We will go to great lengths to find the perfect pet sometimes literally. The local animal shelter, pound or pet shops might not have the dog that fits your familys needs. Now, the internet provides a way to search the whole country to find the perfect pooch. The most important things to remember when buying a pet from far away are to do extensive research of the breeder and to prepare for shipping and handling costs.

As with any big purchase in life, buying a pet from a long distance requires a great deal of research before following through. First of all, you want to make sure that the breeder you are buying from is legit. You can do this by checking with a national or local breed club if youre buying a pure bred. If no club exists, try checking with the Better Business Bureau. If none of this gives you any info, try checking local records online for any complaints or lawsuits against the breeder. Ask the breeder to send a videotape of the location so you can see the conditions your puppy is raised in. Finally, you could fly yourself to the breeder to make sure everything is acceptable.

Shipping and handling costs of a live animal can be high, so budget ahead of time. If youre getting a small dog, you could carry the animal on board a plane. This works if youre planning to fly to the check the breeder out anyway. Usually, taking a dog as carry-on costs about $75 to $80 and you have to have them in a carrier. If you have the breeder ship the dog to you, make sure you get all the flight info and ask for a weekday flight so that its not busy at the airport. Its best not to ship a pet on a plane during the heat of summer, but any other time of year is fine. These costs can vary greatly from breeder to breeder, so be sure to ask when deciding whether or not to buy from one.