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Aliyah with Pets
Dori Gould - NBN '03

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A few months before...
If you are planning to make Aliyah with your pets, start preparations at least 3 months in advance.

Long before the trip, begin crate-training your dog or cat. Put something soft in the bottom of the crate and perhaps some favorite toys to make your pet comfortable. Leave it out and open for your pet to explore. And never use the crate as a form of punishment. Contact your vet or a local trainer for other ideas.

If your pet will be in a hard-sided crate or carrier, there are water bottles available in both cat/small dog size and large dog size. I successfully trained my cats to use the bottle by placing water from canned tuna inside. The dogs were trained by filling the bottles with water and placing peanut butter on the tip of the bottle.

If your pet is wearing a collar in the crate, consider getting a breakaway collar. This allows for your pet, should the collar or tags get caught in the crate’s door or window, to fall off rather than choke the animal. I was able to find these collars on-line.

Computer chips are compulsory for dogs in Israel, but not cats. If your animals are already chipped, for instance with the AKC system, bring all of the documentation. My local vet found out that the same chip the AKC uses is also used in some of the municipalities here in Israel. But apparently different municipalities use different types of chips, so the paperwork is important.

Check the dates of your pet’s vaccines with the regulations. Rabies vaccines have to be less than a year but more than a month old. Check with El Al and your Shaliach to see if regulations have changed.

Get contact information for a local vet in the area of your new home in Israel. Find out what types of local parasites exist and what the preventative are. In the Tel Aviv/Central area, for instance, dogs get vaccinated for one type of parasite that is not found in other areas of the country.

Find living accommodations that are okay with having pets. Get that permission in writing. Also, if possible, check out the local area and see if it is a pet friendly area. If you have a Rottweiler or German Shepherd, for instance, you may want to be sensitive to not living in an area with Holocaust survivors. Also some Orthodox neighborhoods may not be the most comfortable place to live and walk your dog.

If your cats are not 100% indoor, check with your vet and/or local trainer about how long your cat would need for adjustment before letting it out of the house without it running away trying to find it’s old home. It may be a few days to several weeks, depending on the cat. Also, it is very important to ask locals in the area you are considering move to, about stray cat population sizes and problems. In the past and possibly still today, some municipalities actively controlled the stray cat population with poison. Check to see what type of stray cat population control, if any, your municipality employs. Also check with other pet owners in your new neighborhood to see if poison is used by local residents in the area, with or without the municipality’s permission.

If you are making Aliyah with more than 2 dogs or 2 cats, you will need an import permit. The address is The Director of Veterinary Services/ Import-Export Officer P.O.B. 12, Beit Dagan 50250, Israel. Fax (972) 3 9681611 and is also given in article mentioned above. Allow several weeks or more for paperwork processing.

  radio nbn The Truth About Cats and Dogs
NBN '03 Olah, Dori Gould presents an in-depth "How-to" of bringing pets to Israel, based on her experience of making Aliyah with 5 cats and 5 dogs.
On Radio NBN


A few weeks before your flight...
Inform your shaliach, as well as El Al, in plenty of time that you are traveling with pets. Also, if you have a dog, make sure your shaliach arranges for a driver that is willing to take the dog in the taxi. Make sure your Import Permit, if you need one, is processed and you have written confirmation.

Make your appointment with the vet for the final check-up and health certificate, which should be no more than a week old. Again, check with El Al and your Shaliach to see if regulations have changed. Also, if your area is prone to certain diseases like Lyme’s, have your pets tested. One of my dogs tested positive for Lyme’s but had no signs whatsoever, and so was on antibiotics for the first month of Aliyah and will have to be retested after six months. Lyme’s is apparently not in Israel.

Discuss with your vet whether or not to use tranquilizers with your pets. If you decide to use them, make sure you discuss all the possible side effects with your vet, and use it a few weeks before the trip to make sure you get the dosage correct and can watch for any side effects. Pets in cargo are not checked on at all during the flight.


A few days before your flight...
Make 3 copies of all pertinent paperwork, including the health certificate, shot records, computer chip information, and even pet pictures if you have them. Have one set to give the people at the El Al counter when you check in, have one set to keep with the animal, perhaps attached to the carrier, and have the last copy and originals with you in your carry-on luggage.

