meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Economics of Everyday Things

41. Pet Movers

The Economics of Everyday Things

Freakonomics Network

Business

4.81.6K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2026

⏱️ 16 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Relocating halfway across the world is hard enough for humans. For pets it can require a specialist. Zachary Crockett waits at the airport, holding a sign saying "Fluffy." This episode was originally published on March 24th, 2024.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

A few years ago, Amelia Barclow wanted to relocate from the United Kingdom to the San Francisco Bay Area.

0:09.3

Like any international move, it was a bit of a slog.

0:13.6

She had to ship out all of her belongings, go through a customs process, and find a new place to stay.

0:19.9

But Barclow's move also involved a more unique challenge.

0:28.1

She's in a mood.

0:33.4

Those are Barclow's pet ducks, Bean and Wobbles.

0:38.5

Bean, she looks like a pinto bean.

0:40.3

She has little brown and cream spots all over.

0:44.5

Wobbles is because he's very clumsy and very round,

0:47.7

and he tends to fall onto his back a lot like a turtle.

0:53.9

As it turned out, getting Bean and Wobbles to their new home in a new country was no simple task.

1:01.2

We would speak to someone from the USDA who worked in livestock. They'd be like, no, they're pets.

1:05.8

And we go to the people who work for importing pets. They're like, no, they're livestock.

1:09.2

There was no protocol for what we were trying to do.

1:12.1

It was to the point where I'd call someone and they'd go,

1:14.7

oh, you're the duck lady.

1:16.3

Yeah, sorry, we can't help you.

1:18.4

So, Barclow had to turn to a specialist, a company that has found a lucrative niche

1:24.1

in transporting pets all over the world.

1:29.0

We had goats, pigeons, sheep, the airports of thousands of weird and wonderful animals

1:35.6

go through. Tropical fish, alligators, lions, tigers, flocks of birds, the occasional duck.

1:44.0

This one family had an emotional support hedgehog, which is absolutely fine.

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 13 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Freakonomics Network, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Freakonomics Network and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.