Pet Rescue Transport from Kuwait

Scott, I've gotten asked questions like this over the years. For trips like this, really the best thing to do is for an individual who can claim the cat as a pet to bring it along on a flight in the main cabin of an aircraft from point A to point B, or at least stateside. I'm doubtful that airlines would allow for cargo in that situation due to the duration of the trip. Ground temperatures in Kuwait may also be a consideration as there are prohibitions on it.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Scott, I've gotten asked questions like this over the years. For trips like this, really the best thing to do is for an individual who can claim the cat as a pet to bring it along on a flight in the main cabin of an aircraft from point A to point B, or at least stateside. I'm doubtful that airlines would allow for cargo in that situation due to the duration of the trip. Ground temperatures in Kuwait may also be a consideration as there are prohibitions on it.
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That is what I thought. Thanks
 
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Is it like a rare desert breed or something?
 
ScottM said:
It was rescued by a US Service member stationed there and he has bonded to it and it to him and he would like to get it home and not leave his buddy behind.
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He should get a dog.

He knows if he dies a dog will morn him, a cat will eat him.
 
James331 said:
He should get a dog.

He knows if he dies a dog will morn him, a cat will eat him.
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Not true at all. One of my cats that I rescued and rebuilt has major separation anxiety when I am not in the house. I got home from a week of travel on Friday and the little thing grabbed my hand and would not let go all night. She often sleep holding my feet. Last night, because I am on the road again, sat at the back door crying according to my SO. Cats are more selective with who they bond with, they have high standards. I love dogs too but they will love whoever feeds them, pets them, and tells them to get off of the couch.
 
ScottM said:
It was rescued by a US Service member stationed there and he has bonded to it and it to him and he would like to get it home and not leave his buddy behind.
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I thought they had a rescue program already established there? When I was in Iraq, I know they had something set up for stray dogs to take home.
 
ScottM said:
Not true at all. One of my cats that I rescued and rebuilt has major separation anxiety when I am not in the house. I got home from a week of travel on Friday and the little thing grabbed my hand and would not let go all night. She often sleep holding my feet. Last night, because I am on the road again, sat at the back door crying according to my SO. Cats are more selective with who they bond with, they have high standards. I love dogs too but they will love whoever feeds them, pets them, and tells them to get off of the couch.
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Well tug and some heart strings why dontcha... hope kitty gets to the US, not sure I know any folks who could do it, but I’ll keep my ears open.
 
My dog likes a good meal and belly rub with the best of them but if it’s not me, he’ll bite your face off.
 
My thing with cats is that they love on their terms, exclusively.. they don't actually give a crap about you or want to actually bond with you or be part of your pack. Their love is entirely selfishly motivated, if they're even capable of feeling love. They're one of the few animals that murder strictly for sport

A dog just looks at you and smiles and wants to be loved. It is pure. And they are more loyal than you think, it's not just about who will rub them or give them treats.. my dog seems to have an innate sense for who is part of my pack and who is not..

I'm not a cat person. Sorry.

**however I do have a blanket rule that all animals are generally superior to all humans, so I do hope you find safe passage for your friend home from Kuwait..

Might you be able to bring the cat as a pet on a commercial flight, as some sort of emotional support pet?
 
Tantalum said:
however I do have a blanket rule that all animals are generally superior to all humans, so I do hope you find safe passage for your friend home from Kuwait..
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I was telling friends at work the other day that it’s strange, I have automatic payments setup on my Visa for ASPCA and the Humane Society but I’ve never given to any human causes. My reasoning was that God takes care of people and humans take care of animals. :)
 
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Velocity173 said:
I was telling friends at work the other day that it’s strange, I have automatic payments setup on my Visa for ASPCA and the Human Society but I’ve never given to any human causes. My reasoning was that God takes care of people and humans take care of animals. :)
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I actually really like that, thanks. Not to get religious, but it does say in the Bible that we are shepherds of the Earth.. (Peter 5:2 ?).. there is truth in what you say
 
Velocity173 said:
I was telling friends at work the other day that it’s strange, I have automatic payments setup on my Visa for ASPCA and the Humane Society but I’ve never given to any human causes. My reasoning was that God takes care of people and humans take care of animals. :)
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And that there is a large part of why Cloud Nine's mission is what it is.
 
James331 said:
He should get a dog.

He knows if he dies a dog will morn him, a cat will eat him.
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I’ve heard that before, don’t know if it’s true, but assuming so, I’m ok with that.
 