If your pet needs specific medications, insulin and disposable needles for instance, have your vet write out an official form that you can show your local pharmacist when it is time to have the prescription refilled.

Mark your carrier—with special stickers available or using your own—with your pet’s name, your name, your flight number, the date, your destination, and when your pet last had food and water.

Consider placing something you have worn recently, like a t-shirt, in your pet’s carrier so that it has something with your scent to cuddle up with.

If possible, have someone who can see you off at the airport stay with your pet until it is loaded, and have money for a tip. The pets may be loaded too late for you to stay and still make it through security and get on your flight.

In your carry-on, in case your luggage gets lost, make sure to have some food and perhaps a favorite toy, as well as leash or other things to make the transition as smooth as possible. If you have a cat, bring some litter and perhaps a collapsible litter pan so that it can be immediately set up in your new home. In your check-in bags, bring enough of a food supply to be able to transition your pets to new food. Several brands like Science Diet and Purina are available here, but the varieties and flavors are much more limited. Also expect the prices to run two to four times the price you would pay in the States.

If you pet is on prescription food, like Science Diet W/D or the like, it is probably worthwhile to buy a large quantity of food and pay for the extra luggage. It can be found at your vet in many cases, but is about four times the price as in the States.

Consider bringing a Brita filter or the like for your and your pet’s water, thus decreasing the risk of stomach upset from the local water.


In your new home...
When you arrive in your new home—introduce yourself to the local vet—in the first week, if possible—and get your dogs licensed. Also discuss any parasites in the local area that might need preventative measures like topical treatments or shots.

Ask your local vet if they make house calls—many do—and what procedures are if the pet gets ill or has an accident during Shabbat.

If you will not have a car, check with a local taxi driver to see if they are willing to transport a pet for a trip to the vet or in case of emergency to the emergency animal hospital.

Be prepared for emergencies. There is only one veterinarian school in Israel, and it runs a 24/7 emergency hospital located not far from Ben Gurion airport. Get directions and phone number from your local vet and plot the trip so that you are prepared if any accident or illness that your local vet can’t handle occurs. From personal experience I know that the vets and vet students are all very professional, kind, speak excellent English, and give excellent care.

Chips for dogs - from the NBN Yahoo list. March 2006

Date: Fri Mar 24, 2006  8:30 pm
Subject: Microchip type for imported dogs?

Hello, I understand we need to get our dog 'chipped' before bringing her to Israel with us, but its not clear which microchip manufacturer we should use. Both Avid and HomeAgain use a 125 kHz transponder - but the ISO standard (what we were told to seek out) is 134 kHz. Has anyone been through this before?

Thanks Jean Boston Summer '06

From: sammy ominsky
Date: Sat Mar 25, 2006  9:55 pm
Subject: Re: [nefeshbnefesh] Microchip type for imported dogs?

Hi, Yes, just have it done in Israel. Our dog had a chip from the US, and it was on the same frequency as the one used in Israel, and no- one would register it. He now has a second one we got here. Don't waste your money doing it before you come.

Sammy Ominsky Netanya, 2005

From: Yehudit
Date: Sat Mar 25, 2006  10:23 pm
Subject: Re: [nefeshbnefesh] Microchip type for imported dogs?

I waited until I got to Israel to microchip my dog. There are excellent vets here and the vet came to where I was staying and checked the dog after the flight and then chipped her.

Yehudit Zeidler Weed, Ca to Ma'ale Adumim Dec 04

From: feldman
Date: Sun Mar 26, 2006  7:42 am
Subject: Re: [nefeshbnefesh] Microchip type for imported dogs?

I believe our dog received the Avid chip in Los Angeles. Our Vet in Israel confirmed it was in place and that it was fine from the Israeli point of view. I don't know about the problems people have had. We were just naive and had no clue there was anything to be concerned about and it worked out.

