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I've dealt with animal shipping for years and know many people involved. Air shipping is as safe compared to all the other types of transporting dogs. It gets a bad rap because when something goes wrong, people jump up and down and scream and shout, and it becomes public info. When was the last time you read a front page story about Jane or Joe who lost their dog at some rest stop? But it happens all the time.
It also gets a bad rap because people can say whatever they want and nobody questions if its fact or fiction. Look at the dog that died this year on the Alaska airline flight. How many people blogged about the poor dog and bad airline until they found out the dog was hit by a car days before being shipped by their owner. Now you hear nothing, and you can't get any of those "poor dog - bad airline" people to admit they reacted on emotions and not facts.
There was also that Continental flight where a dog dies and the owners were all over the place claiming the dog died from lack of oxygen and it wasn't pressurized. Everyone was trying to lynch the airline over that, but once again, it turned out there were 6 other animals on the flight and they all ended up just fine. The dogs died of some type of reaction to a tranq the owner gave against the advice of their vet.
I feel just as bad when an animal dies enroute, but sometimes the truth needs to be told. Air travel is a safe mode of transportation. The majority of problems is when owners don't take the time to plan properly.
Sounds like a pilot or an airline rep talking to me . I beg to differ with you about it being the safest form . I will find another way now .
I'm not saying it’s the safest form, but a fairly safe form like all the other options you have.
How many pets traveling across the county jump out an open window of a car and get smushed on the road? How many die from breathing in exhaust fume in the bag of a pickup shell? How many die from getting hit by a car when they run off at a rest stop? How many get tranqed against the advice of a vet and die in the car or some motel room? How many injure themselves in an unknown crate while being bounced around in the back of the car? How many get killed in auto accidents? There are many, but there are few if any news reports so people can't comment on those. All they have is when it happens on an airplane.
An important item is that each airline has to file a report of injured, killed or lost animal in transit. When you read these and use the incident rate you see that for all the animals transported, there are few incidents and fewer involving negligence.
Is it the best? No, is it getting better? Yes. Can you say that the alternatives are going to guarantee the dogs safe arrival?
But fear mongering for the sake of tugging on people's emotions is every bit as bad. If you were crossing the street in a red dress and got smashed by a car, does that mean red dresses are bad for traveling and nobody should wear one when out on the street? How do you think that would go over?
Animals die in trains, planes and automobiles. They die while walking and playing. They die because things happen and not all of it is malicious or willful. It is just wrong to claim an entire system that has a good track record is bad because of a few incidents of negligence. Why aren’t people talking about the trip on the plane and their dog lived, was not injured, or arrived where it was supposed to. It would overload the board faster than rumors of a pet food recall.
I once had my dog shipped approximately 1000 miles via airline (this was probably 20 years ago). After my son and I had moved to another province, we couldn't take our dog with us right away, so a friend graciously offered to take care of her until I could send for her. Took me almost a year to find a place where I could keep her, and I was extremely nervous about having her flown alone, but my friend took her to the vet first, had her mildly sedated, and put cotton in her ears. Misty survived the flight with no ill effects, despite the cargo truck getting stuck on the runway for almost an hour after it had loaded all the plane's cargo aboard (this was after the plane landed...a freak spring snowstorm had hit and the truck's wheels got stuck in the drifts).
I've also had rabbits shipped to me a few times in the past via plane. A couple flew approx. 600 miles; three others flew halfway across the country. All survived the flights well, but it still makes me nervous to ship rabbits - or any pet, for that matter - by plane, even though they are well taken care of (in my experience they all seemed to be handled well). If I were ever to ship a pet again, I'd definitely have lots of questions for the airline first, if even just to help ease my mind.
If I were ever to ship a pet again, I'd definitely have lots of questions for the airline first, if even just to help ease my mind.
Nothing wrong with that. You should be asking questions after questions.
I tell people this over and over and over aagin, yet it never seems to sink into their skulls. When you travel, you know what's going on and what and where to adjust. Your pets has no control over the situation. If you make your plans based on your needs, you could be putting your pet into harms way because what is best for the animal may not be what's easiest or cheapest for you.
Yes, ask the airline the questions but too many people start and end with price.
I have had two dogs shipped to me. They were both just fine when I recieved them. Although on one occassion the lady who brought me the dog was a little nervous because he was such a big GSD.
Fifteen years ago we had our now 15 year old Border Collie shipped from a breeder in California, he was an 8 week old puppy. He flew in on what was then referred to as the "red eye", a five hour flight during late night/early morning hours. The flight was on time, and he was fine. However, I would not do it again. I've just heard too many horror stories.
I have had 2 flown into Wisconsin a pup from Missourri , and a adult rescue from Atlanta Georgia. I trust the airlines more than would some of the other forms of transport out there. Planes fly them as cargo yes but it is temp controlled and pressurized.
I have also had 1 adult driven down to Florida but was a employee that hauled her. You can get truck drivers and others that will haul for a lower fee at times, but what always goes through my mind is if paid up front which most want, what happens if dog pee's in vehicle or barks or whines a lot and they get sick of it and just drop off in middle of nowhere?
Talk to the airlines and get as much info as can as it is up to you to ask the questions. USDA regulates animal flights and that is why temp control on ground start to finish.
I have shipped in the past, but will not do so in the future. With my Westie, it was easy being I could fly him w/ me in cabin. A few years ago I use to ship ferrerts. I'm in a small that only had Northwest & Delta at that time. NW always had trouble w/ quality air control in cargo. Delta lost 3 ferrets for 36 hours! They were just kits and almost starved due to Delta's negligence. I also had a Lab pup shipped by Delta who missed the flight to my horror. That was the last time I shipped. When we decided on adding a Newfoundland to our family, I flew up to the breeder and rented a car to drive home w/ him. I find the safest way to transport pets is secured in a carrier in a vehicle.
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