TRANSPORTATION BY AIR
General guidelines:When making reservation inquiries for your pets, be sure to ask about applicable regulations, transportation charges and pet insurance.
The Animal Welfare Act prohibits air transportation of puppies and kittens less than eight weeks old and prior to weaning, whether accompanied or unaccompanied.
Obtain shipping containers or carriers a week or two prior to departure date, so that you have time to accustom your pet to it. It is important that your pet feels comfortable in the container. Let your pet get used to it gradually, a few minutes at first. Placing your pet's blanket or a favorite toy in it carrier helps. A good time to try it out would be the pet's naptime. Have tropical fish professionally "packed" by a tropical fish dealer or aquarium supply company.
Shipping containers should withstand jostling, bumps, and the possibility of damage caused by other freight falling on them. Ample cross ventilation and a leak proof bottom with an absorbent layer are a must.
Accompanied Pets
Some airlines permit pets in passenger cabins IF they can be kept in a carrier no larger than 21" x 1 8" x 8" high (which fits under an airline seat.) Larger pets must travel as airfreight.
A Seeing Eye dog normally travels free in the cabin with its master, provided it is properly harnessed. However, the airline must be notified in advance that the dog will be on the flight. As the number of pets permitted on a flight is strictly limited and pet approval is granted on a first-come-first-serve basis, reservations should be made well in advance of departure date.
If your pet is to travel in the cabin, take it with you when you check in. If it is to travel as airfreight, make sure it is delivered on time at the freight terminal.
Should your trip require a transfer between airlines, it will be your responsibility to see that your pet is transferred at the connection point.
Unaccompanied Pets
Dogs and cats should be shipped via airfreight; birds, tropical fish, and small pets such as hamster or gerbils, by airfreight express.
It is better to ship pets during moderate weather, on early morning or late evening flights. They should be sedated if the veterinarian so advises, and picked up without delay at the destination.
Decide whether to:
- Leave your pet with someone for shipment later on so that you will be able to pick the pet up at destination yourself; or
- Ship the pet before you leave and have it cared for at destination until your arrival.
YOU will be responsible for:
- Providing the shipping container, legibly and durably marked with both your and the consignee's name, address and phone number
- Providing required health documents
- Delivery of pet to the air freight terminal on time
- Signing of the shipping papers
- Pick-up at destination
Day of Departure
Feed pet no less than five or six hours before flight time; normally, no additional food is required for at least 12 hours. Give pet a drink of water about two hours before take-off.
If the pet is being transported via airfreight, deliver it to the air terminal two hours prior to flight time.
At airport, exercise the pet on leash and administer any necessary medication before confining it to the shipping container.
After the flight has taken off, notify the consignee that the pet is its way. Pets can usually be picked up within an hour or two after arrival of the flight.
Checklist:
- Transportation charges paid?
- All health and shipping documents in order? Identification tag attached?
- Shipping container securely latched? Legibly labeled? Leash attached?
- Consignee provided all the required information?
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