my friend booked a puppy from LA a few months ago and is due to get him soon.The shipping company originally told her her the full balance would have to be paid 14 days in  advance,now they are saying just to give debit.credit card details and they wont take the money off until the day before the flight,i think this sounds a bit dodgy but my friend says im just being silly and that the company is reputable and has a big website etc so it must all be above board but it didnt come recommended to her,she just found it though the internet,im very concerned,surely the money for any flight would have to be paid in advance?Also the company have included the customs clearance in the quote from LA to uk but have also included it in the courier quote to her home,that doesnt sound right either? Does anyone have experience of this and give me advice so i can show my friend,many thanks.

Really need more details to comment on it correctly.  I have imported from the USA now 5 dogs and for 4 of those I shipped them myself when I coordinated their travel with my travel plans to family in America. I have also shipped dogs in and out of the US for shows. Used a courier once who at the US end was someone I have known for years and she is trustworthy and I felt the charge worth every penny, she took care of the health certs, etc.  However the kennels  in the UK who collected the dog from Gatwich was another story and I will never ever have anything to do with them again.  Even the shipper in the US had no idea of the extra "charges" they would slap on me (it was the first time she had also used them) and it ended up the collection of the dog from Gatwick and 1 night (yes 1 night) at their kennels near the airport cost more than the US shipper charges AND the flight put togther.  I had to pay just to get the dog out of there but then found out later when considering taking them to court over it their "add ons" were normal for them. 

The shippers should be members of http://www.ipata.com/ A big website does not automatically mean reputable.  The breeder of the pup in the US should be able to find out more for your friend, asking around who has used the company, not just for international transport but also within the US.

I would also find out which airline they are using.  Some I would not transport a rat on for a short hop flight, let alone a dog on a long haul one.

Would it be possible to pm the name of the people in the uk just incase its the same ones,i just cant put my finger on it but something isnt right and the shipping company have said the couriers in the uk who they work alongside may board the dog overnight before travelling the long distance to my friends house.The airline is Delta.

I know someone bringing in a dog using Delta Cargo and the money isn't paid until the dog is collected at Heathrow using their UK Agents, RSH Freight Masters Ltd.

Who does she pay the money to?My friend is using a shipping company because she wanted to make sure all the paperwork was correct etc and they are asking for all the money including customs fees at this end,I thought about buying a pup to show from the states a while ago but im glad i didnt now,its too complicated for me!

Sent you a pm.  I would advise your friend to make sure the Delta flight is DIRECT NON STOP into the UK, if it goes via Atlanta the heat from now until November is horrendous and there have been incidents of dogs dying from heatstroke on stopovers via the southern US states. Not all airlines have summer embargo dates.  Delta does not have the best reputation of animal carriers.  KLM, BA, and Continental are generally accepted as the more careful airlines.  Although in saying this Delta is now part of the KLM / Air France group though so some of the Delta flights are operated by KLM. 

Had no issues with direct Delta flights into heathrow.

I imported a dog from Finland in 2009. I had wanted to use a company to sort the flights/import paperwork out for me but couldn't find anyone. In the end, I liaised directly with the airline - staff there very helpful - and the people at the animal centre at Heathrow airport. They couldn't have been more helpful and we faxed them copies of all my boy's paperwork the day before he flew so they could check it before he got on the flight. I'd happily do this again.

This is exactly what my friends are doing liaising with airline and the people at Heathrow.

Same when I flew my girl back home with me Cargo from Finland in 2006.

Is it still possible to do that (liase with airlines directly)?  I thought you now had to book all travel via an agent who would deal with all paperwork etc - on the BA website that's what I read last year anyway, but perhaps it's just BA who insist that...?

Does depend on the ailine

It depends on the airline, and also what rules the FDA (for USA originated flights) and / or DEFRA have in place at the time.  The regulations do change constantly. One month you may have to use an IPATA shipper for the health certs and check in, then you find a couple of months on you can go back to doing it yourself.  Last time I sent a dog from the USA to the UK I used BA and did all the paperwork etc myself.  Though looking at the DEFRA site just now it has 2 routes on BA out of FL that must be booked by through an IPATA agent, other airlines not the case.  All other BA routes it does not have that stipulation. 

harkback, i just checked the BA website and the deal is that if the animal is going through Gatwick or Heathrow, you have to use an agent.  I guess if you fly BA to regional airports or Manchester, you can still do it yourself..

you fly BA to regional airports or Manchester, you can still do it yourself

Yes they change the rules all the time.  2 yrs ago I wanted to fly a dog in from Sweden to Manchester and BA wanted it done via an agent then!  In the end I had it flown to Amsterdam and just went over and collected it, so much easier.  Manchester though is a good airport to fly dogs into as they seem to be alot quicker at processing and releasing them off the plane.

To the OP - has your friend considered flying the dog into Amsterdam instead of the UK?  I know of a few who have brought dogs over for Crufts in past years did this to avoid the hassle at the UK airports. 

Or Brussels as I did when coming back with Inka in December, it is then just a shortish drive to Dunkirk to get the ferry home, which is on a PETS route.