Precious cargo: Shipping pets safely to your next duty station - Off Duty, travel - Navy Times

Precious cargo: Shipping pets safely to your next duty station

When retired Cmdr. Molly Judge moved her horse from Germany to the U.S., she contacted other horse owners to ensure she had a reputable transporter and began arranging the move five months in advance.

“Often, we in the military sort of expect the base to do the research for us,” but pet owners need to take that responsibility on themselves, she said.

“You may not realize how much involvement you need to have,” she said. “This is a family member. I took just about every precaution available to me.”

The move went fine, Judge said.

Airlines say animal deaths, injuries and illnesses occur at low rates compared with the number of pets actually shipped.

Continental Airlines, for example, has shipped about 550,000 pets in the last five years and reported 62 incidents of animal deaths, injuries or losses over that time. Alaska Airlines has shipped about 175,000 over that period, with 39 animal deaths.

Still, among the hundreds of thousands of military families on the move each year, some tragedies have been documented.

Losing a pet is heartbreaking for anyone, said Col. Gary Vroegindewey, assistant chief of the Army Veterinary Corps. “Permanent change-of-station moves are very stressful on the family anyway, and pets are part of the family.”

But even if such incidents are relatively rare, “you want to do whatever you can to mitigate potential problems,” he said.

If you’re facing a reassignment move that will involve shipping a pet, consider the following advice from Vroegindewey, the Transportation Department, the Air Transport Association, the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command and Continental Airlines:

• Plan ahead. If possible, move your pet when the weather is mild. If shipping in the summer, consider early-morning flights. Talk to friends and colleagues about successful options others have used for shipping pets. Check online for reviews of airlines, and check the monthly reports of animals that were lost, injured or died on commercial flights at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/reports/index.htm. If you’re using a commercial airline, try to get a direct flight. Or ask a friend to pick up the pet at the transfer point, walk it and give it water before the next leg of the journey.

• Decide whether your pet rides in the cabin or in cargo. Some airlines allow small pets to travel with owners in the aircraft cabin. Pets also can travel as “accompanied baggage” with a passenger’s luggage when the passenger is on the same flight or as “live animal cargo” on a separate flight. Many airline cargo departments employ pet transportation specialists who can answer questions.

• Check immigration requirements. Your installation transportation office will have details for the country to which you are shipping your pet. Families should also be aware that some destinations require animals to stay in quarantine for a period before they can be released, Hawaii included.

Air Force Master Sgt. Tracy Reagan-Ogas said she didn’t know about the quarantine in Hawaii. “Had I known, I am not too sure I would have come here. We came with two dogs, and within 48 hours, we had one.” She says her 7-year-old Pomeranian, Dandy, died at the Aiea, Hawaii, Animal Quarantine Station.

• Have the pet checked by a veterinarian. Include a physical exam and any needed laboratory work that could indicate potential problems with the liver or kidneys, for example. Make sure vaccinations are current and you have necessary health certificates. All flights and pets are different, Vroegindewey said, so talk to your veterinarian about concerns specific to your animal. Very young and very old pets are vulnerable, Vroegindewey said.

Some pets, such as pugs and bulldogs, do not fly well because of their difficulty in breathing. These “short-faced” dog breeds represent about half of the dogs that die while being shipped as cargo, according to the Transportation Department.

• Make sure your kennel crate meets airline and government specifications. Your airline can provide this information. Make sure the pet’s kennel has sufficient ventilation and space to allow the animal to turn freely, in a standing position, using normal body movements, and to stand, sit and lie in a natural position. Make sure the door latches securely.

• Allow your pet to become accustomed to the crate. Your pet will be more comfortable in its temporary home during the flight. Use the crate as a bed for a few days, for example.

• Make sure your pet has an ID tag. It should include the pet’s name, your name and phone number, and your address or unit address. Mark the crate with the same information. Put a label on the top and at least one side of the crate with the words “Live Animal” printed in 1-inch-high letters.

• Don’t give your pet a big meal before a long flight. Give your pet a larger meal the night before travel and a light snack before the flight.

• Don’t expect to be allowed to sedate your pet. Continental supports the recommendation of the American Veterinarian Medical Association to not knowingly accept animals that have been sedated.

• Inform someone. If you’re flying on the same flight as your pet, try to let a pilot or a flight attendant know a pet is in the cargo hold. The Transportation Department says the airlines “have a system for providing such notification, but it doesn’t hurt to mention it yourself.”

• Arrive at the airport early to check in your pet. Keep the animal as calm as possible before the flight. A walk just before departure is a good idea. For cats, disposable litter boxes, available at pet supply shops, are easy to take along.

Related reading

• Cautionary tales expose pet travel dangers

• Getting help with shipping pets