# Flying with my golden from NY TO SAN FRANCISCO!! help!



## GRTigger (Jan 16, 2010)

I need help! I'm flying my golden retriever with me to San Francisco, CA in September. I need information with anything possible. I never did this before and I'm scared of how everything will go. I want my dog safe and sound. Did anyone fly with their dogs before? I've went on google to search for it but I still don't understand that well.. Probably because I'm nervous and I need someone with experience, not just telling me a blab of this and then a blab of that. I need to know how big of a kennel I need. I was thinking a kennel from here, Airline Dog Crates | Airline Approved Pet Carriers, Sky Kennel Pet Crate
a size large. My golden's around 80 something pounds. He has short legs but stocky.


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## Jamm (Mar 28, 2010)

Is this a vacation? Or are you moving there? I know many members would NOT fly their golden out for a vacation.. I would personally kennel my dog instead of risking his/her life on a plane. Dogs die all the time from the stress of plane rides.. they escape.. its just very traumatizing for them.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I would never fly with Molly. It is too risky.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

My Yorkies can fly in cabin so they could go on quick trips with me. I personally would not fly a dog in cargo. When I go to see my dad in Nashville, TN I drive. 

My dogs go with me on vacation so I generally drive.

Could you drive the trip? Or leave your guy with someone else if it is only for vacation?


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

If you are moving, I'd highly recommend driving it. You remain in control - of bathroom breaks, of eating, of temperature control. Sure it takes a bit longer, but it is worth it. Flying dogs in cargo is such a huge risk. I wouldn't do it. 

If it's vacation - I'd leave him home.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

I retired from the FTA (31 yrs.) No way would I fly my dog in cargo. Pressure drops, drastic temp. changes, stress from the other animals to name a few. What happens to your ears during take-off and landing is 10x worse for dogs. Cargo handlers at terminals are not the most caring employees either.
There are a few airlines (private) that specialize in flying pets and only pets. The fares are remarkably reasonable as well.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I think if it is just a vacation,i would not do it, but if moving there, it might be easier than driving, as direct of a flight,as possible. One of mine, flew from west coast,to boston. All was well.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

goldensrbest said:


> I think if it is just a vacation,i would not do it, but if moving there, it might be easier than driving, as direct of a flight,as possible. One of mine, flew from west coast,to boston. All was well.


I agree! I certainly wouldn't drive that far. People fly their dogs all the time and they are fine.

However no way for vacation. I wouldn't even consider that.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Me moved overseas (and back) many years ago and flew our dog over. She did fine.
Would I do it for a vacation? No. But if I were moving, rather than re-home my dog, I'd do it.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

There is an airline for pets only. They are crated but in the cabin. That's the only way I'd fly mine. Otherwise I'd drive. We just 2 of ours from Dallas to Durham NC and they did fine.

http://www.petairways.com/


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

Even if I was moving cross country, I would drive rather than fly my dogs in cargo. I've just heard way too many horror stories. My husband and I drove from Washington DC to San Diego in less than 4 days, and that was even with a reasonable number of driving hours per day.. nothing crazy.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I THINK IT IS LIKE MANY THINGS, WE HERE THE WORST STORIES, and not all the good ones.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

My husband is a captain of a major airline--let's just put it this way. We will NEVER fly our dogs. He will usually tell me when he sees a dog in the cargo and 99.9% of the time the dog is shaking, frightened and very stressed out. It upsets him to see them in that condition. He was telling me about a Doberman puppy just last week that was so frightened he pooped and threw up in the crate and he had not even departed yet. That dog was taken off the flight at his insistence--he didn't want to risk the dog's life. I believe he was in San Francisco at the time.

Never ever fly a dog into a southern airport, such as ATL, DFW or MIA from late April to early October--it's too dangerous for the dog from a heat stroke perspective--on the tarmac waiting to load!

We will drive or take a very slow boat rather than flying one of our dogs, unless they can fly in the cabin with us.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

goldensrbest said:


> I THINK IT IS LIKE MANY THINGS, WE HERE THE WORST STORIES, and not all the good ones.


My husband would disagree 100% with this--he sees these dogs in the cargo holds and on the tarmac. See my post above. We both feel very strongly about this.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

goldensrbest said:


> I THINK IT IS LIKE MANY THINGS, WE HERE THE WORST STORIES, and not all the good ones.


