Taking pet dog on UA flight - anyone ever done?
Dec 14, 2001, 7:49 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
Our dog Kelly starts his sixth trip to Europe over the holidays. I'd have to recount but I think he's had almost 30 flights by now.
The advice above is all quite good. Some one said the health certificate is good for 30 days. We always understood that the cert must be no more than 5 days old, the rabies shot more than 30 days old (to give it time to take, I guess) but not more than a year old. I'd guess the health cert gets looked at about 20% of the time. Thus we get one cert for the outbound, and another for the inbound if we're staying more than 2 or 3 days.
We always take tranquilizers the vet gives us, although we haven't used them since the second trip or so since they made Kelly groggy and he hasn't needed them. We still take them in case he starts to freak out, which I doubt will ever happen, just so we won't bother the other passengers.
As someone said, finding a calm place for a dog walk at an airport is tough. We're more concerned about the pre-flight, since after a long flight, anywhere will do. We look for grassy patches, though often they are next to high speed roads. We're concerned too about post-Sept 11 travel, since we usually like to cut it close going thru security to minimize the time between pit stops, especially for those overseas flights. Oh well, many more are paying a far higher price to deal with this. Kelly will make it too.
Twice while flying to Europe, the passenger across the aisle from us did not know we had a dog until we landed. That's after 8 hours in flight. Kelly has figured out and knows when we've landed and that means he gets to get out of the bag soon, so he's taken to giving out one charp "Bark" as the plane hits the reverse thrusters after landing.
Since Kelly's flight are often weeks or months apart, we give him "Sherpa Bag" training. That is, a week or so before the first flight of the trip, we take him somewhere in the car but we keep him in the flight "Sherpa" bag while we drive. Usually, the first time in the bag after a while he will scratch and fuss and just generally get his oats sown. Two trips like this in the car and he's gotten it out of his system and he's ready for the Freindly Skies.
The RCC's let pets in too, though they want them in the bag so we skip it as minimizing the time in the bag is more important.
The advice above is all quite good. Some one said the health certificate is good for 30 days. We always understood that the cert must be no more than 5 days old, the rabies shot more than 30 days old (to give it time to take, I guess) but not more than a year old. I'd guess the health cert gets looked at about 20% of the time. Thus we get one cert for the outbound, and another for the inbound if we're staying more than 2 or 3 days.
We always take tranquilizers the vet gives us, although we haven't used them since the second trip or so since they made Kelly groggy and he hasn't needed them. We still take them in case he starts to freak out, which I doubt will ever happen, just so we won't bother the other passengers.
As someone said, finding a calm place for a dog walk at an airport is tough. We're more concerned about the pre-flight, since after a long flight, anywhere will do. We look for grassy patches, though often they are next to high speed roads. We're concerned too about post-Sept 11 travel, since we usually like to cut it close going thru security to minimize the time between pit stops, especially for those overseas flights. Oh well, many more are paying a far higher price to deal with this. Kelly will make it too.
Twice while flying to Europe, the passenger across the aisle from us did not know we had a dog until we landed. That's after 8 hours in flight. Kelly has figured out and knows when we've landed and that means he gets to get out of the bag soon, so he's taken to giving out one charp "Bark" as the plane hits the reverse thrusters after landing.
Since Kelly's flight are often weeks or months apart, we give him "Sherpa Bag" training. That is, a week or so before the first flight of the trip, we take him somewhere in the car but we keep him in the flight "Sherpa" bag while we drive. Usually, the first time in the bag after a while he will scratch and fuss and just generally get his oats sown. Two trips like this in the car and he's gotten it out of his system and he's ready for the Freindly Skies.
The RCC's let pets in too, though they want them in the bag so we skip it as minimizing the time in the bag is more important.
Dec 14, 2001, 8:18 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,656
Make sure security knows how to handle it in advance. I saw a rentacop at BWI insist that someone's cat had to pass through the X-ray machine until a supervisor intervened!
Dec 15, 2001, 7:37 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
I forgot to answer the security question. You're right-the bag goes thru the X-Ray and you carry the animal in your arms thru the walk through screener. At least that's how it was pre Sept 11.
Dec 15, 2001, 7:54 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: source of weird and eccentric ideas
Posts: 38,686
I have seen a number of people take pets aboard UA. I saw a woman a while back with two small dogs she kept in the massive pockets of her coat (I am not kidding). Not sure if she even had a carry-on, this was back in the summer of 2001.
