Is it hard to travel with pets (dogs) on airplanes?

Question

I live and work about 13 hours away from my hometown and where my family still lives. When I go home to visit, I usually fly because I cannot stand being on the road 13 hours. However, I am really wanting to get a small dog (10lbs or under) and I'm wondering if it is difficult to fly with a pet. I have looked up several airlines pet policies and it looks like a lot of them do allow pets. For those of you who have flow with pets (or know more about flying with them than I do) please advise me on whether or not its difficult to have a pet and be able to fly home on occassion. I usually go home a few times a year (usually around the holidays). Of course, I probably wouldn't take my pet with me everytime, just occasionally if I stayed home to visit for a while. Thanks!

Answer 1

I wouldn't suggest flying with a pet. I did it once and was horrified at the way they treat them. They are treated like a piece of luggage. They can be left out on the runway with the luggage in the freezing cold or blistering heat waiting to be put on and taken away from the plane. If you're flight is delayed, then you have no idea where they keep the animal. The airlines sometimes lose the animal or it's let out of it's cage. You should not sedate your pet because they get moved and rocked around so much they can get hurt smashing against the sides of the cage. Find a good pet sitting service, neighbor or kennel for your pet when you're gone. It's just too stressful for you and the animal. Good Luck!

Answer 2

I just flight from Germany to the USA.it was horrible . they lost my dog twice (one time in Frankfurt , Germany and the second time in Dallas ). i flight with Lufthansa because i heard they had the best service with pets .never ever will i fly with my dog again if it is not necessary .

ahhh after 1 hour searching for her on the Dallas Fort Worth airport i found her all alone in a stairway ..

Answer 3

Check with your airline. Tiny dogs can sometimes be carried in a carrier which you can stow under your seat on short flights. We are able to transport some of our small rescues that way.

Answer 4

oh my god do I have a horror story for you . Please do not fly with your dog . It is a horrible and traumatic expieirience for them . I flew (my mother and I did ) with both our dogs . My mom had her husky and I had my female chi. They were both in seperate cages or carriers rather . Well to make a long story short . Some idiot in the cargo dept decided to put my dogs together . When they arrived both my mom's husky and my chi were covered in dog doo and vomit . it seems that the husky threw up in flight and the husky also dooed all over herself . which my chi ended up getting covered in . I took my chi to the vet because she developed a cough over the next few days and it seems that she has ingested something that was similar in compound to jet fuel !!!! She had developed pneumonia and had to be put down the next month . I was so ticked at the airline I could not speak . I am still in negoiation process with them and my lawyer says it looks real good . so for god sake do not fly with your dog. I hope I helped.

Answer 5

The canine must be in an approved service sufficiently small to extra healthful under the seat. precise dimensions can variety with the layout of the particular airplane so which you will desire to touch the airline directly to make reservations and discover out their standards. the two in shipment or the passenger cabin, the canine would be terrified by the noise and vibration.

Answer 6

A dog was hit by a plane on our local runway last summer. He had gotten free from cargo two weeks earlier and the airport was not able to catch him. They did not call the SPCA in and handled the whole thing miserably.
The dog was killed by a landing plane.

Answer 7

Yes, it is possible to fly with pets. The airline will tell you what size cage you need, vaccination certificates etc.