I'm not quite sure what you "here" but I've seen it with my eyes......and it's truly sickening.
Are you aware that a few years back, the grand champion at Westminister escaped his crate at JFK airport? On that huge tarmac? It was a whippet and it was never found.
I could go on and on as I'm sure Dallas Gold has the same type stories.
Just the noise levels of a 747 et al is enough to forever traumatize a dog or cat.
I'd crawl with Mick before I'd ever put him in the cargo hold of a passenger jet.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Tennyson said:


> I'm not quite sure what you "here" but I've seen it with my eyes......and it's truly sickening.
> Are you aware that a few years back, the grand champion at Westminister escaped his crate at JFK airport? On that huge tarmac? It was a whippet and it was never found.
> I could go on and on as I'm sure Dallas Gold has the same type stories.
> Just the noise levels of a 747 et al is enough to forever traumatize a dog or cat.
> I'd crawl with Mick before I'd ever put him in the cargo hold of a passenger jet.


I often wondered about the young puppies shipped in cargo holds and wonder if they become adult dogs with fears and phobias from the noises. I'm not aware of any studies done, but it would be interesting if someone would do a survey like that. 

I flew on a flight and listened to a lab dog constantly barking in the cargo hold--we could hear it in the cabin and the owners were beyond distraught.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Sure there are times things go wrong, but we hear of that,not how many got to where they are going ,being fine, and i am sure they are scared,must be noisy in there. i would not fly them, if going on a vacation, that is for sure.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

goldensrbest said:


> Sure there are times things go wrong, but we hear of that,not how many got to where they are going ,being fine, and i am sure they are scared,must be noisy in there. i would not fly them, if going on a vacation, that is for sure.


It's beyond noisy. It's either terribly hot before take-off then the temp. lowers drastically during flight. The pressure in the cabin hold also fluctuates. Then the stress of animals freaking......well unless they are drugged in to a trance. That was always fun to see. 
Then there's the smell. A combination of jet fuel, fresh excrement and urine.......from all the crated animals. Ventilation is non-existant in cargo holds.
Nothing like traveling first class for your pets.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

goldensrbest said:


> Sure there are times things go wrong, but we hear of that,not how many got to where they are going ,being fine, and i am sure they are scared,must be noisy in there. i would not fly them, if going on a vacation, that is for sure.


You always hear about things that go wrong. People and the news media thrive on these things.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> You always hear about things that go wrong. People and the news media thrive on these things.


No. The only sensationalized case I posted was about the whippet that was lost at JFK.
What Dallas Gold and I were pointing out was normal conditions for pets in cargo-holds before, during and after flights.
It's called SOP. Standard Operating Procedure.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Tennyson said:


> No. The only sensationalized case I posted was about the whippet that was lost at JFK.
> What Dallas Gold and I were pointing out was normal conditions for pets in cargo-holds before, during and after flights.
> It's called SOP. Standard Operating Procedure.


And how many survive just fine?


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> And how many survive just fine?


Why don't you answer your own question and google "animal abuse by airlines." You'll find all sorts of goodies and petitions.
The stories about exotic birds isn't for the faint of heart, btw.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Tennyson said:


> Why don't you answer your own question and google "animal abuse by airlines." You'll find all sorts of goodies and petitions.
> The stories about exotic birds isn't for the faint of heart, btw.


I don't have to google. I know of 5 off the top of my head that survived just fine. You can google anything to make a case. Seriously google "hospital abuse" lol! However I think if you had to go to the hospital you would.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

It's not just a matter of a dog "surviving just fine" but the amount of trauma/long term effects associated with the trip as well. 

Just not worth the risk to me. If I were moving overseas, I would consider it solely if it was the only option for me to keep my pets, but otherwise if the dogs need to come with me somewhere, we'll find a way to drive. 

My husband and I drove with the dogs from San Diego to Texas a couple summers ago, and it was an extremely easy trip for everyone. The dogs slept the drive away in the back seat. I just can't imagine putting them through the terror of a plane's cargo hold. I don't care how many dogs "survive just fine".. enough don't.


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## Jackson's Mom (Aug 29, 2011)

This is probably a really stupid question, but can you buy a seat for your dog to ride in the cabin?? Are service dogs allowed to fly up front?


