Just Because The Airlines Will Take Them Doesn't Mean You Should Send Them!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Just a reminder that sending dogs on airplanes isn't always a great thing to do.  I know that sometimes it is necessary (I've had to do it myself when we were Military), but just use common sense.  In my opinion there is no way dogs should be put on a plane when it is already 86 degrees at 7 in the morning!



http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/08/04/illinois.airline.dog.deaths/in...

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

I do not advocate air shipment of animals but sometimes it is necessary to utilize this means of transport.....Especially if a rescue dog is located in an area where it has little chance of being adopted.

On the few occasions when we have used commercial airlines to transport a rescue dog to its forever home, we have used Continental.

They have an animal transport specified program and pressurized, temperature controlled cargo holds that they went to great expense to retro-fit with noise reduction insulation. Continental also employs an airline attendant that climbs down into the hold every hour to check on any and all live animals that are in the hold.

The animals are the first entities to leave the plane when it arrives....They are not left in the hold, they are not left on the tarmac...They are immediately taken to an indoor, temperature controlled holding area "Quick Pac" within the Continental terminal where they are literally handed over to the individual receiving them within minutes of deplaning .....

I have seen the program in action myself. Granted we don't utilize it often but when we have there has never been a problem with Continental and the dogs were absolutely fine.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think it's probably a good idea to try to only ship animals in the more temperate times of year. Both my dogs were shipped cross country and arrived in fine shape, and in seemingly good spirits. It is true that Calla made sure that I cleaned the area in front of the elevator to the parking level quite thoroughly, after I had just walked her outside. But she had a long flight. Continental has a long list of advice on flying animals, including what to feed them, not to sedate them etc. They also have a dedicated pick-up area at Newark.
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/default...

[Holly Doodle]

This is sooooo sad! We had Holly shipped to us but we had to check the weather frequently with our breeder to determine a good day. She also arrived fine but I wouldn't have shipped her if we didn't have to.

I was supposed to fly into the Chicago airport on the same day these puppies died but my flight was delayed 3 times and then ultimately canceled due to President Obama being there. There were 4 other planes from my airport in Iowa that were also delayed or canceled going into Chicago. Not that this matters because it was obviously too hot to fly them anyways, but just another detail.