Help Link the Wonderdog Take His First Solo Cross-Country Trip.
June 25, 2011 11:04 AM Subscribe
How can I affordably and safely transport my large dog 1,200 miles, when I am not traveling with him?
We need to transport our large (95#) golden lab from Madison, WI, to Houston, TX. He will be traveling solo.
The exact timing is not important. The exact pick up and drop off locations are not important. He has put in 10,000+ miles in a car on roadtrips, has never been on a plane, but I don't anticipate problems with either. He is friendly and easygoing in all respects. I expect we will have to buy an XL crate, and can get whatever the required kind is. He was crate trained as a puppy but has not been in one in years. He was sedated for neutering without issue. He is up to date on his shots, but not on bordatella.
What I've done so far: I have looked at Delta Pet First, and it would cost at least $400 due to his girth. I have requested a quote from Animals Away and am waiting. I have put up an ad on Uship and am waiting. I have read through the Ask MeFi posts tagged "dog" and "travel" as well as this one.
Most of the old posts pertain to flying WITH your pet, and he will not be accompanied. I'm left with the following questions:
1. Is it better to ship him ground or air?
2. What should I "look out for" in selecting a pet transport service?
3. What are we looking at spending for the transport?
4. What companies/services have you used and would you recommend them?
5. Does anyone have experiences or wisdom that they would like to share?
6. Do you have recommendations as to a crate, for a one-time use?
7. Anything else I should be doing right now in terms of legwork and investigation?
Thank you, hive mind.
As always,
With Mefite love,
Let.
We need to transport our large (95#) golden lab from Madison, WI, to Houston, TX. He will be traveling solo.
The exact timing is not important. The exact pick up and drop off locations are not important. He has put in 10,000+ miles in a car on roadtrips, has never been on a plane, but I don't anticipate problems with either. He is friendly and easygoing in all respects. I expect we will have to buy an XL crate, and can get whatever the required kind is. He was crate trained as a puppy but has not been in one in years. He was sedated for neutering without issue. He is up to date on his shots, but not on bordatella.
What I've done so far: I have looked at Delta Pet First, and it would cost at least $400 due to his girth. I have requested a quote from Animals Away and am waiting. I have put up an ad on Uship and am waiting. I have read through the Ask MeFi posts tagged "dog" and "travel" as well as this one.
Most of the old posts pertain to flying WITH your pet, and he will not be accompanied. I'm left with the following questions:
1. Is it better to ship him ground or air?
2. What should I "look out for" in selecting a pet transport service?
3. What are we looking at spending for the transport?
4. What companies/services have you used and would you recommend them?
5. Does anyone have experiences or wisdom that they would like to share?
6. Do you have recommendations as to a crate, for a one-time use?
7. Anything else I should be doing right now in terms of legwork and investigation?
Thank you, hive mind.
As always,
With Mefite love,
Let.
Response by poster: Ah, I should have mentioned having looked at that. Unfortunately, PetAirways does not fly anywhere near Houston.
posted by letahl at 11:42 AM on June 25, 2011
posted by letahl at 11:42 AM on June 25, 2011
Best answer: I have a lot of dogs transported for rescue and cargo is always the last resort. Some truckers will take a dog with them for a nominal fee (but again this has only been for rescue). The crate for cargo has to be big enough that there are several inches of clearance (depends on the breed, I rescue pugs and snub nose dogs have a harder time flying), they cannot be tranquilized and there are temperature restrictions that may be an issue in Texas this time of year. Get lots of feedback from previous clients if you use a ground transport company, some of them are incredibly sketchy. Maybe you could contact a local rescue and see who they use/recommend? Most rescues have a good idea about who's trustworthy locally.
posted by yodelingisfun at 11:44 AM on June 25, 2011
posted by yodelingisfun at 11:44 AM on June 25, 2011
Best answer: My dogs both came to us via Delta. They seemed fine.
The cost is vet certification + transport + crate. In the neighborhood of $500 for my dogs, but my dogs are 20lbs each.
You can find the appropriate crate at any pet store. Just tell them what you need it for and they should be able to help you out. Also check craigslist; I sold mine on craigslist once the dogs got here.
posted by jeffamaphone at 12:50 PM on June 25, 2011
The cost is vet certification + transport + crate. In the neighborhood of $500 for my dogs, but my dogs are 20lbs each.
