Starwood Animal Transport

What Starwood Animal Transport does

Starwood Animal Transport, doing business as Starwood Pet Travel, is a US-based, privately held international pet relocation services company founded in 1984 and headquartered in Cape Coral, Florida. The company manages end-to-end international transport of cats and dogs, including flight booking, customs clearance, veterinary documentation, IATA-compliant crate handling, and door-to-door ground coordination. It serves primarily individual pet owners undertaking international relocations, with specialized offerings for military families undergoing PCS moves and corporate clients relocating employees.

Operations are delivered through dedicated Pet Travel Coordinators who manage each relocation from quote to delivery, supported by a customer-facing Pet Travel Portal for document uploads and real-time communication. Add-on products include CareTags (in-transit pet tracking) and a Pet Protection Plan. Starwood operates a multi-tier service model (from basic assisted to premium door-to-door) on a quote-based, pay-as-you-go pricing structure, and executes its global routes through a vetted network of seven major airline partners (Qantas, Qatar Airways, American Airlines, Lufthansa, Air New Zealand, British Airways, KLM) plus regional ground partners across 25+ destination countries. Customer acquisition is driven primarily by word-of-mouth, Google reviews (4.7/5 across 400+ reviews), and detailed website testimonials, and the company claims 10,000+ completed safe trips with a 99.6% international success rate.

Name

Starwood Animal Transport

Legal name

Starwood Pet Travel

Website

https://starwoodanimaltransport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Starwood Animal Transport (dba Starwood Pet Travel) is a US-based, 40-year-old private company that provides full-service international pet relocation services—including flight booking, customs, veterinary documentation, and door-to-door coordination—for individual pet owners, military families, and corporate clients moving pets across 25+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Relocation Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Travel Agencies (561510)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Relocation & Moving Transport (HSANAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pet International Relocation & Quarantine Handling (HSAKACAI), Interstate/Regulated Pet Transport (Health Certs/Compliance) (HSANAIAG), Long-Distance/Intercity Pet Transport (HSANAIAF)

Keywords

• International pet transport
• Pet relocation services
• Pet shipping logistics
• Military pet transport
• Corporate pet relocation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Coral

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pet Relocation Services: Full-service pet transportation including flight booking, customs clearance, veterinary documentation management, crate standards compliance, and door-to-door coordination. Services offered at multiple tiers from basic assisted to comprehensive door-to-door packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Starwood Animal Transport (DBA Starwood Pet Travel) provides end-to-end international and domestic pet relocation services, coordinating flight booking, customs clearance, veterinary documentation, crate standards compliance, and door-to-door ground transport. Each customer is assigned a dedicated Pet Travel Coordinator and accesses real-time journey updates and document management through the proprietary Pet Travel Portal, with optional CareTags tracking and a Pet Protection Plan. The company serves individual pet owners, military families on PCS moves, and corporate clients relocating employees abroad.

Product overview

Starwood Pet Travel offers a comprehensive suite of pet relocation services organized around a full-service platform with integrated add-on modules. The core offering is International Pet Transport, which provides end-to-end management of pet relocations including flight booking, customs clearance, veterinary documentation, and ground coordination. This is supported by the Pet Travel Portal—a customer-facing platform for real-time tracking, document uploads, and coordinator communication. Additional value-added services include CareTags (pet tracking technology) and the Pet Protection Plan. Specialized transport offerings cover cat-specific shipping, dog transport (including snub-nosed breeds and seniors), corporate relocation, US domestic ground transport, and military pet relocation. The company operates with a network of vetted global pet travel partners across multiple airline carriers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pet Travel Portal: Dedicated portal for tracking progress, uploading documents, and communicating with Pet Travel Coordinators in real time
• CareTags
• Pet Protection Plan

