From Russia to South Africa – with a dog: a real story of animal transportation with obstacles on the way

Behind every impersonal company, organization and even nationality there are always people. And no matter what stands between you and the world, no matter what side you are on, human relations help to solve and overcome everything. Anastasia Umovskaya was convinced of this on her own experience, she told us the story of difficult transportation of her dog from Russia to South Africa, when all Russian cards were blocked. Let’s find out if there is a risk of getting into a similar situation now.

Anastasia Umovskaya

traveler, co-founder of KLYUCHI projects

Tells how she tried to get to South Africa with her dog in the conditions of sanctions against Russia.

Exacerbation of the situation and the emergence of difficulties

I was expecting confirmation by mid-March. Meanwhile, the situation for Russians was only getting more complicated by the day. For example, in early March it became known that both KLM and Lufthansa, which I had planned to fly with my dog, had stopped providing passenger transportation services to Russia.

The only option left was Emirates. But these airlines also tightened the conditions for Russians and refused to carry animals.

As a last option, I found the possibility of flying with my dog on Turkish Airlines. But it was not even a question of cargo as a way of transporting an animal. The dog had to be taken with you in the luggage. On the one hand, the way out was found and there are even tickets. On the other hand – these tickets could not be bought, because by that time payment with Russian cards abroad was no longer possible.

And right in front of my eyes tickets for seats with animals are flying around like cold kvass from a barrel in hot weather.

Help came from nowhere

Just when I was about to give up, unexpected help appeared. Just an hour ago, the options to leave with the dog were disappearing one after another, and then bang – and my husband and I already had tickets for all three of us, including the pet.

Strangers from Indonesia bought tickets for us and the pet. A little later friends from Switzerland joined us and helped us to return the money to these wonderful strangers.

The next task was to collect the documents for the dog, so that he was allowed on the plane and with all the transfers could be in the country of destination. But… The South African pet transportation company I had planned to contact only does cargo, and the method of shipping the dog had to be changed. So the company was unable to help officially and for money.

But completely free of charge and unofficially, an employee of this company came to help.

The young man showed not only sympathy, but also maximum participation. He described and explained everything in detail, and as a result all the documents were collected without mistakes and problems. And then for every obstacle there were people who helped to overcome it. For example, the veterinary service agreed with the chief veterinarian of Cape Town for me, and we promptly got an entry permit.

The final step – and a new problem

All documents are collected, tickets are in hand, arrival at the airport according to schedule. But Turkish Airlines requires a fee for the dog. Payment only by card. And bank cards, as we remember, did not work for payment to foreign companies. What to do?

The airline employees went for an unprecedented solution. They arranged an emergency meeting on the spot with the participation of the entire management staff and… accepted my payment for the dog in cash.

What conclusions I drew

I know I didn’t make any blunders in preparing for the trip. It was just that the world situation was heating up too fast. There was no opportunity to be proactive.

I sincerely believe that had it not been for the world turning its human face to us, it is hard to say how this story would have ended.

Thank you to all the people who lend a helping hand to others, sometimes against the official rules. This is how the world becomes a little kinder and friendlier. Today you help today, tomorrow – you. As they say in the good movie of the same name: “Pass it on to someone else”. And it is worth passing on the baton of goodness!

Is there a risk of getting into a similar situation now?

Anna Zakharina

tour planner of the project “Keys” and “Keys to Live”

Anastasia’s situation is a clear example. Sometimes the world can change so rapidly that it is sometimes impossible to be proactive. On the one hand, we can see that Anastasia was prepared and had several options for different cases. On the other hand, even this preparedness was not a salvation. We are sure that traveling is based on three keys: information, acquaintances + contacts and creativity. So let’s run through again what’s important to know and keep in mind in case we can’t anticipate anything.

Study the rules by which you purchase tickets, make reservations, pay for accommodations. Be it airlines, different aggregators, hotels, booking systems. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the return policy.

Provide for the possibility of payment by international card. Now our partner countries offer various options for international cards. You can travel to Uzbekistan to open an account or try to apply for a card online in Kazakhstan.

Make connections. Anastasia’s case showed that the human factor is key. Friends abroad or a travel assistant. Have someone in the know about your situation to keep your finger on the pulse. If you don’t already have acquaintances who can promptly help you abroad, look to travel agencies or concierge services. These professionals are guaranteed to assist you from start to finish. We are, of course, by default talking about serious, reliable companies.

Be creative. And creativity occurs where there is no room for panic. There are no unsolvable situations. Again, Anastasia’s example clearly showed us this. It would seem that a person has time and time again closed opportunities. But no, it all worked out in the end! And it will work out for you.

How not to be left without money when traveling?

We recently wrote that Russians still have ways to pay abroad. You can still take cash with you, but not more than $ 10 thousand per person in the equivalent of any currency. Another option is to get a card from a foreign bank, for example, from our neighbors in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan. Also in 52 countries Russian travelers have an opportunity to receive a transfer via KoronaPay. And there is one more good news: from April 18, cash can be exchanged for other currencies again.

Director of content and analytics of the financial marketplace Vyberu.ru

Indeed, now the most reliable payment instrument for Russians going on a trip abroad is cash dollars or euros. They can be withdrawn from a deposit or account if you opened it before March 9, 2022. After April 18, Russians will again be able to change rubles for currency in any bank thanks to the relaxation of the rules of the Central Bank of Russia. But Russian banks’ cards abroad may fail. There is no guarantee that because of sanctions, a foreign store or bank will agree to make a payment using a Russian card. And you will find yourself without any money at all. You will have to turn to good people – friends and acquaintances – for help again.