First of all, I want to say that kittens from SimbaIceberg cattery now live not only in different countries, but also on different continents.
At the time of this writing, we consider Simba Iceberg Flo a record holder, because she had a journey of more than 11000 kilometers = 6835 miles (Kiev-Amsterdam-Tokyo flight) and she very quickly found a common language with the new owner!
I think that this fact should calm you a little if you are worried about the shipping (delivery) of your kitten! 🙂
I want to draw your attention to the fact that we always adhere to the principle of "kitten's interests above all else" when planning delivery.
This means that the journey should be as comfortable and safe as possible for the kitten.
That is why we do not ship our cats by private intermediaries-carriers, as well as with bus drivers through Europe and conductors in trains.
We cooperate only with the licensed international company KLM Cargo and its partners that have extensive experience in the delivery of animals. Otherwise, the delivery is carried out personally by one of the owners of the cattery.
Delivery of a kitten is a long process that begins long before the actual date of delivery. It includes several preliminary stages, without which successful and comfortable delivery is impossible.
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This step includes chipping, different parasites treatment, vaccination, preparation of kitten registration documents, making mandatory tests for imports (if required) and much more. We wrote more about this in more detail in «Official Documents» article.
As a rule, we start buying all the necessary for transportation goods 1 month before the expected delivery date.
At this moment we already understand the size of the kitten at the time of shipment and, therefore, what size of the cat carrier does it need to feel most comfortable.
Regardless of whether the kitten travels by car or plane, we buy a plastic cat carrier that meets the IATA standard, i.e. is suitable for air travel. These cat carriers are the safest and most comfortable for transporting animals. They are made of dense plastic and have iron doors with a secure lock.
We also prepare a soft pillow and a small blanket. We make a small hole out of it so that the kitten can feel completely safe in the cat carrier.
We attach a disposable cat litter pad to the top of the pillow with special safety pins.
A large bowl for water and a bowl for food are essential attributes of the cat carrier.
The cost of all the necessary goods for transportation is included in the cost of the delivery itself.
After the second vaccination (revaccination) or receiving the results of rabies virus antibody test, when we know the exact date of the end of the quarantine, we can agree with you the exact date of delivery.
If you choose air delivery by KLM Cargo and its partners, we pre-book a ticket for a cat as for unaccompanied cargo. This means that a cat will fly to you without an accompanying passenger, but in a specially equipped for animals cargo compartment.
The airline manager will contact you to receive confirmation from you that you are ready to receive a kitten when it arrives at your city's international airport or the airport in another city, if it is more convenient for you to pick up a kitten there (we agree on the airport at the stage of concluding the contract). The manager will give you detailed information about where you can get your kitten (the number or name of the terminal, the cargo office or another place on the airport territory), and what documents you will need for this.
After the flight for your kitten is booked, we will send you all the flight information and AWB number to your email, that you can use to track a kitten's movement on the airline's website (tracking code).
Track your cargo if a kitten flies by Airfrance, KLM or Martinair - https://www.afklcargo.com/WW/en/local/app/index.jsp#/myCargo/myshipment
Track your cargo if a kitten flies by the partner company of KLM - International Airlines of Ukraine (UIA) - http://www.uiacargo.com/
If you decide to personally pick up your kitten, we must first agree on the exact date and time of your arrival to the international airport of Kiev (Ukraine) - Boryspil (IATA: KBP).
In this case, we will meet you at the airport and personally give you a kitten with all the documents you need for veterinary and customs control.
This method of delivery is one of the most comfortable for a kitten, as it is surrounded by care and attention from the new owner throughout the journey.
If from the offered delivery options you have chosen the delivery option, when we personally arrive in your country with a kitten, we also preliminary agree the exact date and time of arrival to one of the international airports of your city.
The kitten is transported in the cabin of the aircraft under constant supervision and proper care by one of the owners of the cattery.
If from the offered delivery options you have chosen the option of delivery, when we personally come to your country with a kitten, we also preliminary agree the date of our arrival.
