Flying with Fido

Finding Safe Ways to Take Our Furry Friends on Vacation

While many of us can’t imagine a vacation without our canine companions – none-the-less boarding our beloved pooches while we are out of town! – it turns out that flying with our dogs can be nothing short of deadly, without proper planning.

If your pooch is portable, your odds of easy air travel increase dramatically. In fact, many airlines allow small dogs (those that can fit in a bag or tiny crate under the seat) to fly for a fee.

Tips for Traveling With a Small Dog

1.    Airlines usually limit the number of small animals allowed in-cabin, so book early.

2.    Your pet is your carry on, so be sure to pack everything else as checked baggage.

3.    Make sure your pet is comfortable enough to make the flight. Dogs don’t get potty breaks on the plane, nor are they allowed out of their crates/bags to stretch their legs.

4.    Check with your veterinarian before you book your flight to be sure your dog is healthy enough to travel whatever distance you are going, and to get advice about sedatives.

About Traveling With Larger Dogs

Unless there is absolutely no other choice in the matter, taking your larger dog (think: anything that doesn’t stow under a plane seat; this will include many smallish dogs!) on planes is simply not a good idea, because they would have to ride in the belly of the plane with the cargo.

Airlines require that larger dogs who are flying in the cargo (or checked baggage hold) of the plane be crated, and while these areas of the plane are also pressurized, the temperature is not regulated. This exposes animals to extreme temperatures in the summer and winter.

It is estimated that about 100 animals are killed, lost or injured during air travel each year.

A Safe Alternative For Those Traveling With Pets

Because there has been no safe alternative for flying with pets for so long, husband and wife Alysa Binder and Dan Wiesel started Pet Airways last summer. Pet Airways travels to major cities, including New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angele, for about $250. Pets flying on Pet Airways fly in the main cabin of an air freight plane that has been lined with pet carriers in place of seats. Pets (about 50 on each flight) are escorted to the plane by attendants that check on the animals every 15 minutes during flight. The pets are also given pre-boarding walks and bathroom breaks.

For our furry friends who need to travel, it seems Pet Airways is pretty much the only way to fly.