What are my options?

[HobbsFarm]

[SIZE=12pt]I would really appreciate anyone's input who has ever shipped a pet or maybe recieved a shipped pet. I live in Alabama and a friend of mine in Kansas is adopting one of my dogs. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]What are my options? And what kind of price am I looking at? I have looked on a few airline websites and couldn't find any info on flying pets in cargo. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Thanks in advance for the info![/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Shannon [/SIZE]

 

[Nemesis]

Shannon

Continental airlines is one of the better shippers i have used. They are climate controlled all the way and my personal experiences with them shipping pups has been very good. Shipping a puppy under 50 pounds including a crate is $189. Delta is also pretty good but depending on the breed of dog they have varying temperature cut offs and they are slightly cheaper than Continental but they do base their charges on weight and volume. North west do a regular and VIP shipping. VIP is $100 extra and their regular charges under 50 pounds are around $170.

You will need a health certificate from the vet dated no more than 10 days before the flight date. Also depending on the weather you may need a certificate of acclimation that states the puppy is capable of being in temperatures between 28 and 45 degrees for up to 45 minutes.

Most airlines require booking at least 24 hours in advance.

 

[mininik]

I've flown many pets (puppies and adult dogs), domestic and international flights. I've had dogs fly on CanadaAir, Alaskan/Horizon Airlines, Continental, Delta, Northwest, etc. I prefer Delta or Alaskan/Horizon, thanks to their usually lower rates and consistent service, but service is not the same everywhere. Calling a customer service line for any of those airlines will get you a roundabout way of getting the cargo numbers. From there you'll find out about each of the airline's individual policies. Some will not ship in certain weather, some will not ship certain breeds, etc.

Other options include having the puppy shipped with someone if the puppy is small enough to fit in a soft crate under the seat or one of the many ground transporters specifically for puppies and dogs. Keep in mind that ground transport will be slower and generally more costly.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Check with the horse transporters...some are happy to stop and pick up a dog if it is on the way, needs vet papers and a crate. Fee varies but is usually around $100.

 

[HobbsFarm]

[SIZE=12pt]Thank you for the helpful information. It's not a puppy that I will be shipping, it's a full grown beagle. I would say he weighs 30 pounds so it sounds like I should still be okay with the weight limit. I guess I just need to get on the phone now with the airlines after I check to see if a horse transporter can do it. Thanks again![/SIZE]

Shannon

 

[iluvwalkers]

[SIZE=12pt]my Shih Tzu came from Giorgia and was flown to Syracuse on Continental, i was told by the breeder they were the only airline that had climate controlled cargo holds. (not sure if that is true, just what i was told) it was $199.00 for her to fly plus the health papers and such. Nikki [/SIZE]