The kitten is transported in a comfortable breeder's car throughout the journey.
The kitten does not travel in the trunk of the car, but has a full seat in the cabin of the vehicle.
After the method and the delivery date are agreed, we proceed to the rest of the documents.
In short, our "Standard package of documents" for the export of a kitten from Ukraine includes (more details in "Official Documents" article - "Standard package of documents" item):
The breeder pays for the costs of processing the standard package of documents.
As already mentioned above, some countries require additional documents for the importation of the animal.
In this case, we make all the necessary additional documents (more details in "Official Documents" article - "Additional package of documents" item).
The buyer additionally pays the cost of all such documents.
The delivery of the kitten depends on the chosen type of delivery and on the destination country. Below we describe three possible ways of delivering our Scottish Fold and Scottish Straight Kittens.
It should be noted that at the moment this method of delivery is the most popular.
Due to the fact that in every major city in the world there is an international airport, delivery of KLM Cargo and its partners is possible practically in all corners of the world.
It is also worth noting that this company has all necessary permits and licenses for activities related to the transport of animals.
The departure point is Boryspil International Airport (IATA: KBP, Borispol, Kiev region, Ukraine).
One of the owners of the cattery brings a kitten to the airport, passes with it veterinary and customs control. Then a kitten in the cat carrier is placed in a specially equipped for animals cargo compartment and flies to the future owner.
As a rule, when transporting for long distances (when a direct flight does not exist), every kitten has a transfer at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (IATA: AMS, Netherlands), that has a special hotel for animals. Each animal receives a special care, that includes feeding, changing water and disposable cat litter pads.
In the case of delivery by Cargo KLM or its partners, you pay the costs associated with the delivery of an animal from the cattery to the buyer's airport.
You can track the movement of the kitten (its check-ins) all the way.
Then, when a kitten arrives at your airport, you will need to apply to the department dealing with live cargo and get an animal (the manager of the transport company will tell you more about this when he calls you for confirmation of booking a ticket for a kitten).
Customs and veterinary control:
If this fits into our work schedule, we can also personally bring you a kitten on an airplane or on our car.
In this case, the buyer pays the cost of the necessary amount of fuel (for auto-delivery) or the costs associated with the flight of the animal and the person who accompanies it (one of the owners of the cattery).
In this case, you get a kitten from the hands of one of the owners of the cattery in your hands.
Customs and veterinary control:
We will be happy if you decide to personally fly for your kitten.
As mentioned earlier, we will meet you at the Boryspil International Airport (IATA: KBP) and give you a kitten with all the necessary documents that you and a kitten will need when you pass the customs and veterinary control when boarding for the return flight.
We draw your attention to the fact that we can not pass customs and veterinary control for you or with you, because such a method of delivery means that a kitten is your luggage, and, therefore, extraneous people can not participate in the registration and verification of other people's luggage.
If you chose this method of delivery, then you will need to contact the airline that will carry out the return flight in advance in order to obtain permission to transport a kitten in the cabin of the plane!
In this case, the buyer personally carries out the purchase of tickets for himself and a kitten, and also carries all the costs associated with his journey.
Customs and veterinary control:
In this section, we tried to collect the most useful additional information that was not described in detail in the previous sections. We recommend that you read it.
When importing to some countries, there can be a fee for the importation of animals and other charges, that are governed by the laws of the importing country (the country of residence of the buyer).
Such fees are paid by the buyer personally when the animal is received or when it is registered in a new place of residence.
In this paragraph we will try to briefly describe the procedure for importing cats from Ukraine to other countries, and also we will indicate approximate prices.
The exact cost of delivery of a kitten depends on the destination (the city of residence of the buyer), as well as on the chosen method of delivery.
Documentation.
According to veterinary rules of both countries (export from Ukraine and import into the USA), a kitten must have only those documents that are included in our "Standard package of documents", described above.
Additional documents.
