What regs are you looking at? I've repeatedly flown my dog from Dulles, but last time was a couple years ago.

Hello...sorry to resurrect this thread, but we are planning on taking our pet when we move to Latin America permanently in a few months.

I have read several posts that mention Dulles, but in researching the regulations, I see that there are supposedly only certain ports of exit in the States for animals, and the nearest one is JFK airport. Is this information incorrect? I was assuming that we would have to drive to NYC with our dog, and fly out from there, which was giving me palpitations.

Thanks!

We traveled with our much loved older dog to Vienna a few years ago for a 2 year job. I was a nervous wreck over the whole thing. Worried about it all the time. Even considered taking the Cunard Line ship to Hamburg to get to Europe (they have dog kennels on board). We ended up flying in August on a 5pm-ish flight out of Dulles direct to Vienna. We were lucky because the weather was relatively cool that day.

Everything went just fine. We did end up sedating her a bit since she wasn't crazy about being in a crate. We had a vet helping us with the meds and made sure to do a trial run with the meds beforehand. Good thing because the initial dose was too much. We adjusted the dose for the trip.

In addition to having the paperwork in order, I ordered a bunch of things to put in the crate to try and make her more comfortable. One of the items is a beef flavored hydration gel that you can put in their bowl to help prevent dehydration. Another item is a water bottle similar to what a hamster uses that attaches to the crate. Some airlines require this. It's something you have to teach your dog to drink out of.

Here's a list with the links:

Airline travel kit
http://www.dryfur.com/category/pet-airline-travel-supplies/pet-airline-travel-kits

Crate pad
http://www.classypets.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CPTS&Product_Code=AID009&Category_Code=DRYFUR

Water Bites Gel
http://www.classypets.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CPTS&Product_Code=WB001&Category_Code=WB

Water Bottle
http://www.amazon.com/Lixit-Small-Dog-Water-Bottle/dp/B001I110MW/ref=sr_1_23?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1288268386&sr=1-23

Water bowl for crate with lip
http://www.amazon.com/Lanca-2-No-Spill-Cup/dp/B000EMWMM8/ref=sr_1_16?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1288268470&sr=1-16


Be sure you have replaced the plastic "bolts" provided with the crate with metal nuts and bolts as there have been stories of the crate breaking open when being handled and dogs escaping. Also make sure you have plastic ties to further secure the door to the crate after closing it with the dog in it at the airport as an extra precaution.

I have heard that KLM has a good animal transport infrastructure. Perhaps they fly to Denmark.
We flew Austrian Air. Once the dog was on the plane, a flight attendant let us know she had been loaded. It was a 9 hour flight. Once we got there, I could barely look in the crate as it was coming down the ramp. But everything was fine - she did great.

I know it is a nerve wracking experience but in all likelihood everything will be fine. Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely sedate the dog

Definitely consult a vet and let the vet make this decision. There are atmospheric pressure issues with sedatives that only a vet can evaluate.

I'm the PP and I absolutely agree about consulting a vet first.

That was my original suggestion. But it seemed to stress OP out. Hopefully a vet would know how to advise on this b/c this is such transient area.

I thought this was an absolute no-no because it made the dog more vulnerable to heat related stress. Not sure where I heard that though.

Have you considered taking a boat? There are ships that will let you board the dog.

not sure what airline you are flying, but i would check into that first. not all airlines treat animals the same way and it is a deal breaker for us.

i recommend Lufthansa for flying with pets. they are more expensive, but worth it if traveling with you pet.

If you go the sedation route, which I definitely would look into, ask the vet about the anti-anxiety route. As my dog got older thunder and fireworks became a real problem and my vet gave her xanex, and it is great. You would be surprised what a mild dose they need and how much it helps.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely sedate the dog

Definitely consult a vet and let the vet make this decision. There are atmospheric pressure issues with sedatives that only a vet can evaluate.

I'm the PP and I absolutely agree about consulting a vet first.

That was my original suggestion. But it seemed to stress OP out. Hopefully a vet would know how to advise on this b/c this is such transient area.

Anonymous wrote:Can someone keep her for a few months and then ship her to you? DEFINITELY call the airline and express your concerns. What kind of dog is she - big, small? My Yorkie has always been in the cabin with us, as she's small enough to fit under the seat.

Don't let nasty posters get to you - you're doing a wonderful act and I sure in hell wouldn't give up my dogs! And I have children as well! We love our dogs very much, they're family and we stay together.

OP again. Thank you so much! She is medium sized, I would say, about 50 lbs so she doesn't fit in-cabin. Thank you so much for your concern and for replying!

Thanks to everyone! I would like to quote you all and thank you individually, but you know, that would basically make me a spammer. Thank you so much, all, both for your concern, your advice and your thoughts on this. I really appreciate it.

Anonymous wrote:I've moved back and forth from the Middle East to DC with my dog twice, including flights in Jul/August. It did make me worry, but we had no trouble. Most US airports, like Dulles, have regulations preventing pet flights when it's too hot. (Yes, I know animals CAN die, but the vast majority do not.)

OP - I suggest you check with the Embassy of Denmark to confirm you have completed all the requirements and bring the right paperwork, get your dog accustomed to the crate, which you should line with shredded newspaper or packing paper, not a towel which arrives wet and stinky, be sure you have a water bowl, which you can fill and freeze to up the chances she has some en route. Also call the airline repeatedly to confirm and reconfirm your dog's reservation - I've had unexpected problems arise that have been id'ed by repeatedly confirming.

I put an extra collar and leash in a ziplock on top of the crate, and carried one with me, also a small bottle of water, so cargo crew can open in right up and pour your dog some on arrival. Finally, I put a laminated photo of my dog and his booking info on top of the crate as well.

There's lot of useful info on the web about moving internationally with pets. You could also use a company like Club Pet in VA that can help you with all the paperwork, for a fee. I have been impressed, particularly when connecting in Europe, to see how carefully the airport staff watch over animals.

Good luck! It can be done!

OP here! Thank you so much, this was extremely useful! Exactly the kind of reply I was hoping to get. Thank you o much. I have thought about most things, except for actually calling the airline to confirm my dog's reservation. Really, can't thank you enough for this reply, and for you taking yourself time to write it.

I've been relocated internationally 3 times and our dog always comes with us. Just check the Danish requirements and airline rules. In my experience, this usually included special vet visits, lots of forms to fill up, vaccinations, certifications from some government agency (sorry, completely spacing out on which one) and maybe some Danish embassy stamps at well, to certify you have all the correct paperwork. Almost all of this needs to be done within a certain amount of days from the day you are leaving.
I've always found the air travel part very easy. You need to arrive early, make sure you have whatever paperwork they require and have already paid the fee. Your vet will help you with any questions and if sedation in recommend or not.
Once in Denmark you will need to go through customs and submit all forms to the animal control people and pay whatever fees are required. This might take some time (at least an hour) and then if there are no quaratine rules you head home.
It can get expensive as all this adds up. Our last move to Panama ended up costing us like 600$
Good luck!

Assume you have found this site already (or should have):

http://www.fyidenmark.com/bringing_pets_to_denmark.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely sedate the dog

Definitely consult a vet and let the vet make this decision. There are atmospheric pressure issues with sedatives that only a vet can evaluate.

I'm the PP and I absolutely agree about consulting a vet first.

Anonymous wrote:Definitely sedate the dog

Definitely consult a vet and let the vet make this decision. There are atmospheric pressure issues with sedatives that only a vet can evaluate.

Definitely sedate the dog