Author: Geraldine Dimarco
Sometimes it's necessary to transport your dog by air, and
transport dog crates are an important part of the planning for your
dog's trip. Try to minimize the stress of traveling for your dog by
planning ahead. Look into whether there are any options to transporting
your dog by airplane, as this could be less stressful for your dog.
Airplane travel for dogs is fraught with problems, and most pet owners
who have made any enquiries about transporting animals by air are aware
of dogs being injured or worse on such trips. Don't misunderstand me,
most dog air travel is incident free, but because things can go wrong,
planning ahead can mean the difference between a smooth journey for
your dog or one with mishaps.
Prior to looking at transport dog crates or buying your airline
tickets, the first thing you should do is to call the airline to
ascertain their current policies in relation to pet travel. If you plan
to transport a puppy, you also need to bear in mind the federal
regulations that provide that a dog cannot be less than 8 weeks old as
at date of travel, and must have been weaned for at least 5 days before
the flight date.
Large dogs have no choice but to travel in the cargo section of the
airplane, in transport dog crates. The cargo section unfortunately has
neither airconditioning nor heating, which can make for a pretty
uncomfortable experience for dogs. Small dogs may be a litte luckier.
If they're under 15 pounds, they may be accepted in the passenger
compartment of the airplane, traveling in transport dog crates or other
types of pet carriers that will fit under your seat.
These are some steps you can take to ensure a less stressful trip for your pet if you need to transport them by airplane:
- stop-overs and transfers extend the journey for your dog, so opt for a direct flight wherever you can.
- find out about any delays in your flight schedule before you leave
for the airport. You can confirm your flight the day before but it's
also a good idea to call the airport just before you are due to leave
as well, to double check whether the flight is scheduled to take off on
time.
- just prior to leaving for the airport, take your dog for a walk.
- find out from your vet whether you should provide food for the trip.
You'll probably find that your vet will advise you not to feed your dog
for several hours before the flight, but an onflight feed may be needed
depending upon your dog's usual diet, as well as factors such as your
dog's age and size.
- make sure your dog will have a good supply of water during the flight in order to keep him properly hydrated.
- it's good practise to plan to arrive early at the airport. This is
especially important when you're traveling with a pet, as there are
more things that can hold you up.
- give your dog a toilet break immediately before he is put into the
transport dog crate, and put your dog into the crate yourself, rather
than allow airline staff to do so.
- get ready for your flight before you leave for the airport. Take
magazines or reading material and activities for your kids with you so
you don't need to spend time shopping at the airport. It's important
that you spend all the time you can prior to boarding the plane with
your dog. If possible, put your dog into the transport dog crate
yourself (as opposed to airport staff doing this) and if it's allowed,
take your dog to the gate yourself as well.
- when you board the plane, tell the flight attendant that you have a dog in the cargo hold.
- when you land, disembark from the plane as promptly as you can, and
go directly to the baggage claim area to claim your dog as soon as he
is taken off the plane.
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