Stressed by a skyrocketing cost of living, Sian Hall is one of an increasing number of Bermudians choosing to leave the island.

Ms Hall ran pet grooming business, Pretty Puppiez, in Warwick for 16 years. Last June, she closed her shop and moved to Banwell, in Somerset, England.

“I had a great business,” Ms Hall said. “I was grooming eight dogs a day, six days a week. It was very hard letting it go but the cost of living just got to be too much.”

She moved with her sister, son and mother, acting on the growing interest in emigration.

“My whole family moved,” she said.

Ms Hall took her six dogs and two cats with her.

Living in the West Country, she misses her family and friends at home, but is enjoying life.

“The amount of stuff that we can do out here is just amazing,” she said. “It has been really easy and very nice settling in here.”

In England, she wanted to do something with dogs, but not grooming. Pretty Petz, a pet procuring and shipping business, was born.

She started importing puppies for herself and her grooming clients when she lived in Bermuda, so she already understood the business.

“My grooming clients would often ask me for suggestions when they were looking for a new pet,” she said.

One of her challenges now is finding the right animal for her clients.

“Not a lot of breeders in the United Kingdom are OK with puppies leaving the country,” she said. “I have to call them, convince them, and let them know what the process is.”

Sometimes she has to go through ten breeders before she can find one who will work with her.

However, it is relatively easy getting a dog from Britain to Bermuda compared with other places. Coming from Britain, Bermuda does not require a rabies vaccination or a pet passport.

She handles everything from getting invoices for the customs declaration, to making sure the animal is vet checked 48 hours before the flight. She also arranges the dog’s import permit issued by Bermuda and books flights, among other things.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, exactly what you need and who to contact, it can be a lot to deal with,” Ms Hall said.

However, she does not arrange import of flat-faced breeds such as pugs or French bull dogs. Because of their breathing challenges many airlines have strict regulations about transporting them. To get them to the island, she would have to fly them to Turkey, then to New York and then to Bermuda.

“Travel alone can cost $5,000,” she said. “And that is a long way to fly for a puppy.”

Ms Hall tries to meet breeders directly to ensure the animals are being treated well and are healthy. If she does not feel comfortable with the breeder, she does not use them.

“I do a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure everything is legitimate,” she said.

She pays close attention to what health testing the puppy’s parents have had to avoid bringing in animals with genetic health conditions.

When the pandemic first erupted in March 2020, she saw a spike in demand for puppies. Now, that has subsided.

“I don't think there is anywhere near as many people wanting puppies,” she said. “People don’t have the time for them, so there is not a flood of people calling me. That is great, because otherwise it becomes a lot, trying to find the right dog for the right people.”

After she has established a relationship with the breeder, she connects the client to them.

“They can have contact with the breeder throughout the dog’s lifetime,” she said.