A few months back (but before 9/11) I saw someone with a dog in a backpack. I'm not sure anyone even noticed. The two examples above were low profile. Not sure you could do this post 9/11 though.
Slightly different point, but we transported our dog transcon on UA (in the hold) and they were very good about the whole thing. My wife spoke the pilot and he was very aware of the pet and pointed out that the animals travel in a special part of the hold with heat etc.
A few months back (but before 9/11) I saw someone with a dog in a backpack. I'm not sure anyone even noticed. The two examples above were low profile. Not sure you could do this post 9/11 though.
Slightly different point, but we transported our dog transcon on UA (in the hold) and they were very good about the whole thing. My wife spoke the pilot and he was very aware of the pet and pointed out that the animals travel in a special part of the hold with heat etc.
Jan 3, 2002, 12:04 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Central New Jersey
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat 2MM
Posts: 691
Just wanted to thank everyone for the info on carry on pets.
Our little "Kanga" did just fine.
Absolutely no problems what-so-ever with security at either LAX or SEA. Just took dog out of bag, put bag through x-ray, carried dog through metal detector (did not set off), and put dog back in bag.
It was very easy (other than holding the dog bag for 40 minutes in the security line).
Also, the ticket agent in LAX waived the $75 pet fee and put us in Economy Plus, which was very nice.
Thanks again for the help!
[This message has been edited by rmc1 (edited 01-03-2002).]
Our little "Kanga" did just fine.
Absolutely no problems what-so-ever with security at either LAX or SEA. Just took dog out of bag, put bag through x-ray, carried dog through metal detector (did not set off), and put dog back in bag.
It was very easy (other than holding the dog bag for 40 minutes in the security line).
Also, the ticket agent in LAX waived the $75 pet fee and put us in Economy Plus, which was very nice.
Thanks again for the help!
[This message has been edited by rmc1 (edited 01-03-2002).]
Jan 3, 2002, 7:08 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Old Lyme,CT-BDL/PVD UA 2P, Delta SM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 403
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">"We always take tranquilizers the vet gives us, although we haven't used them since the second trip or so...</font>
[This message has been edited by BIM (edited 01-03-2002).]
Jan 3, 2002, 12:07 pm
#22
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: PDX
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Posts: 15,978
Great info, folks!
I'm real nervous about taking my cat out of her Sherpa before passing through security. UA doesn't suggest sedation but there's no way my Tasha will be mellow about this. She's very shy to begin with and is indoors only. I can't imagine her state in a public place such as an airport. She'd hang on to me for dear life!
Other cat owners care to comment on their experiences?
I'm real nervous about taking my cat out of her Sherpa before passing through security. UA doesn't suggest sedation but there's no way my Tasha will be mellow about this. She's very shy to begin with and is indoors only. I can't imagine her state in a public place such as an airport. She'd hang on to me for dear life!
Other cat owners care to comment on their experiences?
Jan 3, 2002, 3:36 pm
#23
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Join Date: Apr 2001
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essxjay: I can't comment directly on your cat, but I have traveled CDG-SFO 5 times with my dog. He's 22 pounds, so he has to travel in the hold (UA stopped transporting animals on passenger flights during the SFH, I believe).
I was very nervous about him traveling in a kennel without sedation so my vet suggested that we experiment before the first trip. She gave me a medication called PromAceŽ (acepromazine) and instructed me to give a quarter tab to my dog at home and note the results. She determined the proper dosage according to my dog's reactions/recovery time from the medication.
My vet avoids strong medications whenever necessary, so I really trusted her on this. My dog has always traveled with no complications, thanks to United and, I think, the PromAce. In fact, every time he sees his kennel, he races to jump in (then he presses the call button and demands PromAce with a vodka chaser).
Seriously, talk to your vet about a sedative. It might help you and your cat travel more comfortably.
More information:
http://www.vin.com/PetCare/Articles/...tal/M00565.htm
I was very nervous about him traveling in a kennel without sedation so my vet suggested that we experiment before the first trip. She gave me a medication called PromAceŽ (acepromazine) and instructed me to give a quarter tab to my dog at home and note the results. She determined the proper dosage according to my dog's reactions/recovery time from the medication.
My vet avoids strong medications whenever necessary, so I really trusted her on this. My dog has always traveled with no complications, thanks to United and, I think, the PromAce. In fact, every time he sees his kennel, he races to jump in (then he presses the call button and demands PromAce with a vodka chaser).
Seriously, talk to your vet about a sedative. It might help you and your cat travel more comfortably.
More information:
http://www.vin.com/PetCare/Articles/...tal/M00565.htm