YOU'VE got a travel agent but how about your pooch?

If you are concerned about quarantine and entry requirements from your destination country, now you can hire a full service pet travel agency. They offer door-to-door service but it doesn't come cheap. No kidding. Pet Resorts, a high-end pet travel agency, charges a $25 fee just for an estimate!

Most of us will take the tried and true route of transporting our pet ourselves. This can be quite time-consuming and complicated, but worth every extra minute when it comes to transplanting the whole family.

"It may appear difficult, ridiculous, or impossible to take a cat or dog with you overseas. However, if your children are attached to your family pet, make every effort to take it along. A familiar, beloved pet can help provide children with security and reassurance as they move...it can be a faithful friend and good listener when a child feels scared and lonely in a new place" say Melissa Brayer Hess and Patricia Linderman in The Expert Expatriate: Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad.

We experienced this first hand when we moved our then pre-teen son to Europe. I was the one running around getting rabies certifications (only with a precious raised seal, thank you very much), physical exams and special "government approved" airline carriers while my son was responsible for daily care and feeding of Sheena, our beloved Norweigian Elkhound. As luck would have it of course, two days before our journey, I learned that we had the wrong rabies certification for our destination country. After a three- hour car ride, I threw myself on the mercy of a government vet and pleaded for the proper vaccine and correct certification. He took pity on me and we left the US with one heavily sedated dog.

It took her a good two weeks to fully wake up. She slept a lot and didn't eat much after arrival. But soon she was guarding the new house and exploring the new neighbourhood with my son. Having her with us made such a difference to him. I know he never would have walked around the block alone otherwise, and also she became a social magnet, allowing him to meet and greet other nearby families with dogs.

We handled our pet move as most people do. We consulted our veterinarian first, and he referred us to further sources for our entry requirement needs. In our case, we didn't understand there are different kinds of rabies vaccines (a "live" or "killed" rabies vaccine requires different certification) so it's worth being a nag and asking lots of questions.

Your best source of information will likely come from the Agriculture Ministry of your destination country. They usually oversee the import of live animals and many list specific requirements on their embassy web sites.

Many expats have heard about the extreme rabies quarantine requirements of the United Kingdom. I personally know at least two families who said they will never work in the UK because they won't subject their family pet to the mandatory six month government quarantine. I guess the folks at the foreign office got the message, because recently there has been some reform because of the work of a lobby group, Passports for Pets. Now, "correctly vaccinated cats and dogs will be admitted without quarantine on the basis of their veterinary record, an independent blood test giving proof of effective vaccination, and unambiguous identification by microchip." Ok. It sounds like more work for the pet owner but at least the pet and family can stay together now instead of suffering the added anxiety of quarantine after arrival as before.

If you are considering a move with your family pet follow these general guidelines from Dr. W. Bradford Swift, a US based veterinarian. It may take more time to move your four-legged family members, but remember it's worth it in the end!

· Keep your pets' routines as regular as possible as you prepare to move. If you normally feed, exercise or play with them at a certain time, continue to do so. During the final crunch of moving, you may find it works best to keep your pet either at a friend's house or a kennel, reducing the chance of your pet getting upset and running away, or in the case of cats, hiding in a box about to be shipped.

· Keep some form of identification on the pet at all times and be sure you have current pictures along with a written description available. This will reduce a lot of stress should your pet escape.

· Prior to moving, schedule a visit with your veterinarian for a thorough physical exam, making sure all vaccinations are current, especially the rabies vaccination. While at your veterinarian's office, get copies of your pets' records.

· If your pet is on any medication, be sure to have an ample supply so you won't run out before getting settled in your new location. Also discuss with your veterinarian whether your pet should be tranquilised during the move. If so, get enough to try it out prior to the move to be sure the dosage works properly.

· If you are transporting the pet by plane, try to book a direct flight to minimise the time the animal may be sitting outside the plane in inclement weather. Some airlines provide counter-to-counter service so your pet will be carried on and off the plane by an airline employee. While this service costs a little more, it may be worth it for your peace of mind.