Question about traveling on plane with pet, do I need a health certificate??
 

Ok, Joey is going with us to Florida for Presidents Day. Continental won't really give us a straight answer...they say that they "may require a health certificate from my vet, saying that Joey is ok to travel"....when we booked our tickets and Joey's, nothing was mentioned to us. But, I would hate to get to the airport and not be able to get on the plane because of some dumb health certificate requirement....

We live in NYC and to get the health certificate we have to bring Joey to our vet, which is at least a $75 "office visit", so I would rather not take him if we don't HAVE to.

Anybody know Continental's policy with flying with dogs in the cabin and health certificates?

Also...a related question...has anyone used pediatric benedryl to get their dogs to "calm down" for traveling? This is what the vet recommended to me over the phone. Joey is a complete SPAZ, and I need something to knock him out during the flight.

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

Health certificates are required for any dog (or animal) taken into the state of Florida, I know this to be fact because I had my vet check state requirement before "Becca and Ideafix" new parents flew in over last thanksgiving holiday to take them back to Naples Florida.

hope this helps

If you can't get a straight answer from their 1-800 number, call the airports you will be using - directly! More than likely they will ask for it. It's like traveling with a small child - sometimes they ask to see a birth certificate, sometimes they don't.

I would get one just in case, and take along with me the shot/rabies vacc.

I have used a perscribed medication to easy my boy's travels, I think it was only like $10 from the vet... if you're going anyway to get the paperwork...

Have you asked your vet if you can just come pick one up without an office visit? I'm sure if your dog is current on all it's shots, then there wouldn't be a need for a visit.

Yes you will need one but remember, they are only good for 10 days so don't get it now if you aren't going to leave till later.

Its a health certificate not a birth certificate. The vet must sign off that he is current with rabies, sign the rabies id # on the certificate and state the dog is in good health. If you pup is over the age of 3 months state of florida requires a rabies shot before entry.

If you have a good relationship with the vet or not I doubt any vet will do this by a simple phone call they are putting their license on the line and signing it!!

oh no - they are only good for 10 days?? good to know, thank you!

Any vet that signs a health certificate is saying that the animal is free from any visible or known signs of infectious or communicable disease. I highly doubt you'll get any vet to just GIVE you a health cert for a dog that they haven't seen in the office. My vet does a health cert for around 30 bucks. That's with the office visit. It's not that much. Don't forget though, you'll need health certificate for the return trip as well so if you're staying longer than 10 days, you'll either need your vet to post date one for your return trip, or you'll need to see another vet down there to get another certificate.

number of pets allowed
 

Also keep in mind that only a certain number of pets are allowed per flight so if the quota has already been reached, you may not get to board. If you have not purchased your tickets already, you need to tell them that you will be traveling with a pet.

I just flew on America West with Ella over Christmas and they say that they don't need them anymore....it would be nice to have but they don't necessarily need. That is what they told me when I last flew so i didn't have one. When they did require it they never checked mine anyways. It doesn't seem like they are too strict. At least on America West. There was a girl on my flight who snuck her 2 pound yorkie on, she just pretended she was a carry on and put a jacket over the back and then took her out at security. I couldn't do that, I don't have the guts. Not worth possibly missing my flight.

Go to the website of the airline you are traveling and on their search button type in pets. It will tell you all the requirements you will need. Everyone is right about the 10 days. You also might have people comment that no one checked their paperwork when they were traveling and that is fine but here is the chance you take of not having the proper paperwork - the airline can deny you travel with the dog if you don't have the proper paperwork. You might get to the airport and you could be denied and goodbye special airfare. Good Luck.

Try this link. It does state that entering into Florida requires a health certificate.

http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/ai/adc/...movement.shtml

its not "airlines" that enforce the heath certificate, its each state agricultural requirements and laws. Your vet has a list of all state requirements and Florida, as Tanya, said it is manditory.

When I traveled with my friend's Yorkie, Guinness to CA past Thanksgiving from Boston with JetBlue they didn't ask any documents. But I had his health certificates that shows their regular shots etc... it was from March... and I traveled in November.. but I brought the one from last vet visit. My friend who has him and a Shih Tzu usually bring that to airport. She will have to show new one soon after annual shots.

It is always to be well prepared than feeling regret later.

I have flown twice with Vivi. First time to Fla on USA 3000. They looked at the health certificate. Second time on Continental to Ga. and they did not look at certificate. Get the certificate because it all depends on the thoroughness of the airline employee. My vet did not charge me for the visit to issue the certificate. He has a form and they filled in Vivi's name and he signed it. Vivi didn't need medication to fly;she is a calm traveller and settled down into her carry on bag. I did take her into the bathroom right before boarding and she used her wee wee pad. I will be flying to Fla. in April on Continental and I will get another certificate. I carry her vaccination records at all times. :)

I just called American Airlines as we are traveling to Chicago this month with Ransom.

The lady in customer service on the phone advised that since I am only traveling domestic that I did not need a health certificate. I'm not sure I'm going to take her word so for "just in case" measures will still continue to take Ransom to his vet for his 10 day health certificate.

