I am planning on moving to europe( more than TEN hours) and I would very much like to take my dog, a hyper yellow lab, with me on my journey but I have a huge fear that something will go wrong (he gets insane or too much anesthesia..etc) someone with experience please advise me. This is a life altering situation! Not just one life, two!
2006-07-12 11:19:00 · 8 answers · asked by Cappy 1 in Travel ➔ Travel (General) ➔ Health & Safety
simple, dont take your pet with you.
2006-07-12 11:25:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Ok first I am very surprised by some of those answers...i understand your situation completely, your dog is your best friend and not just a pet, a member of your family and of course you should bring him. Now i am experienced in this area as i moved from canada to warsaw, poland and i brought my dog with me. Now my situation was a little bit different because my dog was small enough to come on board with me and travel under my seat. Since you have a yellow lab, that's not going to be an option for you! I have done a lot of research in this area and have also spoken to numerous vets about this. There are thousnads and thousands of dogs that travel by plane everyday. Yes there have been a few cases where the dog didn't do well. It is not an everyday occurence and depends on many different things, like how well your dog adapts to new things. There are some people that never leave their pets even when they go for a vacation!
I also want to tell you, do not give your dog a sedative or any other kind of medication when flying, almost all vets will tell you that it's not a good idea because you never know how the medication combined with the high altitude is going to affect your dog. On this subject though, i did recently come across an all-natural supplement that can help your dog while traveling.
Airlines these days are pretty safe for your pet. Many of them have temperature controlled climates so they won't get too hot or too cold. Some airlines will only fly animals at certain times of the year because of hot and cold temperatures.
The best place to visit for this info is at pet travel.com, their site is devoted to traveling with your pet, they have a listing of all airlines that accept pets and what their rules and requirements are. They will also answer any of your questions. Any time i've sent an email to them, i've had a response back within a day or two.
Also, i'm not sure where you will be going in Europe. I'm hoping for you that it's not the UK! The UK is much harder to bring your dog over and could run the chance of being quarantined. When we fly with our dog, we can't even connect in the UK because of this, even though we have an EU passport for her. These are the countries where it's more difficult:UK, Sweden, Malta, Ireland. You can definitly bring your dog to these countries but you will need at least 6 months before you have the proper shots, bloodwork and papers for them sorted out. For the majority of the other European countries your dog will need to have a microchip (ISO Standard) and a rabies shot. The microchip should be put in before you get the rabies shot (i don't really understand this one myself but i made sure to do that anyways since i read it on the requirements) You also need to have a vet checkup 10 days or less before flying and you will need to have that certificate certified by a special vet (for some reason i can't think of the name i'm looking for!) Each country will have their own rules, so make sure you find out everything you need to know.
i really hope this helps you, please feel free to email me if you have more questions because like i said, i've had to go through this myself and i can help you find the information that you need. You will definitly need to research this a lot and make sure that your dog has everything that he needs. Also, if it seems like too much for you, there are pet transporters that can take care of everything for you. These are also listed in the website i gave you.
2006-07-13 03:12:29 · answer #2 · answered by sjane5 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was actually in an airport, in the "baggage problem" office, and there was a lady there whose dog had died on the plane. It had been in the cargo area, not the cabin, and I am not sure what it had died of. It was pretty horrible. Terrible scene. I did not see the actual dog but I saw the owner and heard the conversation. Some airlines are no longer transporting animals for a couple of reasons, with the chance that something happens to them being one of those reasons.
That said... first, talk to your vet. I had a friend who lived in DC and worked in South Carolina and would fly back and forth weekly with his dog. His vet gave him some tranquilizers for the dog. In all honesty she usually defecated on herself and was not a happy dog having to lay in the cage with her own mess. Your vet can examine your dog and see if he is able to be sedated and give you your options.
Also check with the customs agency in your destination country before you make plans. All animals get quarantined when going into a foreign country. Quarantine can be from 14-45 days depending on the country so see what their requirements are. And check with the ASPCA to see what their opinion of that country's quarantine facilities are because some of them are not nice places for dogs, and your dog may be safer on the plane than in quarantine.
I know you love your dog--- I could not imagine moving and leaving mine behind--- but it might be time to consider doing just that. Air travel is very hard on animals. Sedatives only last for so long and no one on the flight crew is going to go give more pills to your dog if the first dose wears off. There is some risk involved. Only you can decide if the risk is worth taking. You and your dog may be happier in the long run if you find him a good home in the States, then adopt a new best friend in your destination. You may also explore other travel options; it would take a while to get to Europe via ship but it can be done. I'm sure that you can find a cruise ship or non-cruise passenger ship that will allow pets on board. From port you would probably need to rent a car to get to your destination because most of the trains do not let animals on board. But it is another option to explore.
2006-07-12 15:44:13 · answer #3 · answered by dcgirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, hundreds of pets die in the cargo bay of airplanes annually. There's no real stats because these incidents are not recorded. I'm sure that your vet can confirm it as a fact if you ask.
Fortunately, I have a 5-lb Yorkie who would travel with me under my seat. I know EXACTLY how you feel about your lab. Consider the dog's age and the fact that your dog will definitely be quarantined upon landing. England's quarantine is quite long (3 months), I believe. And so, you should inquire about that. (My Yorkie freaks out when I put her in the kennel for only FIVE days.)
2006-07-12 18:15:18 · answer #4 · answered by chance 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell your airline way ahead of time about your dog. Since the dog is hyper, I would sedate him so he doesn't overhear himself if he gets all claustrophobic. Also, ask the airline about their treatment of animals during flight. Perhaps it will calm your fears.
2006-07-14 07:23:15 · answer #5 · answered by Agata 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can't really help you there, but I myself have never heard of a pet dying on a plane before. I have heard of them maybe losing them, though... Get more information before you make a decision.
2006-07-12 11:27:53 · answer #6 · answered by Koneko 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is best to leave your dog at home and enjoy your trip without worry.
2006-07-14 02:22:19 · answer #7 · answered by eugene65ca 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your best bet is to mail your dog ahead of time.
it's cheaper, and no one likes your dog so you should kill it.
2006-07-12 11:23:55 · answer #8 · answered by catfish_alomar 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