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

I would not fly my own dog in cargo but I think this person is asking for some help if it turns out she has no other option. The rescue I help out with flies dogs to CA from overseas on an almost monthly basis. So far all has gone well. Is it the best situation? No, but in our case these dogs end up with loving homes that they otherwise would not have the opportunity to have.
Unfortunately, I do not know the size of airline crate that is used to be alble to assist in that area and I don't have any other suggestions other than I hope you are able to find a safe way of getting your dog where it needs to be.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Jackson's Mom said:


> This is probably a really stupid question, but can you buy a seat for your dog to ride in the cabin?? Are service dogs allowed to fly up front?


 http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/20030509.pdf


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## coffenut (Jan 3, 2012)

GRTigger said:


> I need help! I'm flying my golden retriever with me to San Francisco, CA in September. I need information with anything possible. I never did this before and I'm scared of how everything will go. I want my dog safe and sound. Did anyone fly with their dogs before? I've went on google to search for it but I still don't understand that well.. Probably because I'm nervous and I need someone with experience, not just telling me a blab of this and then a blab of that. I need to know how big of a kennel I need. I was thinking a kennel from here, Airline Dog Crates | Airline Approved Pet Carriers, Sky Kennel Pet Crate
> a size large. My golden's around 80 something pounds. He has short legs but stocky.


I have flown with my dogs (and cats) all over the world including to some third world countries such as Afghanistan (back before people knew where it was). They have been fine and well taken care of on every airline that we have flown. Since you are flying here in the US, I don't think you need to be overly concerned about the safety of your pet. There are never any guarantees, but in my experience, the airlines really do try to give pets their best service. We have always used Sky Kennels. One of the things that we have also done is made sure that they had their bed or articles of clothing that smelled like us in the crate with them. Also made sure that they had a bowl for water (usually clipped to the crate). Make sure your dog is microchipped and that there are addresses plastered all over the crate <G>. Some airlines will let you check on the dog before they are put in the plane. I know some people that have given their dogs valium (or something like that to calm them), we did that once and it was the biggest mistake we ever made as when my dog woke and was disoriented and in a non-familiar environment and alone, she freaked. I feel badly about that to this day.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Tennyson said:


> http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/20030509.pdf


Interesting reading


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

coffenut said:


> I have flown with my dogs (and cats) all over the world including to some third world countries such as Afghanistan (back before people knew where it was). They have been fine and well taken care of on every airline that we have flown. *Since you are flying here in the US, I don't think you need to be overly concerned about the safety of your pet. *There are never any guarantees, but in my experience, the airlines really do try to give pets their best service. We have always used Sky Kennels. One of the things that we have also done is made sure that they had their bed or articles of clothing that smelled like us in the crate with them. Also made sure that they had a bowl for water (usually clipped to the crate). Make sure your dog is microchipped and that there are addresses plastered all over the crate <G>. Some airlines will let you check on the dog before they are put in the plane. I know some people that have given their dogs valium (or something like that to calm them), we did that once and it was the biggest mistake we ever made as when my dog woke and was disoriented and in a non-familiar environment and alone, she freaked. I feel badly about that to this day.


While I agree airlines will try to give pets good service, some things are unavoidable--high heat in summer, freezing temperatures in the winter, loud noises in the plane, darkness, etc. There aren't any guarantees and IMO people should consider other alternatives to putting their dog in the cargo hold if at all possible (and domestic US travel in the continental US provides good alternatives for travel), especially if the dog has any sort of health issue, is young or is elderly. I believe there are statistics posted quarterly by the DOT or possibly FAA detailing all the deaths of animals on flights--and believe me, there are casualties. Places like DFW will refuse to fly animals on days when the temperature humidity index is over a minimum threshold...that means your dog might be left behind and your trip might be complicated very quickly. 

Everyone has their own comfort zone when it comes to the health and safety of their pets--based on my husband's observations in his full time job, we won't risk putting our beloved animals in the cargo hold. He sees those traumatized eyes and just shakes his head...it bothers him to see the terror and fear. He sees much more than the pet owners realize and I don't discount his expert opinion.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Nobody is saying it's an ideal situation. But some people have no choice. Dogs fly everyday, naming a few bad situations is really not alarming at all.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Nobody is saying it's an ideal situation. But some people have no choice. Dogs fly everyday, naming a few bad situations is really not alarming at all.


But they *don't* fly everyday, at least here in Texas in the late spring, summer and early fall, because the risk of dying from heat related complications is so great that the airlines don't want the risk. So yes, discussing the risks involved in flying a dog in cargo is worth it if it stops and makes someone reconsider a safer and healthier alternative for their dog. If the OP can fly a non stop route from the North on a cool day with perfect weather along the route (think diversions for weather, fuel, medical emergency or mechanical reasons), pick an airline and a flight with a good track record of on time arrivals, with no mechanicals or other in-flight emergencies, gets a clean bill of health and health certificate from a veterinarian*, and is willing to take the risk of a post-flight traumatized dog, then maybe it's OK...but there are many, many risks to consider and this thread is at least putting the considerable risks out there. Generalizing that dogs fly safely everyday, without considering these risks, doesn't help to educate the public. 

