Pet Relocation Comparison

Comprehensive Analysis for Two Cats (Raleigh NC → Leeds, UK)
Updated: December 9, 2025

Executive Summary Scorecard

Company Overall Grade Best For Biggest Concern Est. Cost/Cat
Air Animal A- Most experience, vet expertise Highest price, service gaps $2,000-$6,000+
WorldCare B+ Highest ratings, best communication Employee issues, recent BBB Unknown
PetRelocation B+ Dedicated coordinator model Communication issues $3,000-$7,000
Airpets Intl B IPATA Board leadership Pricing complaints, no BBB $3,150+
Starwood B- Long history (40 years) Pricing transparency $4,500+

1. Company Basics

Metric Air Animal WorldCare PetRelocation Airpets Intl Starwood
Founded 1977 (48 yrs) 1999 (26 yrs) 2004 (21 yrs) ~1985 (40 yrs) 1984 (40 yrs)
Headquarters Tampa, FL Darien, CT Austin, TX Hurst, TX Cape Coral, FL
Founding Veterinarian Advertising Exec Business IPATA since 1990 Business
Employees Unknown 43 (2 continents) Unknown 12 Spread US/UK
Unique Feature DVM-owned Fortune 500 Clients Coordinator Model IPATA Board 800% Growth
🏆 Winner: Air Animal (Experience, Vet-owned)

2. Customer Ratings

Metric Air Animal WorldCare PetRelocation Airpets Intl Starwood
Rating 5.0 (Angi) 4.9/5 (Google) Mixed (Yelp) 5.0 (Google) 4.8 (4,000+)
Satisfaction Not specified 97.5% Not specified Not specified Not specified
Awards None found Multiple Inc 5000 None found None found
Clients Families/Govt Fortune 500 Families Families Families
🏆 Winner: WorldCare (Highest satisfaction, Fortune 500 validation)

3. Accreditations

Credential Air Animal WorldCare PetRelocation Airpets Intl Starwood
IPATA Member ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ✅ Yes (1990) ✅ Yes
IPATA Board ❌ No ❌ No ❌ No ✅ Exec Comm ❌ No
BBB Accredited ✅ Yes (2007) ⚠️ Yes (Jan 2025) ✅ Yes ❌ No ✅ Yes
Vet Creds ✅ DVM-owned ❌ No ❌ No ❌ No ❌ No
Special None None None BOAS Cert None
🏆 Winner: Airpet International (IPATA Leadership) / Air Animal (Vet Certs)

4. Pricing & Transparency

Metric Air Animal WorldCare PetRelocation Airpets Intl Starwood
Est. Cost $2k - $6k+ Unknown $3k - $7k $3,150+ $4,500+
Transparency ✅ Calculator ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None ⚠️ Issues
Public Pricing ✅ Best ❌ Request ❌ Request ❌ Request ⚠️ Issues
Complaints High Price None found None specific "Expensive" Significant
🏆 Winner: Air Animal (Online Calculator)

5. Communication

Feature Air Animal WorldCare PetRelocation Airpets Intl Starwood
Method Standard 24/7 WhatsApp+Photos Coordinator Updates Regular
Model Assigned Team Senior Counselor Dedicated Coordinator Specialist Assigned Team
Issues Some gaps None significant Month silence Some concerns Some gaps
Red Flags Agent non-response None external Coordinator ghosting Limited info Some gaps
🏆 Winner: WorldCare (24/7 WhatsApp/Photos)

6. Service Offerings

Service Air Animal WorldCare PetRelocation Airpets Intl Starwood
Tiers 6 Levels 6 Options 1 Standard Flexible 3 Tiers
Domestic? ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ❌ No (Intl Only) ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Boarding Unknown Unknown ❌ No ✅ PawHootz Unknown
Vet Svc ✅ In-house DVM Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination
Budget Option ✅ Yes Varies ❌ No Varies ✅ Economy
🏆 Winner: Air Animal (Most comprehensive, In-house Vet)

7. UK-Specific Experience

Criteria Air Animal WorldCare PetRelocation Airpets Intl Starwood
UK Office ❌ No ✅ Yes (since 1999) ❌ No ❌ No ✅ Presence
Success Stories Dog to Cambridge Founded w/ UK 3 Cats to UK Cat UK-USA 2 Cats to UK
Timeline Rec 1-3 Months 1-2 Months 1-3 Months 6 Months (Slow) Not specified
🏆 Winner: WorldCare (UK Founding Office)

8. Red Flags & Concerns

Concern Air Animal WorldCare PetRelocation Airpets Intl Starwood
Pricing "Most Expensive" None None "More Expensive" Transparency
Comms Agent non-response none Month silence Month silence Gaps
Employee Hostile Env Controlling CEO Poor Mgmt High Turnover Unknown
Scam Risk ⚠️ Impersonated ⚠️ Impersonated None reported ⚠️ Impersonated None reported

11. Best Use Cases

Air Animal

The Expert
  • ✅ Veterinary expertise (DVM-owned)
  • ✅ Most experienced (175k+ moves)
  • ✅ Pricing transparency (Online Calculator)
  • ❌ Avoid if budget is tight

WorldCare

Top Rated
  • ✅ Highest customer ratings (97.5%)
  • ✅ Communication (24/7 WhatsApp)
  • ✅ Corporate-proven quality
  • ❌ Avoid if employee ethics concern you

PetRelocation

Coordinator
  • ✅ Dedicated coordinator model
  • ✅ International specialist (21 years)
  • ✅ Award recognition (Inc 5000)
  • ❌ Avoid if communication is #1 priority

Airpets Intl

Specialist
  • ✅ IPATA Board credibility
  • ✅ Brachycephalic/Persian cats expertise
  • ✅ Integrated boarding (PawHootz)
  • ❌ Avoid if budget is concern

Starwood

Experienced
  • ✅ Long operational history (40 years)
  • ✅ Specific USA-UK cat experience
  • ✅ Tiered service options
  • ❌ Avoid if pricing transparency critical

18. Budget Planning (2 Cats)

Company Low Est High Est Most Likely
Air Animal $4,000 $12,000+ $8,000 - $10,000
WorldCare Unknown Unknown $8,000 - $12,000
PetRelocation $6,000 $14,000 $8,000 - $10,000
Airpets Intl $6,300 $12,000+ $8,000 - $10,000
Starwood $9,000 $15,000+ $10,000 - $12,000
💡 Recommendation: Plan for $10,000 - $15,000 total including your own travel and vet costs.

Final Recommendation

1

Air Animal Pet Movers (A-)

Most experience, vet-owned, excellent transparency.

Action: Use online calculator
2

WorldCare Pet Transport (B+)

Highest satisfaction, best communication (WhatsApp/Photos).

Action: Call for custom quote
3

PetRelocation (B+)

Dedicated coordinator model, international focus.

Action: Request quote

Conclusion

Get quotes from these top 3. Choose Air Animal for medical expertise and experience. Choose WorldCare for peace of mind and communication.

Detailed Research Documents