I feel like I am writing a book report with such a title. Anyway...
I've done quite a bit of research lately in regards to traveling with one's fuzzy friend so I thought I'd share some of my findings.
1) Putting your pet in cargo is actually more expensive and complicated than keeping him/her in the cabin with you. Who knew? If you decide to put Fluffy in the pet cargo area underneath, you have to follow all sorts of restrictions in regards to the type of carrier you use. You also have to provide special health information from the vet within ten days of your flight. For a summary of these pretty standard regulations, check out Delta's page.
On the other hand, if you choose to bring your pet into the cabin with you (and be wary, not all airlines allow this), there are few restrictions. You basically need to have a smallish pet to fit in a carrier under the seat and you have to pay somewhere around $70-$100 for his/her "ticket." (For travel in cargo, it seems to be around the $150 mark). You also do not need to provide any health documentation. Maybe that's because you are present to see Fluffy potentially foam at the mouth right there in front of you.
2) I also learned that there are travel services that will transport your pet for you. I looked into one and was impressed by the quick response (via email as well as telephone) from a person with a soft spoken voice who I couldn't help but envision wearing Birkenstocks while feeding 17 cats. I was a bit shocked to learn that the quoted price for Baxter's transport was $421. However, this involved door to door service and to be quite frank, when considering lost wages due to my little trip to Wisconsin, it's probably not a bad deal.
3) Pet Airways. Let me say that again. PET AIRWAYS! Check it out! This warmed my heart and had they actually serviced Milwaukee, I would have considered it.
But alas, I am taking Baxter the Cat myself. His happy foster family awaits. And I get to see my family in the process. Not a bad way to wrap up my time in the U.S.
2 comments:
Nice post.
It is really important that your pets are in good condition and comfortable during travel to avoid any hassle. Travelling with your pets is a memorable experience you can have.
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