My husband has diverted in flight for medical emergencies, adding time to the flight--what happens to a dog in cargo during such a situation? That dog is not high on the priority list at that time because all eyes are focused on helping the passenger with the medical emergency and getting the plane back in the air. The airport isn't expecting this flight, so it's a major disruption to that airport's operation as well. He's also diverted to remove an unruly passenger--same situation...

* I'd suggest an echocardiogram on the dog to make sure there are no undiagnosed heart conditions before flying a dog in cargo.

The OP should also have a veterinarian in mind should the dog come out of the cargo hold needing immediate veterinary assistance.


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## coffenut (Jan 3, 2012)

Dallas Gold said:


> While I agree airlines will try to give pets good service, some things are unavoidable--high heat in summer, freezing temperatures in the winter, loud noises in the plane, darkness, etc. There aren't any guarantees and IMO people should consider other alternatives to putting their dog in the cargo hold if at all possible (and domestic US travel in the continental US provides good alternatives for travel), especially if the dog has any sort of health issue, is young or is elderly. I believe there are statistics posted quarterly by the DOT or possibly FAA detailing all the deaths of animals on flights--and believe me, there are casualties. Places like DFW will refuse to fly animals on days when the temperature humidity index is over a minimum threshold...that means your dog might be left behind and your trip might be complicated very quickly.
> 
> Everyone has their own comfort zone when it comes to the health and safety of their pets--based on my husband's observations in his full time job, we won't risk putting our beloved animals in the cargo hold. He sees those traumatized eyes and just shakes his head...it bothers him to see the terror and fear. He sees much more than the pet owners realize and I don't discount his expert opinion.


Flying is never "ideal" and personally I think that a cross country car ride would be more fun ... then again I love to drive. However, sometimes that is just not an option. I would rather help alleviate someone's fears about flying their dog than inundate them with horror stories about what could go wrong (I'm not saying that you are doing this but that seems to be the trend of this particular thread). I think everyone on this board loves and cares deeply for their animals and no one wants to cause them undue stress. I also know of eight people personally that were too scared of flying their animals and driving was NOT an option that they actually gave up their animals rather than fly them to the new home. My animals are my children. If I could ride with them in the hold, I would.

I do agree that if you have an elderly or sickly dog, a vet check is essential before embarking on this journey. The fact of the matter is that there are no guarantees. Ever. Whether you are human or fur covered. Work with the airlines. If you are flying at the height of summer, try to route yourself through places where they don't fry eggs on the sidewalk . If you are rerouted for some reason (ie human medical emergency), see if you can check on your kid before the plane takes off again.

All I am trying to say is that be logical about the situation. You know your furkid best. Work with your vet and the airlines. Make logical and well thought out plans and decisions and have contingency plans. Driving across country could be a blast OTH I wouldn't hesitate to fly with my baby either.

Good luck.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I agree, I would never fly Riley in cargo unless it was absolutely unavoidable and I would pay all the extra money I could to try to put him on a pet-specific airline or something. The thought of what they go through when you fly a dog cargo is just horrifying, I think I would cry for the entire flight. But to be fair, I am a huge worry wart and I know that my dog in particular would be horrible with that kind of situation.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

The US DOT keeps statistics for canine deaths occuring during airline travel. The latest published are for 2010. 39 dogs died. 12 were english bull-dogs. Delta and US Air are now banning bulldogs, poms, pugs, etc, from flying. Their resp. systems with the pushed in snout are easily suspectable to air-borne illnesses.
Good odds eh?


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

For me though, death is not the only worry I have. I worry about how traumatizing and scary it will be for my dog. I worry about him baking out on the tarmac, his crate being handled roughly, the dark, the noises, the altitude changes, and all while he is alone. I just think it would be a terribly stressful experience for him and I would avoid it at all costs.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

I'm not disagreeing about not flying dogs but to be fair how many dogs were flown in that year. 39 deaths seems like a lot but it is a very different number statistically if 100 or 10000 dogs flew.

