Joan’s the kind of bulldog who seems born for naps and gentle company—but that calm life came later. She was rescued in Brooklyn after a neighbor alerted animal control. At the time, she was sick, underfed, and just a year old.
After being adopted, she slipped into her new life like she’d been waiting for it, becoming not just a pet, but the kind of companion who sticks close, day in and day out.
With a calm demeanor and love for attention, Joan fit perfectly into a lifestyle that revolved around cafes, casual strolls, and boutique visits.
The first trip was to California. Joan took to flying easily—so much so that a fellow passenger once scooped her up for selfies mid-flight. From meeting parents to dog park romps and bison jerky tastings at farmers markets, travel became second nature for her.
Instagram | @marisameltzer | Joan got her travel papers ready just in time to start her new life in Paris.
Eventually, life took a turn when the New York building she lived in was sold, and her owner needed to spend several months working in Paris. The idea of leaving Joan behind for that long didn’t sit well. And so began the process of taking a dog to Europe.
Preparation for international travel with a dog involves several steps. A microchip is non-negotiable, and rabies vaccinations need to be current. Within ten days of travel, another vet visit is required to confirm the dog’s health. Paperwork gets submitted to the USDA for approval. Costs can range in the few hundred dollars, mostly from appointments and express mail.
The most stressful part? Hoping the USDA-stamped documents arrived in time. They did, just before the flight from Newark to Paris.
By then, Joan was no stranger to airports. Still, international travel with a dog brings its own anxiety—missing forms or overlooked vaccines can quickly derail plans. Luckily, her paperwork was in order, and at check-in, she even received her own meal: bavette. Onboard, she made friends with a couple headed to Bordeaux, who invited her to visit. Whether the invitation extended to her human was unclear.
Arriving in Paris, Joan was greeted warmly. The customs officer simply smiled and said “elle est magnifique.” No lengthy checks, no issues.
Just like that, she was in. Mornings were soon spent walking along the Seine, visiting dog parks, and discovering odd facts like France’s rule that purebred dogs must have names starting with a specific letter based on birth year—2019 was the year of “P.”
Holidays in Paris meant stops at high-end pet stores for organic advent calendars and water bowls at the Chanel boutique. Sundays were for flea markets, and friendships were formed, including with another English bulldog named Edward, whose family owned Comice, a Michelin-starred restaurant. Life abroad suited Joan.
Instagram | @marisameltzer | Joan travels with ease thanks to her EU passport and a taste for adventure.
After several months, it was time to head back to New York. Before returning, another vet visit was needed to confirm her health and rabies status. The clinic in the 16th arrondissement issued her a blue EU dog passport. It became a status symbol of sorts, simplifying future travel within Europe.
Back home, Joan transitioned into Upper East Side life effortlessly. But Paris left an imprint. The following year, she returned for a ten-day vacation. With her passport ready, she became a true jet-setter—her future filled with potential stops like Milan in August or Stockholm in September.
Traveling internationally with a dog takes planning, money, and patience, but the reward is worth it. Sure, international pet travel comes with a checklist—shots, paperwork, USDA stamps—but Joan handled it like a seasoned diplomat.
Her passport? Less about bureaucracy, more about brand. Whether she was cooling off in Milan beneath a luxury storefront or snoozing on a velvet couch in Paris, Joan was clearly fluent in “good life.” She went from shelter pup to globetrotter without missing a nap.