Traveling with Dog in Passenger Compartment

[ShellBda]

Hello all,

I know I could contact Quantas but I am sure someone on this site has the answer and will save me going through various voice mails.

When I travel to NZ on a Visitors Visa next year (with hope of finding job) I will be bringing my little dog with me. She is far too tiny to travel in the cargo or animal section of the plane and would need to travel in her little carrier with me. Of course I will have obtained all of the required medicals etc.

Does Quantas allow this? She is full grown but is no bigger than a beer bottle with a head and legs! She weighs about 3lbs = teacup yorkshire terrier. She is my baby and I know she would never make it on an airplane away from me.

Thanks,
Shell

[Dawn]

We're flying Air NZ and our huge brutes are going into cargo but I'm pretty sure that the info said that cats and small dogs that can fit into a carrier can travel with you under the seat (I mean them under the seat not you!). There was a weight restriction and I don't know if Qantas have different rules. Check the website, the info should be pretty easy to find

[ShellBda]

Thanks for the info Dawn. The way I feel about flying maybe I should be the one under the seat (or I may end up there anyway once the turbulance starts!). At least I can hide the "quiet" blubbering that I am going to do!

[Taffy]

Hi,

I can't say i've ever heard of animals being allowed on the plane, of any size. But, if they are, make sure you check the regulations of the countries you are travelling through. Some may not allow you to take pets in to the airports. Your airline/travel agent should be able to confirm that with you.

Poor little beer bottle on legs

[MotherBear]

I believe it's up to the individual airlines whether they'll let you take your dog in the cabin with you. Pets need to be kept in a sealed, hard carrier which must not be opened during flight. I guess the airlines have to consider their passengers' comfort first in case, for example, the dog has a tendency to bark for prolonged periods or might cry.

I don't know if you're aware of all the complicated procedures pets have to go through before they can travel to NZ and, once you arrive there, your pet must go into quarantine for a month so that would involve a separation. I have heard of such a thing as 'home confinement' where the dog is kept in the house for the period of the quarantine, but I don't know if this is still carried out. It would be worth asking. I think most of us worry dreadfully about the welfare of our pets when they are being transported such long distances, but the great majority of them are absolutely fine, even tiny ones, if they are in the care of a reputable shipper.

Many people use a pet shipper to handle their little loved ones, which does cost a lot of money (usually goes by weight) but takes a lot of the stress out of a situation that is stressful enough. This one, IPTLAX , operates from the US and, even if you don't want to use a company like this, you may find some of the information contained in there might be helpful. Collating all the documents and participating in all the tests has to be very precise, especially with timing, so anyone shipping their pet needs to know exactly what's required well ahead of time (we're talking months here). Some people were not prepared and got caught out because they hadn't started the procedures in time. And you don't want to get to the airport and find that something isn't quite right and you must leave your pet behind.

[MotherBear]

After much hunting around (the Qantas site isn't that user-friendly regarding pets), I found this .

[ShellBda]

Now I am worried. My little one Ceilidh is extra tiny and I am positive that she would not survive the journey. She flew from the US to Bermuda which was only a 2 hour flight and she travelled in the passenger cabin. She was so sad when I picked her up from the airport and she couldn't stop shaking. I can just imagine what she would be like elsewhere in the plane. She is liable to give herself a heart attack. She only weighs 3lbs at the most.

I will have to check with Air New Zealand.

Thank you Mother Bear for finding this information. I have been through the paperwork and medicals etc. for animals before so I am not too put off by that process. I just don't understand why they would have her go into quarantine when she comes from a rabies free country. She would be traveling through the US but would never leave the airport.

I will have to think about this very hard. I know I can't make life decisions based on my pet but she is a part of my family.

[Welshgirl]

According to Air New Zealand, pets on international flights MUST travel in the cargo hold - only domestic flights accept small pets as baggage

I appreciate your problem Shell, it's a difficult decision. Have you tried contacting a reputable pet carrier? They may be able to give you some advice and allay your fears a little. There's no doubt about it, an international long-haul flight is stressful for any animal, but with the right care they'll get through it. I honestly can't see you being able to take Ceilidh on the plane with you, whichever airline you fly with but I would love to be proved wrong.

This link takes you to a pdf file with info about carrying pets on planes with ANZ - http://www.airnewzealand.co.uk/resou...t_passport.pdf (It's from the UK site but I would imagine it covers ANZ worldwide.)

Good luck.

[MotherBear]

Shell, while I was reading up on pet transportation I stumbled onto a forum post where someone talked about having heard of a pet registered as a ?therapy? or ?helper? dog, say if you have problems with flying and the dog calms you down. The dog was allowed in the cabin. It?s a bit of a long shot, but might be worth looking into.

Otherwise, how about treating yourself to a cruise down to NZ? Some boats allow pets on board, but I?m not sure if you have to have a round ticket or not. It would take a lot longer but could be a nice holiday for you as well as a means of getting there.

[ShellBda]

Believe it or not, I thought about cruising to NZ but I couldn't find any cruises from the US to NZ. If anyone knows about any cruises let me know....I don't mind paying extra!

Shell