to your health"? :lol:


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## carey harkness (Aug 28, 2007)

I shipped mine from Germany in June. Including the crate it was one thousand dollars.


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