To the OP, I've never flown with a pet so I have no help. I do have a friend who often flew with a dog for shows. I remember her telling a story once about raising a ruckus because the flight staff hadn't given her the ticket saying the dog was on board and the were getting ready to take off. So make sure you understand what should be happeneing and follow through to make sure everything is going as it should. If at all possible I would pay extra for a nonstop flight.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

coffenut said:


> Flying is never "ideal" and personally I think that a cross country car ride would be more fun ... then again I love to drive. However, sometimes that is just not an option. I would rather help alleviate someone's fears about flying their dog than inundate them with horror stories about what could go wrong (I'm not saying that you are doing this but that seems to be the trend of this particular thread). I think everyone on this board loves and cares deeply for their animals and no one wants to cause them undue stress. I also know of eight people personally that were too scared of flying their animals and driving was NOT an option that they actually gave up their animals rather than fly them to the new home. My animals are my children. If I could ride with them in the hold, I would.
> 
> I do agree that if you have an elderly or sickly dog, a vet check is essential before embarking on this journey. The fact of the matter is that there are no guarantees. Ever. Whether you are human or fur covered. Work with the airlines. If you are flying at the height of summer, try to route yourself through places where they don't fry eggs on the sidewalk . If you are rerouted for some reason (ie human medical emergency), see if you can check on your kid before the plane takes off again.
> 
> ...


I truly appreciate what you are saying, but unfortunately, to point out the risks it is necessary to point out the horrors, otherwise people will be unaware of the consequences. I'd rather be aware of the worst-case situation before making a decision this important rather than go into it blindly and be shocked if something horrific happened or I emotionally scarred an animal. Those "in the know" who work in the industry or see these animals on the tarmac and in the plane bellies want people to realize this could very well be a life threatening (or life changing) situation for their pet if not approached with the utmost consideration and forethought, weighing the risk for each individual animal. 

Oh, and if there is an in-flight emergency and the plane is diverted, the goal is to get the plane up in the air and on to the destination after it is resolved--they may not let a passenger go check on their animal, simply because they may be landing in an airport where there aren't employees/contracted independents to do just that. I was diverted once to Oklahoma City after midnight due to storms at DFW. The airport terminal was closed, no employees around and they had to find a contractor to refuel so we could take off again to our original destination. It took a while. It would have been impossible to check on a pet in the cargo hold of that plane during that time.

This type of thread will always be a 'hot' topic for me.


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## GoBigRed (Jan 24, 2012)

If you are moving and driving isn't a possibility then flying should be fine. Here is a great website with some wonderful advice and super products. I've purchased the airline kits twice. Pet Airline Travel Blog-DryFur®

We are Military so flying with our pets has been a must. Here is everything my pets have went through just fine:

Cat at 3yrs old flown from Japan to Alaska (this was a dumb flight as we had to land in AK & clear customs, board the plane again, fly to Seattle, board another plane and fly back to AK)

Cat at 13yrs of age and dog at 5yrs of age: flown from NE to England (UK) in December.

Cat at 16yrs of age flown back from the UK to NE in July.

Contintental Airlines has temperature controlled cargo holds so pets can fly year around regardless of the temps. Mine flown in Dec when it was below freezing and back in July when it was almost 100 degrees. They have a specific number to call for their Pet Safe program.

Please visit the website I shared atleast for the information provided on it regarding the kennels and using the appropriate screws and tie downs, etc.

I wouldn't hesitate to fly my animals again. We were told by one company to rehome our cat because she is so old but there is no way I could do that. She is in good health and at 16yrs of age did perfectly fine on a seriously long flight.


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## BJoy (Aug 22, 2011)

GRTigger said:


> I need help! I'm flying my golden retriever with me to San Francisco, CA in September. I need information with anything possible. I never did this before and I'm scared of how everything will go. I want my dog safe and sound. Did anyone fly with their dogs before? I've went on google to search for it but I still don't understand that well.. Probably because I'm nervous and I need someone with experience, not just telling me a blab of this and then a blab of that. I need to know how big of a kennel I need. I was thinking a kennel from here, Airline Dog Crates | Airline Approved Pet Carriers, Sky Kennel Pet Crate
> a size large. My golden's around 80 something pounds. He has short legs but stocky.


Just moved from Paris to Miami and Joy was OK. We had airline approved pet carrier series 500 (max allowed by American Airlines)... If you are still up to flying with your baby, just make sure carrier meets requirements for airline that you will fly with... September in San Francisco should be nice  

If I could choose, I would never fly Joy again. I would rather drive across the country. Did it before with a dog and a cat (Boston to LA) and had a lot fun  
Like I said, Joy was just fine, little exhausted, but happy to see us after aircraft landed... We gave her something to calm her down before the flight. It was some kind of herb calming syrup (holistic and completely natural) that our vet in Paris prescribed. 

