transporting using airlines

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Postby tibby mama » November 3rd, 2007, 5:16 am

hi! this is my first post. i am a member of another pit fourm and i have asked this question over there, but i havent had a good response so far...
just a few words about tibby: is a year old, she can be on the hyper side (mostly due to her age), she is kennel trained (and extremely well manned while crated), she is calm, well mannered and low key. there is nothing i am concerned about behavior wise with her. shes the perfect girl!

question:

i have to opportunity to possibly take a month off work and go back home to visit my family (who is miss dearly)! only one problem: i would be flying with tibby from los angeles to atlanta (4 hour flight there, almost 5 hours back)!! there is NO WAY IN HELL i am leaving her behind; i would eat myself alive without her!

please please please, give me your thoughts and ideas about traveling coast to coast with her. i have no idea what to expect with airlines; i dont even know if they are safe! i really dont want to deal with any sort of pet shipping company; unless someone knows of a good one.

im stuck..please help!

airlines do not let dogs in the cabin unless they are 6 weeks or younger, correct? when calling airlines, i will have to tell them she is a pit bull? do they frown upon that? any other specific questions i should ask?

any and all help/suggestions/advice/etc is greatly appreciated!

thanks
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Postby iluvk9 » November 3rd, 2007, 8:06 am

My friend flies from NY to her her second home in Florida with 3 Pit Bulls quite often.

She said the dogs go in cargo. Their crates had to be a specified size, according to the airlines she flew and for the safety of her dogs. It didn't matter that they were Pit Bulls.

She suggested calling the airline carrier and find out what they require. Also, she made sure she became VERY good friends (ie-tips!) with a few of the managers in baggage.

Other things:

- fly in a wide-bodied jet (My Dad was the Design Engineer for Boeing). :) More room everywhere!

-fly in the morning or late evening so the cargo area isn't too hot

-ALWAYS have your dog wearing his ID. (Remember the AKC dog that got lost at the airport?)

-get a direct flight

-always have your dogs health certificate with you

-do not tranquilize beforehand

-label your crate VERY clearly

-When she gets on the plane, she tells all fight personnel (including letting the pilot know!) she has 3 dogs with her and shows them photos of them dressed up or just being cute.

-She also acclaimated her dogs to lots of loud, strange sounds. They were very well socialized and live part-time at her horse stable with heavy machinery noises going on.


Read this so you are well informed:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx/9cfr3.html
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Postby SisMorphine » November 3rd, 2007, 8:17 am

A girl I used to work with had a house here in MA and one in France. They would spend 6 months of the year in each. They had a 10 year old dog who would travel with them, presumably by air, though I never asked.

Frankly, I could never fly my dogs anywhere. I can't imagine how confused they'd be during the whole ordeal, how stressed out they could become, and how I would never forgive myself if something happened. If you're going for a month why not drive? It will take you a couple of days, but in the end you wouldn't have to worry about flying your dog. Or just suck it up and leave her. Seriously, I can count on one hand the number of nights I've been without my Wally, but if it was between having to leave him for a month or having to fly him I would absolutely be leaving him for a month . . . with me calling everyday to check in on him (with Teeny I didn't allow myself to get all mushy with her the way I did with Wally, so I have no problem leaving her with people I know or being separated from her in general).
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Postby msvette2u » November 3rd, 2007, 12:09 pm

There was a story about a dog who recently died in a cargo hold. Well, it didn't die for a few days afterward but it turned out the dog had been tossed about, in the crate and it caused some spine damage.
That alone would make me want to drive instead of fly with my dog.

So Sis, as time goes by, you don't worry more about Teeny??
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Postby SisMorphine » November 3rd, 2007, 12:14 pm

On November 03 2007, 11:09 AM, msvette2u wrote:So Sis, as time goes by, you don't worry more about Teeny??
lol

Have you been talking to my mom? Did she tell you how I call her during lunch everyday to check on my monsters? LOL!

Frankly for short periods, like while I'm at work, I don't worry about Wally as he's pretty easy, but I do worry about Teeny. But with overnight stays I don't worry about Teeny at all (she usually stays with my friend who has a Standard Poodle and two Chinese Cresteds that she plays with), yet I freak out about Wally (because he's always shared the bed with me). I make no sense, I can't help it.

Ignore everything I just said. I swear I am an emotionless robot when it comes to Teeny, damnit! lol
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Postby iluvk9 » November 3rd, 2007, 12:26 pm

On November 03 2007, msvette2u wrote:There was a story about a dog who recently died in a cargo hold. Well, it didn't die for a few days afterward but it turned out the dog had been tossed about, in the crate and it caused some spine damage.


NICE STORY, YVETTE!!!! :shock:

Tibby mama, ignore the both of them. :) Read up on transporting your dog by airplane. I just read that over 500,000 dogs fly on major airlines every year and statistically, the odds are that they all make it safe and sound.
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Postby Patch O' Pits » November 3rd, 2007, 12:48 pm

Many show people fly with their dogs

I had a dog flown to me for a breeding and her flight was over 7 hrs. She was fine

6 weeks or younger
dogs must be 8 weeks or older to fly period whether it is in the cabin or under

To fly in the cabin their is a size restriction and unless they are service dogs they have to go under the seat in a carrier. I brought two pups home that way :)

A year old gal would have to be in the cargo

Good info already posted by iluvk9 so just adding it is est to make sure the plane you are flying on has a climate controlled cargo area and make sure the dog is actually on board before you leave
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Postby msvette2u » November 3rd, 2007, 12:56 pm

Hey, it was posted on THIS FORUM!
I can't help it if I read it and remembered it!

(bad link)

I've actually flown a few dogs around the country and they did fine, I think the dog would do fine...
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Postby mnp13 » November 3rd, 2007, 2:23 pm

I know people who fly their dogs regularly; statistically, flying is safer than driving. Some airlines do have breed restrictions. I'd ask if they have a restricted list, but don't volunteer anything. I would definately try to find a direct flight. If you can't, then let the crew know when you get off of the plane for your layover that you have a dog flying with you and you'd like to make sure that it gets moved to the right flight. I know that at one time they let you walk the dog if there was a long layover, but with all the security now, I seriously doubt they would.
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Postby Marinepits » November 5th, 2007, 8:02 am

Make sure you call whatever airline you might use because some do not allow "dangerous dogs" such as pit bulls to fly. (At least, that's the way it was last year when I checked into it.....)

The airline websites are pretty helpful as well -- most have all the requirements listed for flying pets.

And most importantly, as Patch mentioned: make sure the cargo hold is climate controlled.
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Postby katiek0417 » November 5th, 2007, 12:34 pm

Some of the best airlines for flying dogs: Continental and Frontier.

Call ahead.

I know dogs that are transported every day from Europe on Continental. From what I understand, they take great pride in their treatment of animals (and I know people who have flown $40K worth of dogs here to the US on Continental, and have been very happy)....
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Postby luvmypitties » November 6th, 2007, 3:31 pm

We have 21 dogs shipped over from Japan and they all did fantastic... I cant remember what airline they were one but all 21 large and small dogs did fine!
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Postby TheRedQueen » November 7th, 2007, 10:23 am

Just please don't do what a friend of mine just recently did, to avoid having her dog in cargo...slapped a vest on it, put a Service Dog patch on, and put her in the cabin with her...saying that she was her SD. *groan* :nono: I was so disappointed with her.

I have other friends that are flying two St. Poodles down to Bermuda...well, yesterday. They do this all of the time...for shows, and everyone does just fine. -In cargo, that is!
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