Mira Feldman NBN 8/04 LA to Hashmonaim

Re: Advice Needed - Making Aliyah with my dog

Posted by: "Bruce Abrams" abrams.bruce@gmail.com   bmabrams

Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:04 pm (PST)

Sedation is not, I repeat, NOT the way to successfully travel a pet. It is
highly discouraged by the American Vetinerary Association and many airlines
make you sign a waiver stating that the animal has not been sedated. An
excitable pet after a 12 hour flight is acceptable and to be expected. A
dead one is another story altogether.

Shabbat Shalom,
Bruce Abrams

Teaneck -> Efrat, July 2005

_____

From: nefeshbnefesh@yahoogroups.com [mailto:nefeshbnefesh@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Devora Mason
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007 9:05 PM
To: nefeshbnefesh@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [nefeshbnefesh] Advice Needed - Making Aliyah with my dog

I met a boy who's dog had been in the crate the whole flight and was
extremely agitated when he got off the plane. I think it was a german
shepherd. Anyways, the dog didn't stop barking and was very excitable after
the flight. The kid told me that they didn't give the dog any sedation at
all. I know that my friends who took their german shepherd on a long flight
did give their dog some sort of medication and the flight was much better
for him. Maybe that's the route to take.

Devora Mason
Toronto-Jerusalem 2006

To: nefeshbnefesh@ <mailto:nefeshbnefesh%40yahoogroups.comFrom>
yahoogroups.comFrom: kcowf@yahoo. <mailto:kcowf%40yahoo.comDate> comDate:
Thu, 8 Mar 2007 18:04:08 +0000Subject: [nefeshbnefesh] Advice Needed -
Making Aliyah with my dog

Hi everyone,I have a 3 y.old 50 lb male german shepard/labrador mix dog
named Coby.I would like to hear from others whomade Aliyah with their pets
to learn from their experiences.I am currently starting to train him with
the crate & am very concerned how he will make it through the flight from Nw
York.Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.I was also wondering if there
was pet insurance liek here in the states & what the average cost of a vet
visit costs.Thanks!KerenNYC - Tel AvivAugust 2007

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7b.

Advice Needed - Making Aliyah with my dog

Posted by: "Susan Hirsch" mothernature1948@yahoo.com   mothernature1948

Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:04 pm (PST)

We made aliyah in Aug. 04 with our dog and cat. If you
animal is under 8 Kg. (our cat was), he/she can ride
on the plane (in the cabin) with you. Our dog
(approx.18 Kg.) rode under the plane. Prior to aliyah
, we got the dog use to being in a crate (we put
treats, etc. in the crate & she began to love the
crate). We were traveling in the summer---& I was
worried about the dog being w/o water---we trained her
to drink out of a gerbil bottle (we put peanut butter
on the ball-tip of the bottle & she caught on very
quickly).We did feed the animals in the early morning
(around 5 AM---we left NY around 2 PM). We brought all
the immunization & health records (that our vet in
Pittsburgh gave us). We spent the 5 weeks prior to our
flight in the Catskills (upstate NY) and found a USDA
certified vet who examined the animals a few days
before we left (has to be within 7 days) & signed all
the forms. We made copies of all the forms-- I taped 1
set on the crate (and attached 1 set to the cat
carrier too). I carried one set of forms in our
carry-on luggage and I put one set in the checked
luggage. At Kennedy, we kept the dog with us for as
long as possible & took her out of the terminal prior
to giving her over to the El Al reps. We were given 2
different instructions re: sedation. Our vet (in
Pittsburgh) said absolutely to sedate (and gave us
pills for both the dog & cat) and the vet in NY said
do not sedate. In the end we sedated them (El Al reps
requested that they be sedated). The cat slept through
the entire flight (we had to check her to make sure
she was still breathing--she was that quiet). We also
made sure that someone in Israel (our daughter) had
water bowls, litter box & food set up for the animals
in our new apartment. In fact, we handed the animals
off to our Israeli kids (while we waited for the free
taxi, etc.). One interesting note----NO ONE (in the US
or ISRAEL) asked to see any paperwork for either
animal. We paid (via credit card) for both animals in
NY (at the El Al counter). I didn't mind paying for
the dog (she was handled, etc.)---the cat's fee (I
thought) was a major rip-off; we carried her on to the
plane, placed her under our seat & no one had anything
to do with/for her. We are extremely happy that our
animals were able to make aliyah with us. Good luck
with the best move you'll ever make.
Tova Hirsch NBN 04 (Jerusalem)

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7c.

