Most international pet moves involve one family and one or two animals. This one involved a single household with nine beloved pets — six dogs and cats plus three more cats — all needing to reach a new home in Japan together. With too few direct flights out of one airport on travel day, the move required two U.S. airports, two airlines, an overnight stop, and four Across The Pond Pets team members flying alongside the animals the entire way. Here's how it came together.
The Challenge
Meet Ignis, Noctis, Puzzle, Potema, MaoMao, Matoya, Alphinaud, Alisaie, and Yugiri — nine dogs and cats making the move from the United States to a new home in Japan with their family.
Moving one pet internationally takes careful planning. Moving nine means nine sets of veterinary paperwork, nine sets of airline requirements, and a itinerary that has to work as one coordinated relocation rather than nine separate ones. It also meant working around a real scheduling problem: there simply weren't enough suitable flights out of Seattle on the day the family needed to travel.
Two Airports, One Itinerary
Rather than delay the move or split the family's travel dates, our Across The Pond Pets team built the itinerary around two departure airports instead of one: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA-TAC) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
The day before the international flights, our ground team drove three dogs and three cats from Seattle down to San Francisco, where the pets were safely boarded overnight for a comfortable rest before the long journey ahead. The remaining three cats stayed on the Seattle side, prepped for their own departure the next morning with our pet nanny team.
Departure Day, Twice Over
On travel day, the group split by airport and airline. Some pets checked in at SEA-TAC for a Japan Airlines flight, while the rest checked in at SFO for an ANA flight — each with its own document review, weigh-in, and individual inspection before being cleared for the flight.
This wasn't a case of simply dropping animals off at a cargo counter. Four Across The Pond Pets team members flew to Japan alongside the pets, splitting up across the two departures to make sure every single animal had an experienced person looking out for them from check-in through arrival.
Health Certificates and Documentation
Every pet entering Japan needs current rabies documentation, a USDA-endorsed health certificate, and an APHIS 7001 form prepared and verified well ahead of travel. With nine pets and two separate departures, our team triple-checked every document set before travel day, matching each certificate to the correct pet, crate, and flight.
Crate assignments were finalized and confirmed with each driver and pet nanny before pickup, along with comfort items, food, and any necessary medication for the journey — all reviewed and packed according to each airline's requirements.
Arrival at Narita
After landing in Japan, each group of pets went through Japan's required Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) inspection process. Our team coordinated document checks, weigh-ins, and individual clearance for every pet as they arrived — first the group that flew ANA, then the group that flew Japan Airlines.
One by one, each pet was cleared through quarantine, and the two groups were brought together for the final leg of the journey to their new home.
All Nine, Together Again
After two departures, two airports, two airlines, and a journey that spanned the Pacific, all nine pets were reunited and on their way to their new home with their family — a genuinely joyful moment after weeks of preparation.
A Team Effort From Start to Finish
Behind the scenes, this relocation required coordination between:
- Veterinary and USDA-endorsed documentation for each of the nine pets
- Ground transportation from Seattle to San Francisco
- Overnight boarding ahead of departure
- Two separate airport check-ins across two airlines
- Four Across The Pond Pets team members traveling with the pets
- Arrival, inspection, and quarantine coordination in Japan
- Ongoing communication with the family throughout the journey
With nine pets moving across two routes, even a small missed detail could have thrown off the whole plan. That's exactly why our team builds in the extra layer of coordination — and the extra people on the ground and in the air — that a move like this needs.
What This Means for Your Move
Most families reading this aren't moving nine pets to Japan — they're moving one dog or one cat. But the underlying process is the same one described here, just at a smaller scale: the same health certificate and documentation requirements, the same airline coordination, and the same attention to timing and comfort.
Whether it's one pet or a full household, our team can build a travel plan around your family's move to Japan.
FAQ
Why would pets from the same move depart from two different airports?
When there aren't enough suitable flights out of one airport on the required travel date, splitting a group across two airports and airlines can keep everyone moving on schedule instead of delaying the whole family's move.
Do pets need an overnight stop before an international flight?
Sometimes. When ground transportation is needed to reach the departure airport, an overnight boarding stop gives pets a calm rest before the final check-in and flight.
What happens when pets arrive in Japan?
Pets go through Japan's Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) process, which includes document verification and inspection before they're formally cleared for entry.
Does Across The Pond Pets travel with pets during the move?
For larger or more complex relocations, our team members travel alongside pets on their flights to provide hands-on support from check-in through arrival.
Planning a Move to Japan With Your Pet?
Whether it's one pet or an entire household, our team handles the documentation, airline coordination, and quarantine process from start to finish.
Get Started With Your Pet's Move