Answer

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   154

   

   7-25-11

   Nancy J Price says:

   

   A little nervous about turning your cute little dog or cat into a jet-setter? You’re not alone! Fortunately, with as many as two million critters flying the pet-friendly skies each year, the process is getting healthier and less stressful for pets each year… if a little more complicated for their owners.

   Can your pet jet?

   TSA security procedures won’t keep you from bringing a pet on your flight — but you will have to check with the specific airline in question to see whether or not your pet can be carried on (in the main cabin), must go in the cargo area, or if he or she will even qualify for transport at all.

   Not every carrier uses the same rules. For example, Continental says, “Because we share our customers’ concern that their pets’ flights are stress-free, we have enhanced our animal acceptance policy to transport pets as cargo. Our program is called PetSafe. Under this program, Continental does not accept pets as checked baggage.”

   Typical requirements

   1. Before your pet can fly, you will need to get a current health certificate from a licensed, accredited veterinarian (including proof of vaccination).
   2. Airlines will typically not fly a pet younger than eight weeks of age — and will require proof of age.
   3. Most vets no longer recommend sedation, which can affect your pet’s heart or breathing — and many airlines will refuse to fly sedated pets.
   4. Your pet carrier must be large enough for the pet to stand, turn around, and lie down in a natural position. There are numerous other rules about carriers — including material type, ventilation needed, food and water accessibility, emergency access, etc. See Continental’s carrier guidelines here, and American’s kennel requirements here, as well as some warnings from the USDA.

   Common restrictions

   1. Weather restrictions often apply. In some cases, warm-blooded animals will not be accepted for transport if the forecast (or actual) temperature exceeds 85 degrees F in any city on the pet’s travel route. (Continental’s program, however, offers personal handling if it will be hotter than 85 degrees for more then 45 minutes.)
   2. Some airlines don’t allow short-nosed breeds (such as boxers, pugs and Persian cats), to travel in the cargo hold during warmer months. For example, American Airlines issued a permanent embargo on all breeds of snub-nosed dogs and cats in November 2010.
   3. Colder temperature guidelines vary by animal type, and whether or not you have a “Certificate of Acclimation” in case the temperature will drop below 45 degrees F (including wind chill factor). In any case, if the temperature will fall below 20 degrees F, your pet will probably not be transported.
   4. Hawaii requires both cats and dogs to be quarantined upon arrival — for up to 120 days. (See the requirements and other details of Hawaii’s animal quarantine here.)
   5. International travel has many restrictions. See the USDA fact sheet here, and also check with your airline to find out the rules for your scenario.

   Other notes

   On your pet’s carrier, be sure you have written your name, address and phone number, and also made note of  your pet’s name. (A photo is a bonus.)

   ShopSmart magazine’s June 2010 issue noted that at Pet Airways (PetAirways.com, 888-pet-airways), a pets-only airline, pets fly in the climate-controlled main cabins under the supervision of an attendant. And if you really can’t bear to fly without Fido on your lap, go to dogtravelcompany.com for information on chartering flights with dogs.The TSA says that your animal will never be placed through an x-ray machine. However, you may be asked to remove your animal from its carrier so that the carrier itself can be x-rayed.

   For more information, see the FAA’s fact sheet Pets in the Passenger Cabin, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Traveling with Your Pet FAQs. and the US DOT’s guidelines about transporting live animals.

   Pet travel: Airline by airline

   Get the animal scoop from the horse’s mouth — so to speak — by checking out these pet pages on some of the major airlines’ sites:

   • AirTran
   • Alaska Airlines
   • American
   • Continental
   • Delta
   • Frontier
   • Hawaiian
   • Jet Blue
   • Sky West
   • Southwest
   • United
   • US Airways
   • Virgin America

   Cat in carrier photo by JoshBerglund19

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