Cheaper ways to transport a pet long distance
Commercial pet transport services and long-distance rental trucks are often too expensive for owners moving pets across the country. Alternative arrangements, like extended vet boarding, force pets into uncomfortable long-term environments while requiring owners to make extra trips back to retrieve them.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
Cheaper ways to transport a pet long distance
- 1Boarding the pet at a vet and flying back later to retrieve itDid this help you?
- 2Reaching out to specialized animal rescue charitiesDid this help you?
- 3Arranging a relay with family members or internet strangersDid this help you?
- 4Calling rental companies directly to ask for discounts or promotional codes over the phoneDid this help you?
- 5Shifting pickup/drop-off dates by a day or two to lower ratesDid this help you?
- 6Checking rental rates at different location/pickup branches further awayDid this help you?
- 7Using AAA membership for discounts (e.g., 12% at Penske)Did this help you?
- 8Using Costco membership for discounts (e.g., 30% off at Budget)Did this help you?
- 9Shipping heavy items via USPS Media Mail/book rateDid this help you?
- 10Driving the personal car separately instead of renting a car trailerDid this help you?
- 11Using moving container services like U-Pack or U-BoxDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I’ve been looking at pet transportation services but theyre pretty pricey.”source ↗
“Otherwise I was going to board her at the vet for however long the demobilization will take, (which i really don’t want to put the kitty in an environment like that for an extended period of time) then fly back down after I come home.”source ↗
“I looked at Penske and the price for a truck and trailer was 3400+. We are driving the truck ourselves and im not using movers, is there a cheaper option that isnt uhaul? Budget gave the same costs.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 20How to do a long distance road trip with a cat and dog
- 11How to find reliable long distance movers without getting scammed
- 4How do you plan a first-time long distance move?
- 7Are full service moving quotes really this expensive?
- 9How to make sure your pet doesn't get denied boarding
- 4How to move cross-country without renting a massive truck