I read this article the other day about a dog that inadvertently
got sent to Ireland…the country…when he was supposed to be going to
Arizona. This got me to thinking about
the times we have adopted dogs long distance and had them flown to their new
owners or even had dogs flown here to us.
How many people know what is involved in transporting pets?
There are several things you need to do to make sure your
pet is transported as comfortably as possible when traveling by plane. The first thing to do is check with your
airlines to find out what their requirements are for traveling with your pet. Smaller animals may be able to
travel with you on the plane. They must
be in a carrier that will fit under the seat in front of you. Of course the fees will vary. Often it is cheaper to fly your pet as
checked baggage or cargo than in the cabin. Expect
to pay $200 or more, one way, to travel with your pet.
Most airlines will have the requirements for pet
transportation on their websites. There
are also temperature restrictions on pet travel. Certain breeds are restricted from flying due
to possible medical issues. For example,
most airlines will not accept snub-nosed or pug-nosed dogs or cats because of breathing
difficulties. There will be size
requirements for the size and type of kennel used to transport your pet. How soon before a flight your pet must be
checked in. Most will need a health
certificate and vaccination records.
Depending on your destination, some vaccinations will be needed. It is best to find out as much beforehand as
you can so that you have sufficient time to get the vaccinations and records
required to transport your pet.
Here are links to some of the most popular airlines for
pet transportation:
The number of people traveling with their pets have
increased, and accordingly incidents of injury and death have increased, as
well as those of pets getting lost. According to this
article, 35 pets died during airline travel in 2011. 19 of these were on Delta Airlines flights; 5
on American Airlines, 3 on Continental Airlines, and 2 on United Airlines. I’m not sharing this information to scare you
or make you decide not to travel with your pet, but to let you know that things
do happen and pets do get injured or die during transport. Not belittling the folks that have suffered a
loss but to let people know there is a risk, but with upwards of 500,000 pets
or more being flown annually, the odds are in your favor.
There are services available that will help you make your
travel plans. One is PetRelocation.com. Their motto is Any Pet, Anywhere, Any
Time. Here are their pet travel
statistics comparing 2011 to 2010.
There is also an airline that specializes in pet travel. They are called Pet Airways. This airline began in 2009 and covered the
northeast United States. As of 2011 they
flew to 14 destinations.
I came across this
article when researching and they offer a list of websites offering
information on safe pet travel.
INFORMATION ON SAFE PET TRAVEL
|
·
The USDA's Animal Welfare page contains advice on pet travel and scams.
·
The DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection Division offers
information on Transporting
Live Animals.
·
The FAA's Pets in the
Passenger Cabin page provides details on federal regulations and
pet allergens.
·
IATA's Traveller's Pet Corner page contains a wealth of
information.
·
The ASPCA's Pet Care Tips
page offers information on travel by air and car.
·
The Humane Society of the United States provides Tips for Safe Pet Air Travel.
·
The American Humane Association's Have Pet, Will Travel? page.
·
The American Veterinary Medical Association's Traveling With Your Pet page details traveling by car, bus,
and train, as well as camping with pets.
·
For further information on shipping your pet, either within
the U.S. or worldwide, visit the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association International
(IPATA)
|
As I always say, do your research. As soon as you know you want to travel with
your pet, find out what you need to do and what requirements must be met and be
prepared ahead of time. This will make
it less stressful on you, the airline staff, and more importantly on your pet.
Be Well & Be Happy,
Pet~Pourri
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