Pet transport companies, honestly reviewed
Vetted reviews of every major US pet transport operator - CitizenShipper, Pet Express, Arete, WorldCare, Blue Collar, TLC, uShip, All Aboard. Real prices, real pros and cons, when each one is the right call.
There's no shortage of pet transport operators - what's missing is detailed comparisons. Marketplaces market themselves as cheap; concierge services market themselves as premium. The truth varies by route, pet, and timeline. We test, research, and review each operator individually, with itemized 2026 quotes and the specific scenarios where each one beats the alternatives.
Browse our individual operator reviews below, or jump straight to a cost quote if you want operators bidding on your specific trip.
Every operator listed here is verified against the federal USDA Class T registry. See our USDA certified pet transport guide for the verification process and what Class T actually covers.
Operating out of the Southeast US (Atlanta area)? See our Royal Paws Pet Transport review for a USDA Class T integrated operator with strong regional density.
Want pickup and delivery at your home with no airport handoff? Our door-to-door pet transport guide compares dedicated vs marketplace options with real cost data.
Most operators here run ground-based service. See our pet transport by ground guide for the mode overview.
For military PCS and complex international destinations, see our Starwood Pet Transport review, 45 years in operation, IPATA member.
For hands-on breakdowns of individual carriers, see our full operator reviews: AHeinz57 pet rescue transport, All Aboard Pet Transport, Arete Pet Transport, Blue Collar Pet Transport, Royal Paws, TLC Pet Transport, WorldCare Pet Transport.
If you would rather start close to home, see how to find a local pet transporter near you.
A few more essentials worth reading before you book: how to choose a pet transport company, how to avoid pet transport scams, starting a pet transport business, how to transport a pet, moving across states with multiple pets, pet transport for senior dogs, ground versus air pet transport, how to transport a dog in a car, pet care business name ideas.
What's in this hub
- CitizenShipper - the marketplace approach (cheapest for healthy pets)
- WorldCare - international concierge (best for AU/UK)
- Arete - mid-tier domestic concierge
- Blue Collar / TLC / All Aboard / uShip - budget + specialty operators
- Aheinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport - rescue-route specialist
Numbers worth knowing
- Operators we've reviewed in 2026: 8 directly, 17 in pricing surveys
- Average price spread (cheapest vs most expensive) for the same route: 3–5x
- Marketplace driver vetting our review tracks: USDA Class T, commercial insurance, 5-star history
- Booking lead time we recommend: 14 days for ground, 60+ days for international
Read everything we've published on this
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Service Dog in Training Public Access Rights: A State-by-State Patchwork
A fully trained service dog has the same public access rights walking into a diner in Maine as it does walking into…
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The Service Dog Public Access Test: Industry Standard, Not a Legal Requirement
If you have spent any time researching service dogs, you have probably run into the phrase "public access test." It sounds official,…
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How to Know If Your Dog Qualifies as a Service Dog
The question of whether a dog qualifies as a service dog comes up constantly, and the honest answer surprises a lot of…
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Can a Landlord Deny a Service Dog? Fair Housing Act Rights Explained
A landlord cannot lawfully refuse to rent to someone because they use a service dog, and in most situations cannot charge a…
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Service Dog Public Access Rights
A service dog's right to go into a restaurant, a store, a hotel lobby, or a doctor's office comes from a specific…
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Service Dog vs ESA vs Therapy Dog: The Real Differences
Three phrases get used almost interchangeably at airport counters, apartment leasing offices, and hospital lobbies across the country: service dog, emotional support…
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How to Transport a Pet Fox
Pet fox ownership is banned outright in most states, and the Lacey Act makes crossing a state line with one a real…
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How to Transport a Barn Cat
A barn cat is not a lap cat with a different job title. Here is the crate and confinement process that actually…
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How to Transport Miniature Cattle
Miniature cattle move under full bovine rules, brucellosis and TB testing included, not a scaled-down version built for their smaller size.
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How to Transport a Miniature Horse or Pony
A mini horse or pony moves under equine rules, not livestock ones, which means a Coggins test for EIA on top of…
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How to Transport a Falconry Bird
A falconry raptor travels under a federal permit tied to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and moving states can trigger a fresh…
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How to Transport a Farmed Deer or Elk
Farmed deer and elk move under a federal CWD herd certification program most owners have never heard of until they try to…
Three things that make us different.
Vetted operators, ranked by data.
Every operator in our network is ranked on service quality signals - USDA registration, insurance coverage, response time, customer reviews. Sponsored or promoted listings are clearly labeled.
USDA-verified partners only.
Every operator in our network holds USDA Class T registration - required for commercial pet transport across state lines. We verify before we recommend.
Most quotes back in 24 hours.
When you submit a quote request, we send it to a small panel of pre-vetted operators. You'll typically have multiple quotes within 24 hours - no chasing, no spam, no obligation.