Hi all,

Rocketboy and I have finally gotten it together and decided to end the long distance romance the right way - he'll be moving up north! Woowoo!

So:
I've got to get a small dog (30ish pounds) from LA to Seattle. Based on moving schedules, we would like to ship the dog versus flying with it. Does anybody have any advice on the best way to ship a dog? Should I go through the airlines, or can you Fedex a dog?

Rocketgirl

Try these folks: http://pettaxi.com/main.html

aloha

Why can't one of you fly with your dog? Why put your dog through such an ordeal without seeing you as much as he can? Your dog has got to be at least some kind of priority to you, right? Or is he just like any other Priority Mail?

To me, a dog is family. I cannot imagine "shipping" my sister....although when I was younger I might have wanted to.....naaaaah.

When I absolutely must have my pooches with me, which is often, I drive with them.

I also would advise against just sending an animal if there are other options, since the trip itself can be very stressful for a pet. However, if you have no other options, check out the air travel page of takeyourpet.com at http://www.takeyourpet.com/pages/air.htm for lots of tips. And be prepared to pay big bucks: about three years ago, when a friend of mine shipped his cat one way (DC to somewhere in Tennesee) to the new owners adopting him, he paid somewhere around (or close to) 200 bucks -- the equivalent of a "person" fare. Good luck to you and the pooch!

Agreed - Shipping the dog is so very traumatic for the dog - regardless of how "nice" the shippers are.

Why not take him/her with you? It'd make for a nice trip! Also forces you to get out of the car every few hours and stretch your legs, see the sights, etc.

I just took another look at the site I mentioned and found there's some REALLY specific info, such as:

"Certain breeds including Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Boxer, Chow Chow, Lhasa Apso, Pekinese, Pug, and ShihTzu dogs, as well as Himalayan and Persian cats should not be transported by air as these breeds are more susceptible to breathing difficulties caused by the thin air at altitude."

and:

"The USDA prohibits the shipment of animals where temperatures at either the origin or destination are below 45 degrees or above 85 degrees. Many airlines have further temperature-related restrictions.'

and:

"Inquire as to the aircraft type planned for the route. McDonnell Douglas aircraft, including the MD80, DC9, and the DC10 will not accommodate 500-size crates. These crates should fit on Boeing aircraft, including the 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777."

I hope this helps!

Fly the puppy-- Alaska Air does the best with dogs. Jacques flew from 4 months to 7 years old pretty much every four months -- sea-oak-sea and yvr-yzm. He didn't object too much and if he did, you could hear him bay on loading, taxiing and landing.

They thought he was the stud dog he thought he was...

lala

Believe me, it would be easier to fly with the dog, but it's just one of those moving scheduling things. He has to be out of his house by the end of the month, but he's got to finish some work in LA in November. His job requires him to drive all over SoCal, and he'll be staying with family members in Pasadena, Laguna Niguel, San Diego, etc. He is also planning on a couple of nights in hotels, and probably sleeping in his car for a few nights. I can't make it down since I've got things to do and sitting in a car watching him work isn't one of them. Me sleeping in a car on the streets of LA is just never going to happen, ever, either.

Anyway, he feels that it will be less stressful on the dog, and him, if the dog has an actual home for the month instead of living out of the car.

The dog is probably juuuuust a little too big to go under the seat as well, so I figure she'll be in a cargo hold whether I'm on the plane or not.

No way does a 30 lb. dog need to go into a 500-size crate! That would have to be one tall, skinny dog!

Why don't you fly down, pick up the dog, and fly back? AS has some cheap fares, and even if the dog flies in the hold, you will be there checking it in and picking it up. Much less stressful than flying alone.

Probably be cheaper too. Dogs are charged as cargo unless flying with a person.

I only used that line -- about the ability to fit certain crates on certain aircraft -- as an *example* of the specific info that is found on the website. My point was not to discuss cages or the specific size of the dog but to point out that the website has a lot of detailed info: everything from what to pack, to the use (or not) of sedatives/tranquilizers, to government regulations, to humane treatment, to dog-friendly hotels, etc. In other words, a website that knows what type of pets fit on what type of aircraft is a good reference for someone like the OP to check out.

I AGREE 100%!!

Did you know that 5000 animals a year die in transit on US carriers? It is particularly bad for dogs which require more hydration than cats.

How about finding a friend to fly up with the dog on a cheap weekend RT? This may be cheaper than cargo, which usually runs in excess of $150 RT plus vet health certificates (required by all airlines prior to transport).

Better yet, find someone who is blind and the dog rides free up in a bulkhead.

Do you want the dog to live?