Getting Reliable Puppy Transport Service in the USA

You’ve just found the perfect puppy for your family. Sweet and cuddly, it’s exactly the breed that you were looking for and comes from a highly-recommended, reputable breeder. The problem? The breeder (and your puppy) are hundreds or even thousands of miles away, and you’re not up for the task of transporting it back yourself. It’s time to hire a puppy transport service.

But the question remains, do I need to find a puppy transport service? How do I know the service is legitimate? How do I go about looking for a reputable service? What are the ways to transport a puppy from Point A to Point B. Don’t worry, we’ll answer all of your questions so you can make an informed decision on what to do in regards to puppy transport services.

Do You Need To Find a Puppy Transport Service?

If you are looking for a company that will transport your puppy from your current location to the place you are moving to, then the answer is yes. Unless you want to do the task yourself, it’s best to find a reputable puppy transport company to ensure everything goes smoothly.

But maybe you are looking to buy a puppy and have come across a company that sells them. Before you take out your credit card to get that puppy and have them delivered to your home, it’s best to know what a puppy scammer may look like.

Identifying a Puppy Scammer

Here’s a simple list to keep handy when you’re looking for a puppy online:

1. The number one way to identify a puppy scammer is simple. They will insist on using untraceable methods of receiving money like Western Union or MoneyGram.
2. Their correspondence will not come from their website but from a private email like Gmail or Hotmail. Their phone numbers may also be untraceable. Legitimate places of business will always use professional email addresses and have traceable numbers.
3. They usually advertise their services in fishy places like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Although these sites are legitimate, posting there is free, which means that they don’t have to invest in paid ads.
4. Criminal breeders offer purebreds for a considerably lower price than legitimate businesses, only asking customers to put up shipping charges.
5. The prices of these fake shipping companies can be very low to make them attractive. Don’t fall for it! Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably fake!

Qualities To Look For in a Puppy Transport Service

The best puppy transport services are those companies that stand out from the best. They are the ones that will take care of your puppy as if it was their own. When you’re doing research, look out for these amazing qualities.

IPATA Membership

The puppy transport service should be associated with a professional pet travel association. Make sure you check out the International Pet Travel Association (IPATA) website to see if the business is a member of one.

• The organization is dedicated to the safe and humane transport of pets.
• The IPATA website has a lot of advice about pet travel, puppy transport services and how to recognize fake shipping companies.
• The ATA, Animal Transport Association, also has great information you should take a look at before booking a puppy transport service.

Customer Service and Communication

If the puppy transport service has excellent customer service, it means that company will take care of your pet as if it were their own. When you are looking at their website and communicating with them about what they offer, pay attention to those small details and their customer service quality. If they treat you and your pet with outstanding consideration, then you’ve landed on a good one.

• Communication is directly tied to customer service and it’s essential for your pet’s safety and your peace of mind.
• If the puppy transport service has good communication skills during the entire process, outlines all fees and doesn’t have any hidden fees, then that’s a great sign.
• The puppy transport service should also provide regular updates throughout the process too.

Pet Safety and Health

This is probably one of the most important qualities to look after. The best puppy transport services’ number one priority should be the safety and health of the pet they are transporting. Period. There should be no ifs, ands, or buts about that. When that is at the top of the list, you know you will have the peace of mind that your puppy will be in safe hands throughout the transport journey and, most importantly, will arrive safe and sound at their final destination.

USDA Certification

All puppy transport services should adhere to the USDA’s rules and regulations in pet handling. USDA certification is necessary (and should be mandatory) because it means they will follow the law. If they do not, it could mean they are a fake shipping company, they have inhumane pet practices, or they could have questionable business practices. The best thing to do in this scenario is stay away from them.Set featured image

Climate Controlled Transport

The means of transport is always something you should keep in mind. Never hire a transporter that doesn’t have a modern climate control system in their car. Puppies are extremely vulnerable to heat, and should never be in a car that doesn’t have a well-maintained air conditioning and heating system.

Ways to Ship a Puppy

There are many ways to ship a puppy. You can travel yourself to the destination, which is very a la Travels with Charley. You can also use train travel. It’s a perfect excuse to try out Amtrak. However, you may not feel comfortable driving long distances with a brand-new puppy, and Amtrak is very limited in its routes.

The fastest way to transport a puppy is by hiring an air nanny to travel with your adorable little pup. The other option is going with a traditional ground shipping company. Let’s take a look at these two options — flying a puppy and using ground transportation for puppy relocation.

Flying with a Puppy

While air travel is quick and efficient, it’s logistically challenging. You’ll need to buy tickets well in advance for both the puppy and whomever is flying with them, make sure you have an airline-compliant carrier, and hope that there aren’t any weather-related delays or cancellations on the day of the trip.

Some of these logistics can be handled by hiring a pet transportation company that specializes in air travel. They often will be able to take care of booking the flight and other red tape with the airline. Keep in mind that these are premium services and they come with a hefty price tag.

Most puppies are small enough that they’ll fit under the seat and can fly in the cabin. But for your large breed lovers, even a young pup might be too large for in-cabin flight and are relegated to a specialized cargo area. While the cargo area is mostly safe, it’s not humane and can lead to anxiety, trust issues or personality disorders in your young, impressionable pup.

Ground Transportation for Puppy Relocation

The most popular option when it comes to puppy relocation services is ground transportation. There are many companies that offer pet delivery services through ground transport. There are, of course, several factors that will determine the cost. Let’s take a look at them.

• Distance and location of the delivery
• Pet size/breeds (the larger the pet, the higher the cost)
• Health documentation requirements
• Equipment needs

Be careful not to fall victim to the trap of fake pet shipping companies. Look for warning signs, like using untraceable phone numbers or personal email accounts. And, please, never give out personal information before doing proper research and vetting.

Find Reliable Puppy Transport Services with CitizenShipper

Using a two-way marketplace like CitizenShipper to find an independent dog transport service is the best solution to puppy transport. Drivers on the platform are ID-verified and undergo a stringent background check. With over 100,000 pets moved and 14 years of experience, CitizenShipper is the #1 pet transport marketplace in the US.

In addition to being a safe option, using CitizenShipper can save you the hassle of getting quotes from multiple transporters. Instead of reaching out individually, you just make one post and the drivers come to you!

You can chat with drivers that bid on your listing, read reviews from previous customers, and browse their detailed profiles. With so many transporters bidding on your listing — often within minutes — it’s easy to save money on transport costs.

However, your puppy is precious, so it’s smart to book a 5-star reviewed driver with the best equipment and great communication skills over the lowest bidder. The great thing about using CitizenShipper is you have so many options.

Using CitizenShipper is Easy as A-B-C-D!

• Step 1: Start by filling out your puppy’s information and specifics about the transport you need.
• Step 2: The minute you post a free listing on our marketplace, a fleet of background-checked, USDA-registered drivers will send you quotes.
• Step 3: Once you receive bids, you can view them, compare them, and chat with the drivers to know more details.
• Step 4: When you’ve found the driver you feel comfortable with, you will be able to choose a quote that fits your budget.

Bottom Line

With CitizenShipper, you can get affordable rates with a better quality than a traditional puppy transport service. Trusted by over 100,000+ pet lovers and the #1 pet transporter in the nation, CitizenShipper is truly the best option. It is safe and secure, and drivers on CitizenShipper know your puppy means everything to you.

Your pet will be in the best hands with CitizenShipper. Post your pet’s transport now and get free quotes in an instant!