Advice Needed - Making Aliyah with my dog

Posted by: "dag" dag@netvision.net.il

Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:06 pm (PST)

Hi,

I came 3.5 years ago with 5 dogs and 5 cats. Personally, I would be really
careful with sedatives. If you speak with your vet, make sure you test them
out a time or two to see what the reaction is and remember that the reaction
may be different with severe stress. I didn’t medicate any of my animals,
and they were in the crates 24 hours, door-to-door. ( I’m the one who could
have probably used the sedatives!)

I now live in Eilat and have the most wonderful team of vets. They really
keep up on the latest literature, help me a lot with discounts, and even
help me bulk order food from the States.

Purina Pro Plan and a lot of the Science Diets are available through pet
stores and vets. I don’t know what you use, but if you are going to change
it to one that you know is here, do it a couple of months before you come.

Vet care runs about ¼ the price in America. But jobs also pay about ¼ what
we got in the States, so the budget is about the same for me.

I don’t know where you will be living, but the one 24/7 vet hospital (run by
the only vet school), which is not far from Ben Gurion Airport, is
wonderful. When I lived in Maale Adumim, I made the trip for emergencies
several times (1 hour each way). Also, all of the students, technicians,
and vets speak English, because there are no vet textbooks in Hebrew! [By
the way, when my cat’s blood had to be tested on equipment that was not
available in Eilat, the vets drew the blood and then brought it to Arkia to
be flown to Tel Aviv and then picked up by courier service to the labs—all
that for only about $10 extra—amazing!]

One thing you might want to consider with Coby is how he will react to all
of the streetcats. There are so many here, and they drive my dogs nuts. I
have to take special precautions so that my dogs don’t catch the streetcats
who come into my yard. If Coby is not leash-trained, work with him now and
get him used to the leash.

Good luck. Israel needs more pet people.

Shabbat Shalom,

Dori Gould

NBN ‘03

Eilat

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7d.

Re: Advice Needed - Making Aliyah with my dog

Posted by: "tmima" drtmima@hotmail.com   drtmima

Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:07 pm (PST)

Hi, as a veterinarian I couldn't help but add my 2 cents... Whenever
clients ask me to sedate their pets for a flight, I strongly
discourage them! I have seen too many problems even in healthy
animals to be comfortable recommending sedation. I also always have
said - I would never sedate my pet for a flight- and last summer
when we came on an NBN flight, I did not sedate my 12 year old mixed
breed dog, who hates being crated. She seemed most upset by the
incessant barking of 2 other dogs (who supposedly had been given
sedation).
A few tips:
get your dog used to the crate as much as possible
remember it will be HOT! freeze 2 plastic dog dishes with water, if
you can teach him how to drink from a water bottle (like
rabbits/rodents use) then attach one in the crate
put extra layers of towels in the crate- he will pee
Write all possible contact info & dog's info directly on the crate
in permanent marker & duct tape or tie ropes around all sides once
the dog is inside, then carry pictures & documents with you
do not feed the morning of the trip until you get to where you are
sleeping in Israel
make sure you get your health certificate between 7-10 days before
the flight
Benadryl is a very safe way to mildly sedate some dogs, always try
it at least twice before your flight as rarely some dogs (like kids)
become hyperactive - your vet can give you a dose; and remember it
will wear off way before you get to Israel
Some pets respond well to "rescue remedy" - Bach flower essence
About pet care in Israel-
costs roughly 1/4 compared to US
NOT ALL VETS ARE THE SAME!!!! depending where you will be living I
may be able to make a recommendation
Pet food (good quality) is roughly double the cost
Make sure your dog has an ISO microchip that can be read with an
Israeli scanner (HomeAgain is ISO, but not all AVID chips are)
Fleas & ticks are a serious problem, as are the diseases they
transmit, and although I recommended Frontline in the US, Advantix
works much better here
I know of a few people who have pet insurance through their
homeowner's policy & are happy with it
If you use any meds (like glucosamine supplement) bring a minimum 3
month supply
Hope this was helpful, good luck
Tmima Allen
Boston->J-m
July 06
--- In nefeshbnefesh@yahoogroups.com, "Keren" <kcowf@...> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I have a 3 y.old 50 lb male german shepard/labrador mix dog named
Coby.
> I would like to hear from others whomade Aliyah with their pets to
> learn from their experiences.
> I am currently starting to train him with the crate & am very
> concerned how he will make it through the flight from Nw York.
> Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.
> I was also wondering if there was pet insurance liek here in the
> states & what the average cost of a vet visit costs.
>
> Thanks!
> Keren
> NYC - Tel Aviv
> August 2007
>