Not required.
Additional fees.
In some states, there is an additional fee when importing an animal.
Delivery:
The minimum age for import/export.
Mandatory quarantine in the exporting country (in Ukraine) after vaccination against rabies - 1 month.
Therefore, delivery of a kitten from our cattery (Ukraine) to a buyer in the US is possible only from the moment when a kitten turns 4,5 months old.
Documentation.
According to veterinary rules of both countries (export from Ukraine and import into the USA), a kitten must have only those documents that are included in our "Standard package of documents", described above.
Additional documents.
Not required.
Additional fees.
All cats imported into Canada will have a documentary inspection by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to ensure the animal's rabies vaccination is current and the animal description matches. The CBSA will also visually inspect the animal to ensure that there are no visible signs of illness.
The current fees for this inspection are:
$30.00 + tax for the first animal in the shipment; and
$5.00 + tax for each additional animal in the shipment.
Please check the relevance of these prices on the official resource:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrial-animals/imports/policies/live-animals/pets/cats/not-recognized-as-rabies-free/eng/1364961486824/1364961633165
Delivery:
The minimum age for import/export.
Mandatory quarantine in the exporting country (in Ukraine) after vaccination against rabies - 1 month.
Therefore, delivery of a kitten from our cattery (Ukraine) to a buyer in Canada is possible only from the moment when a kitten turns 4,5 months old.
Documentation.
According to the veterinary rules of export from Ukraine and import into the EU, a kitten must have all the documents that are included in our "Standard package of documents" described above, as well as a number of other documents from the "Additional package of documents".
Additional documents.
The rules for importing animals to the EU from Ukraine require a kitten to have rabies virus antibody test (rabies serology testing, rabies titration test).
An additional document "Veterinary certificate to EU" is required.
Also, some countries may have additional requirements.
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/ms-websites_en
Additional fees.
In some EU-countries, there is an additional fee when importing an animal.
Delivery:
The minimum age for import/export.
Mandatory quarantine in the exporting country (in Ukraine) after receiving the rabies virus antibody test results - 3 months.
Therefore, delivery of a kitten from our cattery (Ukraine) to a buyer in the EU is possible only from the moment when a kitten turns 7 months and 21 days old.
Documentation.
According to the veterinary rules of export from Ukraine and import into Japan, a kitten must have all the documents that are included in our "Standard package of documents" described above, as well as a number of other documents from the "Additional package of documents".
In this case also another scheme of vaccination of a kitten, that fully meets the veterinary requirements of Japan, is used.
Additional documents.
The rules for importing animals to Japan from Ukraine require a kitten to have rabies virus antibody test (rabies serology testing, rabies titration test).
An additional document "Approval of import inspection of animals" is required, it is issued on the basis of prior notification no earlier than 40 days before the expected date of importation.
Also additional documents on forms A and C are required.
Rules for the import of animals from Ukraine to Japan on the official resource:
http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/import-other.html
Additional fees.
Quarantine employees check the animal for free. However, the recipient of an animal bears all costs associated with the delivery of an animal to quarantine, for taking care of it during the quarantine period, for visits by the veterinarian, etc.
Quarantine for an animal lasts no more than 12 hours if all the documents are correct.
As already mentioned, we always prepare a full package of documents for animals, that fully complies with the rules of importing animals to Japan, so quarantine in this case is less than 1 hour. As it happened with our Simba Iceberg Flo 🙂
Delivery:
The minimum age for import/export.
Mandatory quarantine in the exporting country (in Ukraine) after receiving the rabies virus antibody test results - 6 months.
Therefore, delivery of a kitten from our cattery (Ukraine) to a buyer in Japan is possible only from the moment when a kitten turns 10 months old.
If you are interested in buying a kitten from our cattery, but did not find the conditions of import into your country - contact us!
We will certainly make an official request to the responsible authority of your country to get exhaustive information on this issue!
It is very important for us that our kittens have a safe and comfortable journey!