Products and services

• International Pet Transport Full-service international pet relocation handling complex airline policies, veterinary documents, crate standards, and import regulations from planning through customs clearance, for pet owners moving pets abroad.
• Cat Transport Services Specialized shipping services for cats including breed-specific care, documentation handling, and coordinated transport for domestic and international moves.
• Dog Transport Services Specialized transport services for dogs covering all breeds including snub-nosed breeds and senior pets, with door-to-door coordination.
• Corporate Pet Relocation Pet relocation services tailored for corporate clients and employees undergoing international transfers, with coordinated logistics and dedicated support.
• US Domestic Transport Ground transportation services for pets within the United States, including climate-controlled transport and door-to-door delivery options.
• Military Pet Relocation Specialized pet transport services for military families including PCS moves, handling the unique requirements and timelines of military relocations.
• Pet Protection Plan A protection plan offering coverage and peace of mind for pets during international transport, covering various contingencies during the relocation journey.
• CareTags Pet Tracking Pet tracking technology that provides location updates and monitoring during transit, allowing pet owners to follow their pet's journey in real time.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.6% successful international relocations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• QantascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirline partner for pet transportation, particularly for routes to Australia and other Qantas-served destinations. Qantas is known for strict pet import policies and quality cargo handling.
• Qatar AirwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirline partner for international pet transport, featured prominently on the website as a trusted carrier for pet relocations worldwide.
• American AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirline partner for pet transportation services, featured in the partner airline network for US-origin relocations.
• LufthansacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirline partner operating pet cargo services, frequently mentioned in customer testimonials for European routes.
• Air New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirline partner for routes to New Zealand, handling pets under strict New Zealand biosecurity requirements.
• British AirwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirline partner for UK and European routes, featured in partner network for transatlantic pet relocations.
• KLM Royal Dutch AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirline partner for European destinations, included in the airline partner network for international pet transport.
• IAM (International Animal Movements)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization shown in the logo section, appears to be part of the international pet transport network or association.
• Jet Pets (New Zealand)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand-based partner handling inbound pet arrivals, mentioned in customer testimonials for New Zealand relocations. Manages quarantine facility coordination and final delivery.
• Relocat (Italy)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian inbound partner referenced in customer testimonial for Italy relocations.
• Pets2Go (Singapore)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSingapore-based partner mentioned in customer testimonials for handling final delivery to pet owners.
• PetTransProminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner mentioned in customer testimonials for outbound pet transport coordination from origin locations.
• Ricted Kennels (Thailand)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThailand-based partner mentioned in customer testimonials for Bangkok area pet delivery services.
• Tails in the AirminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGround transportation partner mentioned in customer testimonials for pet pickup and transfer services.
• Red Dog Spa RetreatminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoarding facility partner mentioned in testimonials for overnight pet stays during travel connections.
• The Willow Cat HotelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCat boarding facility partner in Los Angeles mentioned in customer testimonial for extended cat stays during relocation process.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Airpets International: UK-based international pet transport company coordinating flights, documentation, and delivery across Europe and beyond. Directly comparable offering to Starwood's European and transatlantic routes with similar coordinator-led service model.
• Air Animal Pet Movers: Long-standing US-based international pet transport company providing flight booking, ground transport, and customs coordination. Directly comparable service offering and target customer base of relocating pet owners.
• PetRelocation: Austin, Texas-based direct competitor offering full-service international pet relocation, including flight booking, documentation, customs clearance, and door-to-door delivery. Closest US-based peer with a comparable coordinator-based service model.
• Blue Collar Pet Transport: US-based ground pet transport company offering long-distance and interstate moves with door-to-door service. Comparable offering for the US domestic component of Starwood's service portfolio, though focused on ground transport.
• PetMove: UK-headquartered international pet transport company offering door-to-door relocation services across Europe and globally. Comparable in coordinator-based delivery model and target customer base of relocating pet owners.
• Petsfly: US-based pet transport service offering domestic and international relocation. Comparable service model targeting relocating pet owners with a focus on documentation and flight coordination.
• Royal Paws Pet Transport: US-based pet transport service offering interstate and long-distance moves with climate-controlled vehicles. Comparable model for the US domestic ground transport segment of Starwood's offering.

Regional players

• Dogtainers: Australia-based pet transport company specializing in domestic and trans-Tasman moves. Comparable service profile with regional focus on Australia/New Zealand — an adjacent competitor on Starwood's key AU/NZ routes.
• Jet Pets: Australia-based pet transport specialist handling international arrivals and domestic moves, with deep expertise in Australian quarantine requirements. Named Starwood partner for AU inbound — comparable service profile with strong regional overlap in Australian routes.

Others

• IPATA (International Pet and Animal Transportation Association): Industry association of pet transport providers. Starwood displays the IAM/IPATA partner affiliation on its website; the network represents an ecosystem of vetted pet transport providers that collectively shape category standards.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/starwoodpet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starwood-pet-travel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Starwood Animal Transport