7e.

Re: Advice Needed - Making Aliyah with my dog

Posted by: "Ballst95" ballst95@yahoo.com   ballst95

Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:07 pm (PST)

One other thing about medication for the pets. Please check with the airline as to make sure they will accept a pet that has been medicated. We were not allowed to medicate because the airline staff handling the pets needs to make sure they are ok before and after the flight and the medication will make them sleepy. Just make sure you check with them to see if it's ok.

Harry Shilvock
Redwood City--Hod HaSharon
July 2006

Keren <kcowf@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hi everyone,

I have a 3 y.old 50 lb male german shepard/labrador mix dog named Coby.
I would like to hear from others whomade Aliyah with their pets to
learn from their experiences.
I am currently starting to train him with the crate & am very
concerned how he will make it through the flight from Nw York.
Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.
I was also wondering if there was pet insurance liek here in the
states & what the average cost of a vet visit costs.

Thanks!
Keren
NYC - Tel Aviv
August 2007

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7f.

Re: Advice Needed - Making Aliyah with my dog

Posted by: "Gershom & Hasia Benayahu" hasger@earthlink.net   gershomhasia

Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:27 pm (PST)

We made Aliyah with one older dog and two older cats - none was medicated. The only thing we did was, that we started adding Bach Rescue Remedy to their drinking water two days before departure. We did the same to the water trays of the kennels - only that we froze them the night before departure. ( We had the feeling, that they didn't drink at all during the flight ). Also, we sent two young German Shepherds to the U.S. this way (they never flew and they had never seen a kennel) . The people in JFK couldn't believe how lively they were after being a little under 20 hrs in the kennels.
Do not use any drugs, as they lower the metabolism, which - among other things - causes a drop in body temperature- in a non heated environment (baggage compartment) this can cause complications.
Don't put any chips in your dog/cat. They use different ones here - so very likely they cannot be scanned / read.

Gershom & Hasia Benayahu
Albany, NY - Golan 9.05

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

7g.

Re: Advice Needed - Making Aliyah with my dog

Posted by: "Dena Page" denapage@gmail.com   denapage2002

Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:00 am (PST)

On micro-chipping, I chipped in Ireland, and when I brought the cats for
their rabies shots here (required pre-aliyah if you live in a country with
rabies, but Ireland and UK are rabies-free zones), the vet checked to make
sure he could read the chips and had no problems.
Dena

On 3/10/07, Gershom & Hasia Benayahu <hasger@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> We made Aliyah with one older dog and two older cats - none was
> medicated. The only thing we did was, that we started adding Bach Rescue
> Remedy to their drinking water two days before departure. We did the same to
> the water trays of the kennels - only that we froze them the night before
> departure. ( We had the feeling, that they didn't drink at all during the
> flight ). Also, we sent two young German Shepherds to the U.S. this way
> (they never flew and they had never seen a kennel) . The people in JFK
> couldn't believe how lively they were after being a little under 20 hrs in
> the kennels.
> Do not use any drugs, as they lower the metabolism, which - among other
> things - causes a drop in body temperature- in a non heated environment
> (baggage compartment) this can cause complications.
> Don't put any chips in your dog/cat. They use different ones here - so
> very likely they cannot be scanned / read.
>
> Gershom & Hasia Benayahu
> Albany, NY - Golan 9.05
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>

--
Dena Page, M.Ed., CBA
Certified Behaviour Analyst
054 815 4238

Certified Irlen Screener
Certified Auditory Integration Therapy (DAA) Practitioner

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