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Families moving abroad say they are shocked and devastated they may have to leave pets behind after animal travel costs were hiked.

IAG Cargo, which handles pet transfers for some major airlines, is raising prices from 1 March on select routes.

Sara, whose military family is moving back to the US from the UK, saw the price to ship her two small dogs Ghost and Bentley jump from £1,143 to £5,118.

IAG Cargo said the higher prices reflect the complexity of the service.

A sister company to British Airways, Aer Lingus and Vueling, IAG Cargo is seen as a key provider when it comes to transferring pets, particularly between the US and UK.

Under its current policy, IAG Cargo will only accept a booking for a pet transfer up to six weeks before the flight - it then confirms the space has been requested and "pencilled in".

About two weeks before, once the planes have been scheduled on that route, the booking is confirmed and the price is locked in.

Sara had initially received a quote for the journey from London to Baltimore at £1,143 for both dogs.

But the price has now jumped to £5,118, without administration fees or those for the agency she is using to arrange the cargo shipment.

IAG Cargo said it had reviewed pet transfer rates across its global portfolio and "adjusted a number of rates across multiple routes to better reflect the complexities and care associated with this product."

A spokesperson for the firm said: "We know that pets are as important as family members and the specialist service of providing safe and secure transport for live animals is our priority.

"To reflect the complexities of this bespoke service and the cost of providing the very best care for pets travelling as cargo, we have made some amendments to our prices."

They encouraged any customers with questions about their quotes to contact their sales representative.