You can find the appropriate crate at any pet store. Just tell them what you need it for and they should be able to help you out. Also check craigslist; I sold mine on craigslist once the dogs got here.
posted by jeffamaphone at 12:50 PM on June 25, 2011
Best answer: Delta has a bit of a mixed spotty for shipping pets (see The Consumerist for some pretty egregious examples).
Check out Petfinder's list of the top-5 most pet friendly airlines. The article is from 2009, but hopefully that's recent enough. Two years ago, my wife and I shipped a rescue dog to Massachusetts from Texas using American Airlines, and the experience went flawlessly. She chose them based on their reputation as the airline breeders use for shipping dogs to shows.
posted by fremen at 2:09 PM on June 25, 2011
Check out Petfinder's list of the top-5 most pet friendly airlines. The article is from 2009, but hopefully that's recent enough. Two years ago, my wife and I shipped a rescue dog to Massachusetts from Texas using American Airlines, and the experience went flawlessly. She chose them based on their reputation as the airline breeders use for shipping dogs to shows.
posted by fremen at 2:09 PM on June 25, 2011
I have read awful things about uship. I would not trust that service with my dogs' lives. Google "uship scam"
posted by plague at 5:00 PM on June 25, 2011
posted by plague at 5:00 PM on June 25, 2011
Delta has more than a "spotty" record - there are multiple examples of lost and dead dogs on their flights. To quote Consumerist "Delta Airlines took a lot of heat in 2010 for a string of incidents involving dead and/or lost pets on its flights. So in an attempt to cut down on the number of animal deaths, the airline will no longer accept bulldogs in its planes' cargo holds."
Don't trust your dog to Delta. My advice would be to contact a local animal shelter, to see if they have people in their network who could transport your dog (for a fee, of course). There is a large network of animal rescue organizations who routinely transport dogs from the southern states (where they stand little chance of adoption) to northern states. Perhaps you can pick up a ride on their return journey, if you offer a suitable donation?
posted by Susurration at 6:41 PM on June 25, 2011
Don't trust your dog to Delta. My advice would be to contact a local animal shelter, to see if they have people in their network who could transport your dog (for a fee, of course). There is a large network of animal rescue organizations who routinely transport dogs from the southern states (where they stand little chance of adoption) to northern states. Perhaps you can pick up a ride on their return journey, if you offer a suitable donation?
posted by Susurration at 6:41 PM on June 25, 2011
Best answer: Susurration: "There is a large network of animal rescue organizations who routinely transport dogs from the southern states (where they stand little chance of adoption) to northern states. Perhaps you can pick up a ride on their return journey, if you offer a suitable donation?"
Seconding this. It would require some calling around and the ability to be flexible (time, location, etc.) on your part. Offering a donation or to pay for gas would definitely be welcome.
A reputable rescue group in Madison that I've driven for (transporting rescued dogs) is Shelter from the Storm.
If you wouldn't mind driving your dog to the Chicago area, your options increase.
You do need to be aware, if you go this route, that you would be relying on the good will of volunteers. If, god forbid, something should happen, it's not like you would have some kind of legal standing to get recourse. Just want to throw this out there. Rescue transports are an informal relay of drivers.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:09 PM on June 25, 2011
Seconding this. It would require some calling around and the ability to be flexible (time, location, etc.) on your part. Offering a donation or to pay for gas would definitely be welcome.
A reputable rescue group in Madison that I've driven for (transporting rescued dogs) is Shelter from the Storm.
If you wouldn't mind driving your dog to the Chicago area, your options increase.
You do need to be aware, if you go this route, that you would be relying on the good will of volunteers. If, god forbid, something should happen, it's not like you would have some kind of legal standing to get recourse. Just want to throw this out there. Rescue transports are an informal relay of drivers.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:09 PM on June 25, 2011
Also, search for "transport" on petfinder.com.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:13 PM on June 25, 2011
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:13 PM on June 25, 2011
There is also an updated list of top airlines for pet travel on petfinder, although the article suggests that having your dog ride below cabin is a really bad idea. http://www.petfinder.com/your-pet-and-you/2010-pet-friendly-airlines.html
posted by plague at 7:00 AM on June 26, 2011
posted by plague at 7:00 AM on June 26, 2011
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posted by k8t at 11:08 AM on June 25, 2011