Whatever you decide hope that you guys will have safe and worry free trip...


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

vcm5 said:


> For me though, death is not the only worry I have. I worry about how traumatizing and scary it will be for my dog. I worry about him baking out on the tarmac, his crate being handled roughly, the dark, the noises, the altitude changes, and all while he is alone. I just think it would be a terribly stressful experience for him and I would avoid it at all costs.


 
This - times 10!


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## GoBigRed (Jan 24, 2012)

Please note that flying our pets was not an "easy" thing to do. The cost was outrageous; over $2,000 for the first UK flight and a little over $1,000 for the cat to come back from the UK. We had health certificates and to fly to the UK there was six months of preparation with blood work and paper work, etc. Customs forms, USDA stamps...lots of work.

We didn't take flying our pets lightly, I read up on everything I could and had the best security in and on their kennels that I could buy (tie downs, better screws than what comes with the kennels from the stores). I love me pets as my children (I have two of those too..lol) and made sure everything that could be done was done for safe flights. 

Would I fly my pets for a vacation in the States, no. If I couldn't bring them with then I would find a quality kennel facility. However if flying was my only opition then I wouldn't hesitate to do so.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

GoBigRed said:


> If you are moving and driving isn't a possibility then flying should be fine. Here is a great website with some wonderful advice and super products. I've purchased the airline kits twice. Pet Airline Travel Blog-DryFur®
> 
> We are Military so flying with our pets has been a must. Here is everything my pets have went through just fine:
> 
> ...



You mention cats, not dogs. Have you ever flown a large breed dog?

Continental Airlines is now United Airlines--numbers and policies for flying animals may have already changed to be what United was doing previously.


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## *Laura* (Dec 13, 2011)

Thank you Dallas Gold for the information you have shared from your husband's first-hand experience. It's this type of awareness about what goes on and the pressure this creates on the airlines that will change their policies to ensure that not one animals dies from flying. One death is too many IMO. If this is being resolved by the airlines that's great. Without this knowledge we'd be in the dark about these conditions and it likely would never be changed.


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

I have made coast-to-coast moves twice with my Goldens. Each time, I opted to drive across country with them rather than put them through the trauma of airline cargo handling. 

If the airlines are the only option that works for you, check their regulations about the size and design of the crate that is required. Here's a pointer to the United site about shipping animals: United Airlines - Procedures for animal shippers. And here's their checklist, which includes detailed guidance about crates: http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/CGO556_Live_Animal_Checklist_REV_Dec2011.pdf. Here is similar information from Delta: Pet Travel Requirements & Restrictions and Pet Travel Requirements & Restrictions.

Here is a site with a wide variety of information about air travel with a pet: Airline Pet Policies - Pets Airline Regulations.

And here are the IATA guidelines about crates: http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/live_animals/Documents/container-requirement1-lar37.pdf. Note that IATA discourages use of tranquilizers or similar medications because of the associated risks to the animal, especially when unattended.

I hope you find a solution that works for you and that gets your dog there safely.


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## GoBigRed (Jan 24, 2012)

I did mention a dog, 5yr old Labrador that weighed 107 pounds. Flown from Omaha, NE to Gatwick, London.

The cat flew back from the United Kingdom (London) to Omaha, NE last July 2011 via Continental Airlines.


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## GoBigRed (Jan 24, 2012)

United Airlines - Traveling with animals Here is United/Continentals PetSafe program. Forgive me for not knowing in the last 11 months that United purchased Continental. It appears they are keeping the policies of Continental from what I glanced at.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

GoBigRed said:


> United Airlines - Traveling with animals Here is United/Continentals PetSafe program. Forgive me for not knowing in the last 11 months that United purchased Continental. It appears they are keeping the policies of Continental from what I glanced at.


I didn't mean offense when I mentioned the merger...just pointing out for anyone interested in the future that there is no more Continental Airlines.

It is interesting to note that Southwest Airlines avoids the risk altogether by prohibiting any pet in cargo, period.



> Will pets be allowed in cargo?
> Under no circumstances will we accept pets in the cargo bin. Southwest only accepts cats and dogs in-cabin.


Pets

I have a suspicion, with time and with more animal cargo fatalities or terrorist threats using pets as bomb carriers, other airlines will also follow suit.

