Is air travel safe for pets? While no one can guarantee a trouble-free trip, the good news is that the vast majority of pets get where they're going in fine shape. Even better news: Careful planning on your pet's behalf will help make things go even more smoothly.
Animals move through the airline system as unaccompanied cargo or as travelers' baggage. Unaccompanied pets and most animals traveling as baggage travel in pressurized cargo holds, while some small pets are allowed into the cabin as a carry-on. Before your pet flies:
-- Talk to the airline. Some carriers -- especially the no-frills companies -- don't take animals at all. Those that do have limits on the number of animals on a flight, typically two small pets in the passenger cabin, and not much more than that in the cargo hold. You also need to know where and when your pet has to be presented, and what papers -- health certificate, and so on -- you'll need to bring. Airlines charge extra even for those pets who fly in a carry-on bag, so ask about fees in advance so you won't be surprised.
Also be aware that some airlines won't ship pets in the summer months, with embargoes starting as early as mid-May. The American Kennel Club keeps an updated list of airline policies, embargo dates and fees on its Web site at www.akc.org/love/dip/legislat/airline_chart0502.cfm.
-- Be sure your pet is in good health. Air travel isn't recommended for elderly or ill animals, and is likewise ill-advised for the pug-nosed breeds of dogs and cats. These animals find breathing a little difficult under the best of circumstances, and the stress of airline travel may be more than they can handle.
-- For pets who'll be traveling in the cargo hold, use a hard-sided carrier designed for air travel, and make sure it's in good condition (no cracks in the plastic, no rust on the grating). The crate should be just big enough for your pet to stand up and turn around in. Check and double-check that all the bolts securing the halves of the carrier are in place and tightened.
Pets that are small enough to ride in the passenger cabin will be more comfortable in a soft-sided carrier. Sherpa and Samsonite both make popular carriers, but my favorite is made by a smaller American company, SturdiProducts (www.sturdibag.com; 800-779-8193). Sturdi carriers have flexible cloth-covered ribs that form a dome over the pet, keeping the animal's compartment as large as possible.
Carry-on pets should have a collar and ID tag, but that's not safe for pets traveling below. Instead, put an ID tag on a piece of elastic around the pet's neck, and make sure contact information is written large and indelibly on the outside of the crate. A water dish should be attached to the inside of the door grate so airline personnel can add water without opening the door.
-- Consider travel conditions. Don't ship your pet when the weather is extreme, or when air traffic is heaviest. Avoid peak travel days, and be sure to choose flights that are on the ground when the temperature is neither too hot nor too cold, not only at the departure airport but also at the connecting and arriving airports. In summer, a night flight is likely better, while the reverse is true in the winter.
-- Choose a direct flight; if that's not possible, try for a route with a single connection and a short layover. Most animal fatalities occur on the ground, when pets are left in their crates on the hot tarmac or in stifling cargo holds. Direct flights eliminate layovers, and short layovers reduce the time on the ground. Better yet: Choose a direct flight with an airline that has special handling available for pets, keeping them off the tarmac until just before flight time and transporting them to and from the plane in a climate-controlled van.
-- Ask about your pet, persistently but politely. Make your presence known! Confirm that your pet has been loaded and has made any connection en route. It wouldn't hurt to do what you can to make your pet stand out as more than mere cargo. One person I know puts a prominent sign on her retriever's kennel when he flies. "I am the beloved pet of a 5-year-old boy," it says.
Contrary to popular belief, it's generally safer for your pet not to be tranquilized before flying. The combination of high altitude and limited oxygen is a challenge your pet's body is better prepared to meet if he's not sedated. Still, your pet may be an exception. In the end, you and your veterinarian should decide on this issue.
PETS ON THE WEB
The Air Transport Association, the trade group for the nation's airlines, offers information on its "Air Travel for Your Dog or Cat" Web page (www.airlines.org/publications/d.aspX?nid=926). The ATA details the preparation of a pet for air travel, how to set up the carrier and how to check on your pet en route.
THE SCOOP
A dog-show trick for keeping dogs cool while walking on warm days is to drape a towel over them and keep the towel dripping wet by adding cool water at regular intervals. Some folks have even gone so far as to make terry-cloth jackets, which you can sometimes find for sale at dog shows. The jackets have a smarter look and better fit, but a towel works just fine.
Please note that a cool towel is not acceptable treatment for a dog who already reached the point of overheating. If your dog is in heat distress -- frantic panting, glassy eyes, deep-red gum color -- immerse in cool (not ice-cold) water and head for the nearest veterinarian. Your dog's life depends on your prompt action.
QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK
Q: We have two cats from the same litter, both kept inside, boy and girl, not quite a year old. She got out once, but not for long. Now she's pregnant, and we wonder if her brother could be the dad. Is that possible? -- U.Y., via e-mail
A: Your letter reminds me of a phone call I once received from someone who couldn't understand how the family dog kept getting pregnant. No dog could have gotten to her, she said, since the dog's own son was always with her, and he didn't like other dogs.
I asked her if the male dog had been neutered, and the answer was no. I told her it was highly likely that the father of the puppies was also their half-brother.
"Don't they know they're mother and son?" she asked.
Uh, no.
Don't count on an imaginary feline prohibition against incest to keep your cats from mating. Please get the boy neutered now and spay the girl after the kittens are weaned. If you don't, you'll have more kittens on your hands, soon, since cats can get pregnant again within about a month (or less!) of delivering a litter.
Q: Our dog, a bichon frise, would much rather eat the cat's food than his own. If he can steal enough out of the cat's dish, or get into the bag, he'll fill up and won't touch his dog food. It would be easier to feed them both the same. Is there really much difference between cat food and dog food? -- F.D., via e-mail
A: Oh, I don't know, is there really much difference between a cat and a dog? The answer, to your question and to mine, is the same: Yes!
Cats are better off eating cat food, and dogs are better off eating dog food. That's because cats are what are called "obligate carnivores" -- they need to eat meat, the fresher the better. Dogs can get along fine without meat if they have to because their systems are not those of a true predator, but of a scavenger who takes what he can find. For some dogs, the higher protein levels in cat food can cause health problems, which is why no matter what your dog thinks, he needs to stick with food made for his own kind.
Keep your dog out of what he shouldn't be eating by keeping bags of cat food in a high, closed cabinet and by keeping cat dishes off-limits, either placing them on high counters or behind baby gates.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.
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