Flying with Your Dog - FireDog Enterprises, Inc - Dog Training

If you are considering traveling by plane and taking your dog, small dogs may be able to ride in the cabin with you in an approved carrier and by pre-reservation with the airline, usually only one or two pets per flight. Larger dogs must ride in cargo in an approved carrier. ALWAYS check with the individual air carrier. Your dog will require a current health certificate from your vet.

If your dog must travel in the baggage area, you may want to copy the letter below and give it to the flight attendant when you board. It’s easier than trying to explain verbally while impatient passengers behind you wait to board. If your dog is an all-American what some people call a randomly bred dog, pretend he is a rare breed show dog. It may make the airline personnel pay closer attention. We try to only take the dogs on non-stop flights that originate in the early part of the day. We never fly the dogs in the heat of summer or the cold of winter . Microchip your dog and make sure that is noted on his collar tag and on the outside of the crate, also put both your home and your destination phone numbers on the exterior of the crate. No flight is without risk for your pet even though sometimes it is necessary.

Dear Captain,

Please know that in the “belly” of your plane you have one or more precious, much loved show dogs on the way to or from an international dog show. We’d prefer to have our dogs riding up here in the cabin with us, but we accept the airline regulations that require that they travel in the baggage hold. We always worry when our dogs fly with us. Therefore, we would be very grateful if you could:

Confirm that the dog(s) actually is/are on board

If there is a specific baggage hold where the atmosphere is better for animals, see that the dog(s) are in that hold

Confirm that the dog(s) are not sharing that hold with too many other animals or any material hazardous to them (dry ice etc.)

If it is possible, monitor the atmosphere in that hold.

This will make us feel a lot better and we’ll be able to relax and enjoy the flight because we know you care! Thank you very much!

Passenger name __________________

Seat number ____________

Safety Tips for Pets That Must Fly

by

Carolyn Krause