Flying with a pet

Beachy730 · November 2010

Has anyone flown with their dog or cat in the cabin? We were planning on boarding Stewie while I went home for Christmas, but I started feeling really guilty because it would be for 15 nights. And I refuse to put a pet in cargo. But a friend came over last night and said I could easily fit him under the seat. So I called Southwest this morning and added him to my flights. I'm so excited to not have to be the bad mommy and leave him for 2 weeks!

I plan on getting one of those nylon carriers that can collapse, so I could give him some more room, but also be able to crush it a little bit to fit under the seat. Has anyone else used one like that? I'm just a little worried that he's a little big, he's a boston terrier, but I know he'll curl up and fall asleep the whole time. What the biggest dog you've flown?

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · November 2010

Check with the airline about the carrier requirements - they're all different. The soft sided ones should work though.

Better a Boston than a cat. My cats would be horrible the whole trip, I know!

FutureMrsTR · November 2010

Yeah, cats yowl. At least the one I flew with did. I don't have any experience with dogs, though. If you're at all worried, you could ask your vet for a mild tranquilizer to help him relax.

FutureMrsTR · November 2010

Another suggestion is to have the carrier out in the house a couple days before you're going to fly so he can "inspect" it and get used to it. Maybe even put him in it for a car ride or something.

Celles · November 2010

I flew from Ontario, CA to Phoenix, AZ (so, about an hour) with an 12 week-old Brussels Griffon. Aside from a smelly accident in the carrier, it was fine. I got lucky with the accident because it happened while people were still boarding so I was able to de-plane to clean up. Otherwise, it would have been a very unpleasant hour since you absolutely cannot take the pet out of the carrier once on the plane -- even to clean up in the bathroom.

We had a nylon carrier, but I think Misfit weighed all of three pounds then so it wasn't an issue.

Beachy730 · November 2010

They did say a soft sided one is okay as long as its leak-proof. I just don't know if the ones with dimensions small enough for the seat will work for him, or if I can get one a little bigger and squeeze it under the seat. I guess I'll probably have to buy one and see how big it is. I can always return or exchange it.

Celles · November 2010

If you buy it at Petsmart or PetCo or a similar store, you can probably take him with you and try it out first it. See how "squishable" it is.

Beachy730 · November 2010

TR- good idea about the mild tranquilizer. He is used to being in a crate, but I will try him out in that one too.

Celles- yeah that would have stunk! I actually LOL when I read the website, and it said dogs must be calm, quiet, and odorless. Hahaha my dog is definitely not odorless, he's got massive gas. But I think they meant dirty and stinky dogs.

Beachy730 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_flying-pet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:007480c3-4b04-4620-8e58-d1409f48e4d2Post:d7e53c48-de17-45aa-a0d9-891ea0c79d1a">Re: Flying with a pet</a>:
[QUOTE]If you buy it at Petsmart or PetCo or a similar store, you can probably take him with you and try it out first it. See how "squishable" it is.
Posted by Celles[/QUOTE]

Good idea! Thanks ladies.

Snippylynn · November 2010

Just a note, I understand that tranquilizers are NOT a good idea for flying pets. It's tough on them in regular circumstances, but this instance is extra bad. No, no.

Otherwise, do some checking around online for requirements and tips.

http://www.petflight.com/categories/pet-travel-tips

Snippylynn · November 2010

Oh, and this one too: http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_pets/

Calypso1977 · November 2010

i bought my cat's carrier from Samsonite (the luggage people). its airline approved for size, soft, and you can front load or top load. my cat loves it, althoguh we've never flown with him. it also has loops so you can buckle him in the car with a seatbelt. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Ghoti · November 2010

We were told by our vet to give our 25lb dog children's benodryl to calm her for the plane ride. She had to go under the plane though

Calypso1977 · November 2010

http://www.designerproducts.com/prod04.htm

Beachy730 · November 2010

Thanks for all the links ladies. Those samsonite bags look really nice. I'll have to see if there is a Samsonite near me, if not I'll probably order one.

emilyinchile · November 2010

A friend has flown with her small dog several times and swears by layering the carrier with layers of newspaper with plastic bags between them. That way when her dog pees, she can take out a newspaper layer (without taking the dog out of the carrier) and the plastic bag will have kept the next layer dry.