I'm curious. Can anyone who has flown a pet recently in cargo tell us if the airline requires the owner to sign a full release of liability?


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Tennyson said:


> The US DOT keeps statistics for canine deaths occuring during airline travel. The latest published are for 2010. 39 dogs died. 12 were english bull-dogs. Delta and US Air are now banning bulldogs, poms, pugs, etc, from flying. Their resp. systems with the pushed in snout are easily suspectable to air-borne illnesses.
> Good odds eh?



Only 39? How many total dogs flew? And what exactly did they die from? Do you have statistics on how many humans died while flying? Unless they could prove the causes, those numbers don't mean anything.

Sadly fear is a very powerful thing.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Only 39?
> 
> Sadly fear is a very powerful thing.


Failure to recognize and act upon risk is also comes with consequences. Knowledge is power.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Only 39? How many total dogs flew? And what exactly did they die from? Do you have statistics on how many humans died while flying? Unless they could prove the causes, those numbers don't mean anything.
> 
> Sadly fear is a very powerful thing.


The US DOT doesn't have the statistics for humans that die while flying in the cargo-hold or during take-off, landing, un-loading and loading.
Perhaps because there are none?
Just sayin......


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I think that basically it is crucial to do research, know all the potential dangers and to weigh your situation and your dog to decide what is best. Every case is different obviously. I know that my dog in particular would have a horrible time with this, he would be absolutely beside himself and I worry that he would have anxiety for a long time after something like that.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Dallas Gold said:


> Failure to recognize and act upon risk is also comes with consequences. Knowledge is power.


And who is doing that? The posters that posted their experience flying their pets were very knowledgable. Are you saying otherwise?


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Tennyson said:


> The US DOT doesn't have the statistics for humans that die while flying in the cargo-hold or during take-off, landing, un-loading and loading.
> Perhaps because there are none?
> Just sayin......



Did I say humans that flew in cargo? Let me check........Nope.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I was very nervous when cambridge ,flew from west coast,to east coast, but talked to people that had no problem,in flying dogs, so went a head with it, she was fine, but was glad once she landed, first time to do this,and might be the only time.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

vcm5 said:


> I think that basically it is crucial to do research, know all the potential dangers and to weigh your situation and your dog to decide what is best. Every case is different obviously. I know that my dog in particular would have a horrible time with this, he would be absolutely beside himself and I worry that he would have anxiety for a long time after something like that.


I agree! Some people won't even board their dogs. Every case is different.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> I agree! Some people won't even board their dogs. Every case is different.


Agreed! Every case is totally different! I don't think I would ever board Riley, but I don't see anything wrong with it. I would just worry too much about whether or not he was scared or anxious, I prefer to leave him with a friend or hire someone to stay with him. But not all dogs get as worried when they are left, so if he wasn't such a wimp about being without a person to cuddle with I would probably feel differently!


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> And who is doing that? The posters that posted their experience flying their pets were very knowledgable. Are you saying otherwise?


No, I was referring to you specifically.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Tennyson said:


> The US DOT doesn't have the statistics for humans that die while flying in the cargo-hold or during take-off, landing, un-loading and loading.
> Perhaps because there are none?
> Just sayin......


Sad but true-- airlines sometimes have stowaways in the landing gear wells from international destinations. I believe one of the latest ones stowed away in a Haiti to Miami flight. He didn't make it.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Dallas Gold said:


> Sad but true-- airlines sometimes have stowaways in the landing gear wells from international destinations. I believe one of the latest ones stowed away in a Haiti to Miami flight. He didn't make it.


I think the DOT only does stats on paying customers and animals.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Tennyson said:


> I think the DOT only does stats on paying customers and animals.


True, stowaways are another category entirely....especially ones who think they can actually survive a long flight in a wheel well. :uhoh::doh: Hubby gets a daily report of incidents along the system, including passenger incidents, incidents with animals, in cargo, in the cabin or involving bird strikes or runway collisions with wildlife and, of course, the other strange things that happen. The stowaway incidents are also reported in these summaries. It's generally an overseas flight, where security *may* not be as thorough as here.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Dallas Gold said:


> No, I was referring to you specifically.


Me? LOL! I woudn't be posting if I was ignorant on the subject. If someone can post the accurate statistics from around the world, of how many animals fly with no problem, then we could have a debate. 

