7 Airplane Travel Tips For Your Labradoodles Safety
Sometimes flying is the best way to travel and may involve taking your Labradoodle on board an airplane or shipping him ahead. Although thousands of pets are transported by air every year, when the occasional one dies due to an airline mishap during transport, it makes headlines.
Horror stories abound about dogs shipped in too hot or too cold cargo containers, who, as a result, have either suffocated or frozen to death. But airline awareness about travel for pets has improved in recent years.
You can help minimize risks to your Labradoodle by following these guidelines:
Contact the airline in
advance to determine their pet regulations. Try to book a direct flight
or one with a minimum number of stops. Travel on the same flight as
your Labradoodle and ask to see them being loaded into the cargo hold.
If possible, fly during the cool parts of the day in warm weather and
warm parts of the day in cool weather.
Investigate an
airline's pet transport policies and procedures before buying your dog
a ticket. Find out what the accommodations are like. Is the cargo hold
climate controlled? How long will your dog have to wait before he is
brought off the plane at its destination? What other types of cargo
will be shipped on your flight? Will someone hand-deliver your dog, or
will he be whisked into the airport along with the luggage?
If you have a small
dog, you may be able to take the animal on board with you as long as he
is in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. Contact the
airlines to determine if this method of transport is allowed and for
the accepted crate size.
The Humane Society of
the United States recommends not shipping short-nosed dogs, such as
Pekingese, Chows, or Pugs, or cats in airplane cargo holds. Because of
their shortened nasal passages, these breeds are more vulnerable to
oxygen deprivation and heatstroke.
If your dog is to be
shipped in the cargo hold, purchase a sturdy, United States Department
of Agriculture-approved carrier or shipping crate that is large enough
for him to stand up and move around in. It should have adequate
ventilation, and the words "Live Animals" should appear on the front
top of the crate.
Put some comfortable
blankets or bedding on the bottom of the crate. Close the crate
securely but don't lock it in case airport personnel must open it in an
emergency.
Fit your dog with ID
tags that have your name, address, and phone number as well as the
address and phone number of your destination. Carry a photo of your dog
in case he is lost.
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