Beachy730 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_flying-pet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:007480c3-4b04-4620-8e58-d1409f48e4d2Post:68122136-401d-450f-9cbf-1996c9c7cb94">Re: Flying with a pet</a>:
[QUOTE]A friend has flown with her small dog several times and swears by layering the carrier with layers of newspaper with plastic bags between them. That way when her dog pees, she can take out a newspaper layer (without taking the dog out of the carrier) and the plastic bag will have kept the next layer dry.
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]

Thats a really good idea. I don't think he would pee during the flight since he's 4, but you never know. Its probably scary for them so I'm sure some do have accidents even if it is out of character for them.

spechtholdn · November 2010

You may want to check the airline if you haven't already done so. Some have certain dimensions for carriers that are allowed on the plane. Even if you get a bigger one with the idea that you can collapse it a little, it could still become an issue.

LauraT25 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_flying-pet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:007480c3-4b04-4620-8e58-d1409f48e4d2Post:b68fc214-8d2e-458e-aec9-6cfd9100aac3">Re: Flying with a pet</a>:
[QUOTE]Just a note, I understand that tranquilizers are NOT a good idea for flying pets. It's tough on them in regular circumstances, but this instance is extra bad. No, no. :) Otherwise, do some checking around online for requirements and tips. <a href="http://www.petflight.com/categories/pet-travel-tips" rel="nofollow">http://www.petflight.com/categories/pet-travel-tips</a>
Posted by Snippylynn[/QUOTE]

This is interesting to read. I had to take my cat to the vet to get him cleared for flight, which was required by the airline at the time, and the vet recommended the tranquilizer. I was really grateful for the recommendation, because we wound up sitting on the runway for almost two hours, so it wore off before the flight was over, and he cried the entire time he was awake. People were staring and some passengers made a huge fuss - I can't imagine what it would have been like if he'd been crying for the whole flight.

I trusted that vet immensely, so I'm surprised to hear this. If I ever have to fly with a cat again, I will definitely do some research on the subject. Now I feel bad thinking I may have done something I shouldn't have.

RMacQueen · November 2010

IF you decide to give your pet a sedative, I would do a test run before hand to see if they handle it well. They could have an allergic reaction that if you are on a plane could prove deadly. We gave on to my cat and it made him AWFUL! He escaped out of his carrier and onto the plane. I will never fly with him again after that.

LauraT25 · November 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_flying-pet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:007480c3-4b04-4620-8e58-d1409f48e4d2Post:618b3fb1-5244-4041-8346-d4fd9199367f">Re: Flying with a pet</a>:
[QUOTE]IF you decide to give your pet a sedative, I would do a test run before hand to see if they handle it well. They could have an allergic reaction that if you are on a plane could prove deadly. We gave on to my cat and it made him AWFUL! He escaped out of his carrier and onto the plane. I will never fly with him again after that.
Posted by RMacQueen[/QUOTE]

Yes, we did this. The vet gave us two doses for this reason.

zippityb · November 2010

Is hiring a pet sitter possible? I think that would be the least traumatic experience.

ETA: I just noticed this was for a dog, not a cat. Petsitting would be super easy for a cat.

aggiebug · November 2010

Just to clear the air, sedatives can be perfectly fine for an animal while flying and actually make it much easier for everyone involved. Its just not reccomended to do so without vet supervision. There can be underlying diseases that can make sedatives dangerous etc. And if a pet was going underneath they actually dont allow sedation because there is no one to monitor the animal.

scpalmtree06 · November 2010

Our family dog flew several times with my family inside the cabin. My mother had a bag from Sherpa (http://www.sherpapet.com/) that Sandy liked. As a PP mentioned, put it out a few days before you leave so the dog can sniff it, sit inside, etc.

Don't feel guilty boarding your dog either though. I would think more about where you'll be staying over Christmas versus how your dog will handle the flight. Will he/she be comfortable there? I oftentimes think pets are happier in a kennel.

LaurenEoghan · November 2010

We flew from Ireland to Chicago with our dog in May. She had to go under the plane since she's bigger. We had to get a direct flight because between certain months domestic airlines don't do animal cargo because there's no climate control below. We were told to not give sedatives, mostly because if the meds wear off, the animal could go into some sort of fit (or so that's the theory), especially with longer flights (not sure how long yours will be).

I agree with the PPs about checking with the airline, nothing worse than getting to the desk and finding out you have to check your puppy and put him below when you don't want to. I'd also check with their animal handlers as a precaution, just in case you have some circumstance where he would have to be put in cargo. Most airlines have good handlers. Our flight was delayed for 4 hours and the handlers called the desk three times to let us know how our girl was doing. It was really nice, great peace of mind!

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