Flying with pigs
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- I Love Lucy
I am updating this because I've been asked so many times who I used to ship my pigs and cats when I moved from NC to Seattle. I could have sworn I posted the sites here, but only this thread is coming up.
For shipping the pigs, I used a company called Global Animal Transport. They specialize in transportation of exotic animals. (They do not ship dogs or cats.) They did a great job making all of the arrangements and everyone arrived safe and sound.
http://www.globalanimaltransport.com/
For my cats, I used a company called Pet Transporter Worldwide. Again, they did a great job and we had no problems.
http://www.pettransporter.com/contactus.htm
Both of these places use regular airlines for transport, but they do have specific airlines they prefer based on the pet shipping policies of the individual airlines.
I was able to ship all five of my pigs in one crate which had to meet very specific specifications (i.e., burlap covering all openings, a water bottle attached that can be removed for refill from the outside, an extra baggie of pellets taped down on top of the carrier). They were very good about telling me exactly what I needed to do to make sure everything met airline requirements.
Also, both companies have veterinary contacts in all of the cities that they fly animals through so that should anything happen or a flight get delayed, there is boarding and healthcare available.
The company that transported my pigs ensured that the pigs were sitting in the runway manager's office during their layover. It was very comforting to know that there was no chance of them sitting around on the runway for hours exposed to the hot/cold.
If anyone has any other questions, please feel free to post them here and I'll answer as best I can. :)
For shipping the pigs, I used a company called Global Animal Transport. They specialize in transportation of exotic animals. (They do not ship dogs or cats.) They did a great job making all of the arrangements and everyone arrived safe and sound.
http://www.globalanimaltransport.com/
For my cats, I used a company called Pet Transporter Worldwide. Again, they did a great job and we had no problems.
http://www.pettransporter.com/contactus.htm
Both of these places use regular airlines for transport, but they do have specific airlines they prefer based on the pet shipping policies of the individual airlines.
I was able to ship all five of my pigs in one crate which had to meet very specific specifications (i.e., burlap covering all openings, a water bottle attached that can be removed for refill from the outside, an extra baggie of pellets taped down on top of the carrier). They were very good about telling me exactly what I needed to do to make sure everything met airline requirements.
Also, both companies have veterinary contacts in all of the cities that they fly animals through so that should anything happen or a flight get delayed, there is boarding and healthcare available.
The company that transported my pigs ensured that the pigs were sitting in the runway manager's office during their layover. It was very comforting to know that there was no chance of them sitting around on the runway for hours exposed to the hot/cold.
If anyone has any other questions, please feel free to post them here and I'll answer as best I can. :)
http://www.petrelocation.com/ is a company that a client of my vet's had success with. She recently gave me the info to give to a person who adopted one of my pigs since she is returning to her home overseas this summer. She currently is awaiting a quote for her dog and her guinea pigs.
The other day, I became really frustrated while attempting to make flight arrangements with Thisbe.
Finally, thoroughly irritated, I called Continental's customer service because I wanted to know why rabbits are allowed in the cabin but guinea pigs are not. I kept requesting to be transferred to supervisors until I talked to a management person in Miami who explained that rabbits are easier to catch if they escape, and less prone to chew through wiring on the plane if they aren't caught.
I guess I have to give her credit for telling me something, even if it seems kind of lame.
Finally, thoroughly irritated, I called Continental's customer service because I wanted to know why rabbits are allowed in the cabin but guinea pigs are not. I kept requesting to be transferred to supervisors until I talked to a management person in Miami who explained that rabbits are easier to catch if they escape, and less prone to chew through wiring on the plane if they aren't caught.
I guess I have to give her credit for telling me something, even if it seems kind of lame.
My vet's version as to why cats and dogs might be allowed to fly in the cabin is that they are not considered livestock.
rshevin, I sort of thought that the rabbit thing wasn't true, since it didn't make sense, but I didn't want to make any hasty conclusions.
The "all 'rodents' = bubonic plague-spreading rats" attitude is really annoying, especially because it's so often accompanied by a complete unwillingness to learn anything about other rodent species.
Zoo, I thought about saying that she was a baby "exotic rabbit", and she wouldn't develop her long ears until she got older.
Just pretend not to hear the wheeking if confronted. "'Wheek, wheek?' I have no idea what you're talking about! I can't hear a thing."
The "all 'rodents' = bubonic plague-spreading rats" attitude is really annoying, especially because it's so often accompanied by a complete unwillingness to learn anything about other rodent species.
Zoo, I thought about saying that she was a baby "exotic rabbit", and she wouldn't develop her long ears until she got older.
Just pretend not to hear the wheeking if confronted. "'Wheek, wheek?' I have no idea what you're talking about! I can't hear a thing."