Pet Escorts

Please note that the following are requirements for the United States only. Canada and other countries requirements and/or restrictions may vary.

PAWS Pet Escorts are utilized to escort cats and dogs on international flights so the animal may be re-homed in another country or re-united with their original owners who were unable, usually due to ill health, to take the pet with them when they left the Kingdom. Upon arrival at the international flight’s destination, the Pet Escort is met at the airport and turns the animal over to the original/new owners or their designee.

A Pet Escort is someone who is willing to act as a cat or dog’s ‘owner’ while the pet is being flown from Saudi Arabia to another country. The Pet Escort is responsible for ensuring the animal is checked in for the flight and the appropriate airline paperwork is completed. They carry the airline and Customs required paperwork, including the health certificates, with them during the flight and are willing to make decisions regarding the care of the animal if there is an emergency during the trip.

Pets being escorted are flown as excess baggage. As excess baggage, the cost of transporting the animal is much less than shipping. In addition, during the summer some airlines will not allow animals to be shipped but may allow them on board a flight as excess baggage.

There is no cost to the Pet Escort for doing this. All costs are assumed by the actual owner.

Note:   PAWS ‘Pet Escorts’ are arranged only for international flights with the animal being turned over to its original/new owners or their designee as soon as the Pet Escort clears Immigrations and Customs. If the Pet Escort agrees to continue to act as the ‘owner’ of the animal on additional domestic flights, then those arrangements are solely the responsibility of the Pet Escort and the animal’s original/new owners or their designee and does not involve PAWS.

PAWS: Saudi Arabia Owner or Designee

Pet Escort

Pre-Flight:

• After being given contact information:
  

  • Contact destination owner/designee to ensure all arrangements for pick up are acceptable
    

  • Contact Saudi Arabian owner/designee to verify size of animal crate (height X width X length in cm or inches) and weight (needed by airline to determine excess baggage cost)
    

• Notify airlines that Pet Escort is taking animal on board as excess baggage
  

  • Should be done as soon as agreement has been made to be Pet Escort and dimensions of crate and weight are known.
    

  • Should be verified with local airline office and International Reservations desk
    

  • Note: This can be done by the PAWS representative acting on behalf of the Pet Escort
    

• Determine cost of excess baggage for animal based on size of crate and weight provided by current owner or designee
  

  • Notify the Saudi Arabia owner/designee of the excess baggage cost as soon as known
    

• Meet with Saudi Arabia owner/designee immediately prior to flight to accept:
  

  • Animal in appropriate and secured crate
    

  • Paperwork – including copies
    

    • Immunization Record
      

    • Health Certificate
      

  • Excess Baggage fee in Saudi Riyals
    

• Check in animal at airline check in desk:
  

  • Submit copy of paperwork to airlines
    

  • Complete airline questionnaire about animal and crate (minimal information required)
    

    • Put the address and phone number of the destination owner
      

  • Pay excess baggage fee – keep receipt
    

In Flight Arrangements

• Check with flight attendants prior to leaving to ensure animal made the flight
  

• If there is a layover stop during the international flight:
  

  • Ask VIP lounge staff or representative of airlines for a status check on the animal
    

    • Note: KLM and Lufthansa have ‘animal hotels’ at the larger hubs with staff who will inspect the animal and crate to ensure everything is OK.
      

  • Check with flight attendants prior to leaving to ensure animal made the connecting flight
    

Destination Arrangement

• Collect the animal in the baggage area
  

• Go through Customs
  

  • May be directed to the Agricultural line
    

    • Should be able to check the animal and your bags through the same line
      

  • Show them the immunization record and health certificate (make sure to get them back)
    

• Meet with the owner/new owner/designee at agreed upon site, turn over:
  

  • Animal in crate
    

  • Immunization Record and Health Certificate
    

  • Excess Baggage receipt