Pet Health, Interesting Facts, and Trivia
Air Travel With Pets
AIR TRAVEL TIPS
Traveling with pets by air does not have to be a nightmare.
Here are some thoughts from our staff (who have shipped a LOT of pets both internationally as well as domestically).
Buy an adequate, airline-approved carrier and purchase it early.
Zinger Aluminum Dog Crates offer airline approved models for both domestic US travel and International travel.
There are newer regulations regarding snub-nosed breeds such as mastiffs, pit bulls, bulldogs etc. that require them to travel in metal dog crates instead of plastic crates. I believe it is for both the reputatonof those breeds as aggressive dogs and for ventilation requirements because of their sometimes-impaired breathing. Fair or not, it is the regulation on some major airlines.
Pets can never ship in see-through wire kennels. They'd feel more anxiety in those, anyway. The less they see the better they like it. That is another advantage of Zinger crates. They have highly ventilated, but secure doors that help prevent tampering AND temper dog anxiety. (see the picture above)
Purchase your carrier at least two weeks before travel so your pet has time to get used to it.
Give him chew treats and positive experiences at home so he enjoys his time in the crate.
Measure your dog and find out what the airline on which you will travel requires.
Many airlines require that the crate be tall enough for your dog to stand up in a natural manner ie: the total height of the kennel be equal to or taller than the total height of the dog. Comfort requires a height just taller than his height at the shoulder. But the airlline may require taller. However, if it is too large, he can be thrown from side to side and possibly injured more easily than if he is in a crate that is just right. Tall, leggy breeds sometimes have this problem.
The country to which you are flying may requires extra room for dogs inside the crate. For instance, England and Commonwealth countries require enough head room for the dog to stand and not touch the top of the carrier - not even his ears can touch!
Check the airline for loading dimensions of their cargo doors.
X-large dogs require X-large crates. However, some airlines (particularly smaller airlines) do not have cargo doors big enough to take the giant kennels. Check ahead of time.
Know what health papers you will need an keep them handy.
Have your rabies certificate prepared in advance.
Most travel requires a valid rabies certificate (within 1 month to 1 years depending on your destination) and a veterinary health certificate within the past 10-30 days (again depending on the destination). The airlines should be able to give you this information. If you can't get it from them, call the consulate of the receiving country.
Some countries and US States have long, arduous, and expensive quarantine. Hawaii, Great Britain, Australia, and other countries have up to 1 year.
Pets do not travel well on a full stomach.
Take away all food at least 12 hours prior to travel and water 4 hours before travel. (If you'd like him to have a small amount of liquid to 'wet his whistle', add a littlewater to his cup, and freeze it. It will melt and give him a small drink without spilling so much.)
He can also have a natural bone or favorite chew to keep him busy during the flight. Send a snuggly toy with a young or particularly social pup and/or put something with your scent on it in the crate for comfort.
Calmatives can help ease air travel.
If your pets are high strung or nervous, there are a couple of all-natural calmatives or tranquillizers that might help. You want him to be just drowsy, not asleep. Cats don't travel as well as dogs sometimes. However, if you are going to use a calmative or tranquillizer, experiment with it BEFORE you travel to be sure what the effect will be. Cats sometimes react just the opposite of the way you would expect.
Exercise with your pet immediately before boarding if possible.
If your pet will be traveling in the airline cabin with you, try to exercise outside the airport before check-in and between flights. Don't feed during the trip although a SMALL amount of water may be OK if the pet will be allowed to relieve himself at least every 3-4 hours. Take paper towels or other clean-up materials in case he has an "accident" inside the airport. Take a bottle of his home-bottled water.
Know where your pet is.
If the pet is Traveling in the cargo section, it is best if you arrange for counter-to-counter service so you can check him in and pick him up at the ticket counter with your luggage. If he is Traveling without you, you will probably have to leave him at the Cargo area, but you should ask if you can drop him off at the luggage counter.
Expect that you will need extra time for drop off or check in and be prepared.
You can also expect that he may be sitting on the tarmac for an hour or more before he is loaded into the belly of the plane and after he is unloaded.
The airline personnel will NOT open your dogs crate for any reason. If you want them to water him during the flight (not much we hope), then use the cups that fit in the crate. They can stick the snout of a water can through the door mesh and fill his bowl.
We feel it is better to affix a water bottle to the inside of the crate door with a few ounces of home water for your pet to lap during the flight. That way you can give him a little moisture but can control that he doesn't get so much that it fills his bladder and makes him uncomfortable.
Choose a direct flight if at all possible!
We can't stress this enough. Especially if he is Traveling without you, changing planes can be fraught with disaster--especially in airports as large as Dallas-Ft Worth. Try to avoid any changes.Anticipate weather conditions before planning your flight.
Pets are not allowed to travel when the temperature at either end of their journey is too high or too low. This makes travel safer, but can be inconvenient in Summer or Winter in some parts of the world. Plan way ahead.
Your pet will be comfortable in the cargo area of the plane.
The cargo area of the plane (where you pet travels) is temperature and pressure controlled, much like the cabin. He will be fairly comfortable. It's the beginning and end of the trip or during changes of planes that are the most stressful.
Be fully prepared.
Most airlines don't seem to like to handle pets, no matter what they say. (Prices are skyrocketing. They want to be paid a lot for the service and do as little as possible.) You must have your "ducks in a row" and do most of the work for them. If you're prepared, both you and your pets will be more comfortable, and you'll minimize anxiety, frustration, and airline mistakes.