Air Animal Recommends Ehrlichia Pre-Test Before Pet Moves to Australia & New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand require dogs to test negative for Ehrlichia canis before entering the countries. This tick-borne disease is not contagious to people.

“Ehrlichia canis, the tick borne disease, has emerged recently across the globe, as tick populations normally surge from time to time,” said Dr. Walter M. Woolf, Air Animal founder and USDA-accredited veterinarian.

Air Animal highly recommends clients relocating their dog to Australia or New Zealand start the six-month pre-move process with an Ehrlichia canis screening pre-test if they now live in areas with past or present tick infestations. They also recommend immediately beginning monthly flea and tick prevention.

"If clients wait to test when the obligatory Ehrlichia canis blood draw is required within 45 days of export, there just isn’t time to complete medical treatments and re-testing if the dog tests positive due to exposure. 

“The early Ehrlichia canis blood test and the required rabies antibody test can be drawn during the same veterinary visit at the beginning of the six month pet relocation timeline," said Woolf.

Harper, Labrador retriever, Washington to New Zealand

Meet Aero, Future Super Hero

This beautiful yellow Labrador retriever named Aero is enrolled in Southeastern Guide Dog preschool and proudly sponsored by Air Animal® Pet Movers.

Charity of Choice

Aero recently went home with her puppy raiser to start her journey toward superhero status! Aero’s volunteer puppy raiser will be spending the next year teaching basic obedience and house manners until Aero is ready to come back to Southeastern Guide Dogs for evaluations and formal training.

Southeastern Guide Dogs serves those who cannot see and those who have seen too much. Southeastern Guide Dogs offer dogs and services at no cost to people who need them across the United States. Their breeding and training facility in Palmetto, Florida is one of the most advanced in the world. They raise and train “elite working dogs that provide life-changing services for people with vision loss, veterans with disabilities and children with significant challenges such as vision loss or the loss of a parent in the military.” Training and caring for one dog for life is a $60,000 investment.

Our staff toured the campus and attended “Beyond the Dark” to understand more about the organization, its mission and its capabilities. Watch our News Blog for occasional Pupdates!

Summer Temps Can Restrict Pet Moves

Many airlines halt pet moves during the hottest months of the year to keep pets safe.

Generally, pet moves may be restricted April through October in the Northern Hemisphere and October through March in the Southern Hemisphere. That means pets can’t fly if the ground temperature at the departure or destination is higher than 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit depending upon the breed and the airline. Our pet move managers create safe plans to move pet pals. Nothing is impossible. Sometimes it just takes a bit of time and a lot of creativity.

For your convenience our online request for proposal is available anytime 24/7. No need to call. When you submit a request, you'll hear from your assigned pet move manager in a timely manner based upon the move date you select.