This lady was cute. I think we talked more about Yorkie's then actually booking him on his flight with us. Her daughter has a Yorkie and she says she's wild (the Yorkie) and that she is always hit up to babysit her daughter's Yorkie. LOL :D

I can't wait to travel with Ransom (Schatzie is staying with a friend) and feel fortunate that he wont need any "calming sedatives" before his flight. He's pretty much calm all the time.

Shipping Your Pet
Whether you are buying a new puppy, taking a vacation with your pet or moving across country you may be faced with the issue of shipping live cargo through the airlines. Here is some "need to know" information to help your puppy have a successful trip.

Requirement to Ship
Things to Consider
Airlines that Ship Pets
Organizations that Ship Pets
Importing and Exporting Live Animals
Requirements to Ship


Animals must be at least 8 weeks of age.
Shipping kennel or cage must meet standards for size, ventilation, strength and design. Animals must have enough room to stand up and turn around. Kennels must be equipped with one food and water cup. Kennels must be marked with shipper's name, address and phone number and pick-up person's name, address and phone number (if different from shipper), Live Animal Stickers should be applied to the kennel and the last time fed and watered indicated. Place newspaper or absorbent material on the bottom of the crate.
Animal may not be exposed to temperatures of less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit unless there is an acclimation statement by a Veterinarian.
Health Certificate must be issued by a licensed Veterinarian and be no more than 10 days old.
Animals may not be brought to the airline more than 4 hours before a flight.
Animals less than 16 weeks of age must be offered food and water if transit is more than 12 hours. Older animals must have food at least every 24 hours and water at least every 12 hours.
Animals over 16 weeks must have rabies shots current.
Things to Consider

If shipping international (including Hawaii) check the quarantine laws.
Do not give your pet solid food in the six hours before the flight.
Do not give your pet sedation without your veterinarians approval.
Try to schedule a non-stop flight and avoid heavy travel times.
If you are flying with your pet, be sure to tell the flight attendant or pilot.
Place a familiar blanket, or your pets favorite toy in the kennel.
Airlines that Ship Pets



Alaskan Airlines
www.alaskaair.com/www2/help/faqs/Pets.asp
Alaska Airlines Cargo Customer Service Center at 1-800-225-2752 or Horizon Air GoldStreak Customer Service Center at 1-800-547-7660.
Aloha Air
http://www.alohaairlines.com/
Customer Service Center at 1 (888) 94ALOHA
Air Canada
www.aircanada.ca/cargo/products/animals.html
American Airlines
http://www.aacargo.com/shipping/animals.jhtml
Continental Airlines
www.cocargo.com/cocargo/CargoPages/liveanim.asp
Delta Pet First
http://www.delta.com/planning_reserv...tion/index.jsp
If you have questions about shipping your pet as air cargo or you want to book a flight, please contact a Delta Air Logistics professional at 800-DL-CARGO (800-352-2746).
Northwest Airlines
http://www.nwa.com/travel/animals/index.html
1-800-NWCARGO (1-800-692-2746) When your pet is traveling unaccompanied.
Singapore Airlines
www.singaporeair.com
The carriage of pets in the aircraft cabin is not permitted. Pets may, however travel in the air-conditioned cargo hold of the aircraft as long as they are placed in a suitable container and have the proper health, vaccination documentations and entry permits as required by the countries of entry and/or transit. Please ensure that these documents are in order. Advance arrangements for pets are required.
United Airlines
www.ual.com/page/middlepage/0,1454,1047,00.html
United Cargo at 800-UA-CARGO
Organizations that Ship Pets

Worldwide Pet Shipping - www.jet-a-pet.com
Pet Air - www.flypets.com/
Air Animal Pet Moving Service - www.airanimal.com
Importing and Exporting Live Animals

International Animal Export Regulations - Pick a country and download the file with
the requirements.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/guidance/r...international/
Importing Domestic Animals to Rabies-Free Areas - Quarantine requirements
http://pw1.netcom.com/~eholden/brulecmp.htm
Transporting Live Animals
http://www.dot.gov/airconsumer/animals.htm
More Information on Shipping Pets

http://www.library.uiuc.edu/vex/cpl/faq/travel.htm - Information and tips about pet travel. Included is a list of books as well as a bibliography of articles that may give you helpful information about traveling with your pet.
Taking Your Pet on the Plane - Air travel for animals can be tricky and dangerous business, so it is important to know what the law, the airlines and veterinarians recommend.

here is for flying with your pet

Occasionally clients ask about moving or traveling with their pet. Most pets will travel well if they are acclimated to the car but many, especially cats, do not. Air travel gets the trip over in a matter of hours rather than days of driving. This is still stressful for the pet, but is of shorter duration. There are some things you should consider before putting your pet on the plane.

Many people worry about the safety of air travel. Over a million pets a year are shipped, according to airline estimates. Each year one or two well-publicized accidents detract from that fact. Actual airline industry statistics report less than 30 animal injuries or deaths per year. Often accidents happen because of poor planning, improper containers, or other human error; sometimes things are truly an accident with no one person to blame. Airlines really do take the best interest of the pet into consideration to try and avoid any incident.