If people have no other choice but to fly they also need to know that dogs do fly all the time around the world with no problems. Afterall knowledge is power.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Me? LOL! I woudn't be posting if I was ignorant on the subject. If someone can post the accurate statistics from around the world, of how many animals fly with no problem, then we could have a debate.
> 
> If people have no other choice but to fly they also need to know that dogs do fly all the time around the world with no problems. Afterall knowledge is power.


Fair enough, I'm very glad to hear you have such experience and knowledge on this particular issue, even though I looked back over the thread and missed it somehow--my bad.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Dallas Gold said:


> Fair enough, I'm very glad to hear you have such experience and knowledge on this particular issue, even though I looked back over the thread and missed it somehow--my bad.


Because I didn't get into detail about the five animals I know that flew? S eriously? Wow!

On that note :bowl:

I sure hope the op does her homework so she will feel better about her decision.


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

Enough. The two of you need to give it a rest or I'll ask the mods to close this thread. You know who you are. Please stop now.

Thank you.


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## GRTigger (Jan 16, 2010)

Sorry for the long response everyone! We're moving to san francisco. No way in hell I would rehome my dog just because I'm moving, even if I;m moving across the world I'm bringing him. I really want to drive him there but I don't have a car... well not right now at the moment. Sold the car because of moving. I'm scared to put him on the plane because I don't want anything to happen. The only place I feel safe for him is at home because at home he's safe.


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## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

Is it possible to rent a car and drive to San Francisco? We have done that for long trips.


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## GRTigger (Jan 16, 2010)

2golddogs said:


> Is it possible to rent a car and drive to San Francisco? We have done that for long trips.


I was thinking that but do we have to drive the car back to where we rent it? Or we could just give the car back to the same company in CA


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I'm pretty sure you can return it to a different location but you must let them know first when you rent the car.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

You drop the car off in SF.
Why on earth would you think you would have to drive it back to Brooklyn?


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## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

We've done it both ways. I can't remember the cost difference but renting one way was one of the options.


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## GRTigger (Jan 16, 2010)

Tennyson said:


> You drop the car off in SF.
> Why on earth would you think you would have to drive it back to Brooklyn?


Some places are like that in brooklyn. Not the big companies, the small ones.


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

GRTigger said:


> I was thinking that but do we have to drive the car back to where we rent it? Or we could just give the car back to the same company in CA


You can do a one-way rental with many companies, though there is likely to be an extra charge for it. You might also check out driving a car across country to return it to where it came from; some companies give a price-break for that.

Good luck!


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## GRTigger (Jan 16, 2010)

2golddogs said:


> We've done it both ways. I can't remember the cost difference but renting one way was one of the options.


Can you tell me the companies you rent with?


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## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

We've used mostly Enterprise but also Avis.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Any of the major, national companies will let you drive from NY to CA and drop the car off at a CA location. There will be a fee for it, but it will be worth it. 

Hertz
Avis
Budget
National
Discount
Alamo

To name a few... :wavey:


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

It always surprises me how many national car rental chains have cars in TX that need to be delivered back to a destination out of state. We've done that several times and then flown home. The best one was a drive to Charlotte North Carolina from Dallas for $10 a day on Avis! Our dogs did not accompany us on these trips. The best deals are usually right after major holidays or major events.


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## Luccagr (Feb 25, 2011)

I think you'll just pay another $100+ or maybe $200 for the drop off fee. I did that in Orlando and dropped off the car in Miami. Remembered paying an additional $100++ for the drop off fee. Better than flying your dog.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

There are some car rental companies that will not rent you a car if they see you have a dog with you so it would be a good idea to rent from one who does or pick up the car without the dog.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Pet Friendy Hotels - Pet Travel is a good resource for car agencies that allow pet travel.


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## Luccagr (Feb 25, 2011)

I think as long as you clean up the car after renting, it'll be fine. I took Lucca on a rental car before and I just vacuum the interior before returning. I also used the pet seat cover to reduce the amount of fur getting stuck on the seat where I belt Lucca up.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

BayBeams said:


> There are some car rental companies that will not rent you a car if they see you have a dog with you so it would be a good idea to rent from one who does or pick up the car without the dog.


Haha, I can totally see why.. we rented a car for 9 days and even with the hammock covering the entire back seat, there was golden hair EVERYWHERE. Even the front, where she never stepped foot in, was covered with hair. It doesn't help that most of the cheaper rentals have cloth seats. BF felt so bad, lint rolled the whole thing before returning it. So glad I have leather seats.

But yes, rent a car and drive.. road trips are fun and you don't have to put all that mileage on your own car.


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