Question about flying dog

[AliciaSimba]

I am moving to western canada with my friend and unfortunately WE are driving up and its like a 68 hour drive so we can take our pets. i own a siberian husky he is just barely a year and from what i can tell in good health. im scared to death of this flying thing cause i dontwanna like ... find him dead :\ I just needed some advice because i do need to fly him out with me. Something on like crates, what the best airline would be. any precautions i should take etc
Also i thought of sedating him? Better? Please help moi

Alicia

 

[PoodleMommy]

I dont know what airlines fly in Canada, I am assuming the same ones as the States. If so, Continental is the best to fly pets. Cargo is air controlled and they are very careful with the pets, they are the last on and the first off to ensure they do not sit on the tarmac.

I believe, the airlines no longer take sedated pets, so please check into that before you make plans.

Good Luck and I am sure everything will work out fine, we had a dog flown to us and everything went well.

Elissa

 

[B33CPE]

i know united, american, and delta fly pets, SOuthwest doesnt. There is info on their websites or you can call them. Dogs are shipped as cargo if nobody is flying on the plane with them. You have to buy a crate that is comfortable for the dog, have two dishes attached, and absorbant material in the bottom. Airline workers are not supposed to open the kennels. You are charged by the total weight of the dog and kennel. Some airlines have a AC/Heated area for the dogs to stay during layovers etc, Some dont. Temperature is an issue, some airlines wont fly dogs during the summer because of the heat, depends on where you live. I have heard the sedatives are bad for flying because the dog can lose its balance more easily. ANyway, check out the sites or call for more info. Hope it goes well

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

1) NEVER sedate a dog for air travel. Sedation can interfere with control of body temp, and makes it more likely your dog will have an issue.

2) Sky kennels are called sky kennels because that is what dogs are shipped by air in. It's smart to permanently attach the pieces, zip tie the door shut, and use cargo straps around the middle and length of the crate. When you have it done up this way, it sort of looks like it's wrapped with ribbon like a present. This ENSURES the crate will not come open during flight or handling.

3) make SURE your dog is very comfortable in a crate, and views it as a safe place before shipping time.

4) before shipping time, freeze water in a bucket to hang in the crate. Keep it in a cooler and frozen until they take the dog into baggage. This way it will thaw gradually and not be all sloshed out by the time they load the dog.

5) Put a brightly colored sign on top of the crate that reads something like:

My name is __________, and this is my first flight. I may be scared, so please speak kindly to me and handle my crate gently. Please do NOT put my crate on any moving conveyor belt. I appreciate being kept in a sheltered area out of the (cold/heat/sun) if possible. Wags, and woofs, (name of dog).

this gives the dog a "personality" and an identity to those handling him, and almost guarantees he will be spoken to by name when he's being handled on the ramp.

6) Insure the dog for NO LESS than 10,000 US. This is not expensive, and I PROMISE YOU it makes for a difference in the way the dog is handled.

 

[brock23]

I saw the title of the thread and thought; wow someone spotted the rare flying dog, but alas just a travel question.

 

[Leslie + Chessies]

I flew Jasmine when she was six month old with Continental. They were absolutley wonderful with her and me. They are strict with their guidelines so follow their shipping directions carefully.

http://www.continental.com/travel/policies/animals/default.asp

 

[Violet21]

Air Canada.. is what we just used. They have pressurized, heated/cooled compartments..

We however will never ship a dog again. Our puppy arrived covered in his own poo and pee and sad and his crate was just disgusting.

I think its awful they are in the pitch dark listening to the jet engines etc.. very terrifying.. but if you must I know Air Canada has some of the best standards..

We never will again but it could have been a lot worse. My sister is a flight attendant, she has told me some the the stories about the other airlines.. ugh

 

[shabess1200]

I used Air Canada as well to fly a Shepherd to B.C. You can rent their crates and I met the dog when it arrived. All was well and she was well cared for, no signs of stress at all.

 

[JennSLK]

It's cheeper if you are on the plane flying with the dog.

From here to Vancover if I was on the plane its $100, but if I was not on the flight it was $500.

What part of Canada are you moving to? Im in Alberta

 

[Puckstop31]

I saw the title of the thread and thought; wow someone spotted the rare flying dog, but alas just a travel question.

You too??? LOL

 

[FoxyWench]

i am unfamiliar with other airlines but check to see if continental has any flights up there, ive used continental with nothing but great results over the past few years...

 

[soft pawz]

3 month ago i flew from germany to canada/ toronto with my maltese.

a 10 hours flight with lufthansa.

- they weight my puppy and the bag
- i wasnt allowed to take him out of the carrier even for a second ( 1 second after i took him out to take his leash off a flight attendence already showed up telling me: nono, you cant do that!)
- i wasnt allowed to take him with me to the toilett (he was only only 4 month back then and i couldnt leave him alone or he would freak....so i ended up not being able to go to the toilett......)

all together not a to pleasant experience. its pretty rude that i couldnt even take him out for a tiny bit, after all i had to pay more for his ticket as i had to pay for mine and the people sitting next to me seemed to like dogs........
i dont see why 2 or 3 pounds overweight should make a big difference. what if you would weight 3 pounds more? why doesnt the weight of the person play a role but 3 pounds more on a dog does??? i really doubt that it would make the plane crash but some airlines are simply stubborn and their rules dont make much sense so be prepared for the worst.......

it would probably be good to stop feeding your dog 24 or 48 hours before the flight, then give him a little snack in the plane.
maybe you should shave him too, how much does fur weigh ........

airlines..........

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

As a person who worked as a Flight Attendant for some years, I will say this.

Rules are in place for a reason. Some people are allergic to dogs. Food is served on aircraft. animals may be nervous or upset in such an environment and not behave as they normally would. Animals in transport are to remain IN their carriers for a variety of reasons.

You should be DELIGHTED that you are able to take a small dog into the cabin and not put it in cargo, and you should follow the rules that are in place so that others can have the same privilege.