Professional pet transporters meet all regulations, have the most knowledge, and use the highest quality products available. Using a pet shipper is not the least expensive alternative, but often can be the best choice.

Restrictions from the Transportation Safety Association, TSA for short (formerly the Federal Aviation Association) have grown stricter over the last few months due to the number and types of air accidents around the world. Don’t be surprised if you have difficulty booking your pets travel plans. Several airlines now refuse to book pets from the general public; some limit pet travel during the summer months. You may need the help of a pet transportation company.

Whether you have help or do it yourself, certain things must be done.
1. You will need an airline approved shipping crate. If you are fortunate enough to have a small pet that can travel with you in the cabin (the airline decides if you are allowed to do this), a soft-sided carrier may be used. Otherwise, all dogs, cats, and other small animals go into a hard fiberglass crate. There are a wide variety of crates available. In general, the less expensive crates are not the safest. The high priced crates are constructed of heavier fiberglass, and have stronger doors that will not pop open easily. Each container must be appropriately labeled with live animal stickers, feeding instructions, and have bowls attached to the door. The animal must be able to stand without hitting its head, turn around and lie down in a normal position. The pet will feel more comfortable is acclimated to the crate in advance.

2. Every pet needs a health certificate and proof of vaccines (especially rabies). This means your veterinarian exams the pet, and is certifying the pet is healthy and free of contagious diseases. Federal law demands a certificate dated no more than ten days prior to the trip. We recommend you get it as close to the trip as possible. If there are any delays, you may have a chance to reschedule before the certificate expires. Otherwise, you will be paying for another one.

3. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) do not recommend tranquilizing your pet prior to flying. It is now widely recognized that tranquilizers are the number one cause of illness and death in shipped animals. No emergency medical care is available; as long as your pet is in good health, air travel does not pose a life-threatening problem. He or she may be upset, but will arrive safe and sound. Tranquilized pets are often rejected for shipment by the airlines, and several refuse to take any sedated pet.

4. Excessive heat or cold can prohibit pet shipments. Each airline and airport can put embargo’s in place that prevent moving a pet when it is less than 35 degrees or over 85 degrees at either end of the move. These restrictions are used for the safety of your pet and are also part of the federal law. Professional pet shippers and airlines must abide by these regulations. If your pet can not be moved as scheduled because of cold or heat, then the shipment is delayed until conditions are appropriate.

Professional pet transporters know all the in’s and out’s of moving pets. Since these companies ship many pets per week, compared to an individual shipping a pet only occasionally, they often have a better idea of routing and requirements.

Moving a pet overseas can vary from an easy move to extremely complicated. Each country has different requirements, and islands like Great Britain or New Zealand have strict regulations for quarantining pets upon arrival. Your pet transporter can assist with paperwork and meeting the requirements.

New requirements for pet transportation, as well as other cargo, are being considered by the TSA. Check with airlines carefully in the future, since new procedures will be instituted within the next few months.

I would follow anything that's manditory. There is a reason for the agricultural requirements and laws and I just won't break it. What can I say? I really value law and orders. :p I am sure you don't want to get caught without having the proper paperwork either. If you ask me, be prepared and stay away from trouble. :)

here is the last one might be a good idea for admin to make all three of these a sticky for all

Entry Requirements

If your destination is across state lines, nearly every state has laws on the entry of animals, with the exception of tropical fish. For information, call or write to the State Veterinarian, State Department of Animal Husbandry, or other appropriate authority.

Interstate health certificates must accompany dogs and horses entering nearly all states. About half have the same requirements for other pets. In some cases, this certificate must be in the hands of the state regulatory agency in advance of the entry.

All but four states require an up-to-date rabies inoculation for dogs and many require it for cats. The rabies tag must be securely attached to the pet's collar. Hawaii requires that cats and dogs be quarantined for 120 days.

Some pets must have an entry permit issued by the destination state's regulatory agency. Receipt of the interstate health certificate may be required before the permit can be issued. Some states limit the time during which the entry permit is valid.

A few states have border inspections of all animals being transported; others have random inspection by highway patrol officers. State agriculture representatives are usually present at airports to inspect pets arriving by air.

health certificate
 

you need to have a health certificate to travel with your pet. it is required by law. not getting one can cause major problems for you. we travel frequently from philly to florida. we get one even when we drive. most hotels require one @ check in. if they don't i would worry they are putting you in 1 of a few pet friendly rooms that could be flea infested. the health certificate protects you in this situation. they can't be more than 10 days old. i have a wellness plan @ banfield pet hospital and the health certificates are free. ** people in my area use usa3000 and spirit airlines. it's less than $30 each way to put your furbaby under the seat. they limit the nuber of pets in cabin so call asap to reserve a pet spot. :aimeeyork

You do need a health certificate to have your furbaby with you on the plane, and it is only good for 10 days so if you stay longer than that you will have to get another for your pet to fly back with you.