ScottM said:
It was rescued by a US Service member stationed there and he has bonded to it and it to him and he would like to get it home and not leave his buddy behind.
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The military has changed. In the old days, some clerk would already have finagled a way to smuggle the cat home as classified documents.

Rich
 
Tantalum said:
My thing with cats is that they love on their terms, exclusively.. they don't actually give a crap about you or want to actually bond with you or be part of your pack. Their love is entirely selfishly motivated, if they're even capable of feeling love. They're one of the few animals that murder strictly for sport

A dog just looks at you and smiles and wants to be loved. It is pure. And they are more loyal than you think, it's not just about who will rub them or give them treats.. my dog seems to have an innate sense for who is part of my pack and who is not..

I'm not a cat person. Sorry.

**however I do have a blanket rule that all animals are generally superior to all humans, so I do hope you find safe passage for your friend home from Kuwait..

Might you be able to bring the cat as a pet on a commercial flight, as some sort of emotional support pet?
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I sent him some of the commercial flight stuff. I think the concern is that he may come back on a military flight so is trying to find someone to do the transport. He also now has a local vet contact that can take care of the import requirements. I have seen it done on a commercial flight coming from Europe, it is just a matter of logistics.

But to your first point, yeah cats are not pack animals at all. But they can be more than selfish. Once, when I only had two cats, Milo was a little kitten, his big sister watched out for him always. I was babysitting my friends' black lab Bogey! Bogey was a great dog and he and I would play a lot. Bogey was extremely good-natured and loved everyone, he even had a cat little brother that he loved. When he saw Milo he wanted to introduce himself. Venus ran over immediately, put herself between Bogey and Milo and bopped Bogey on the nose, hissed and took up a very aggressive pose! Bogey back down even though he was ten times the size of Venus. She was fierce when it came to her charges.

Venus passed away a couple of months ago at the age of 18 years old. The three other cats, including Milo, mourn for her and keep looking for her. On some level they care for each other and there was a group bond.
 
ScottM said:
Not true at all. One of my cats that I rescued and rebuilt has major separation anxiety when I am not in the house. I got home from a week of travel on Friday and the little thing grabbed my hand and would not let go all night. She often sleep holding my feet. Last night, because I am on the road again, sat at the back door crying according to my SO. Cats are more selective with who they bond with, they have high standards. I love dogs too but they will love whoever feeds them, pets them, and tells them to get off of the couch.
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This is Larri. She looks like the cat in your avatar.
Larri.jpg

Larri just showed up at the front door a few months ago. She adopted us.

It has become clear to me that my purpose in life is making cats comfortable...

Nana.jpg

That is my discount cat...
 
I used to live in Kuwait, and had my 2 cats shipped cargo separately from me.

KLM will fly pets as cargo without an accompanying person (Though at at price, +- $1,100 us), and there is someone in Kuwait that works with the local shelters that runs a service that will drop the animal at the plane before loading. PM me if you want the details and a contact that is based in Kuwait that maybe able to help. (Oh and as for my experience with them KLM did a fantastic job and during the cats transshipment through AMS they were taken to a special Animal Facility, fed watered and cleaned up and re packed for their onward flight. Really great service and made their 22 hours of travel much better.)

But as others have stated due to temperature restrictions they will not take live animal cargo until end of September if I remember rightly.

Also ensure the cat is chipped, vaccinated (at least 30 days before the flight), and has a health certificate issued at maximum 7 days before the flight. (These are airline requirements.) Also check the requirements for importing the cat with the State that the plane will land in, as there is no Federal regulations on importing cats so CBP enforces the states laws at the point of entry. The good news is that other than a few states most will have no concerns about allowing cats in, the most restrictive requirements will come from the airline.

And the obligatory Cat Pictures:

Kayla (Now 18 and originally from Saudi)

kayla.JPG

Misty (Now 20 and originally from the UK)

Misty.JPG
 
I’ll just piggy back in what was said here. We took our Lab to Germany and back when we moved there. We used Lufthansa both ways and they were great. And reasonable. I think it was €400 each way (but I was flying as a passenger on the same flight).

He had to fly in the belly due to his size, but for a cat I would definitely look into a soft sided pet carrier and paying the fee to have the pet in the cabin with you.
 
An older lady friend of mine paid for a rescued dog from China a couple years ago. Apparently Fido would have otherwise ended up on the dinner table.
 
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