When Mark accepted a teaching position at the University of Oxford, he and his wife faced a pet travel problem that is far more complicated than it first appears: how to move their beloved cat, Kieri, from San Francisco to Oxford while keeping her with a dedicated companion instead of sending her as cargo.
Because pets generally cannot arrive in Great Britain in the aircraft cabin on a standard commercial flight, many pet transportation companies will not coordinate an in-cabin route beyond the arrival airport. We started early, working with Mark’s USDA-accredited veterinarian to organize Kieri’s medication plan, international health paperwork, and the permissions required for the journey.
Kieri’s Journey in Photos
A Carefully Coordinated Route Into the UK
On travel day, we flew to San Francisco International Airport, where one of Mark’s children brought Kieri to meet us. From that moment until the final reunion, the same Cabin Companions escort remained personally responsible for her care.
We flew together from SFO to Dublin with Kieri in the aircraft cabin. After arrival, we completed the European Union entry process and customs formalities in Ireland. We then continued by taxi to the ferry terminal and boarded the ferry from Dublin to Wales.
After reaching Wales, we completed the required UK arrival process and began the final leg by train to Oxford. It was a true planes, boats, trains, and automobiles journey—coordinated as one continuous trip so Kieri never disappeared into a chain of handoffs.
Tea, Snacks, and a Long-Awaited Reunion
Mark and his wife were waiting for us in Oxford with tea, snacks, and an extraordinarily warm welcome. After an international flight, taxi rides, a sea crossing, customs in two jurisdictions, and a train journey across Britain, Kieri was finally home with her family.
Complex international pet relocation is not simply about booking a flight. Sometimes the safest workable route requires fitting several transportation systems and regulatory steps together—and remaining with the pet through every one of them. We were honored to make that possible for Kieri and such a wonderful family.
Learn more about personally escorted international pet travel.
