CONGRATULATIONS to our San Francisco JETAWAY sweepstakes winners: Sheila, Glenn, and Toby, who have won a trip to San Francisco, along with a professional photo shoot with San Francisco pet photographer Ann Hamilton, a year’s supply of earthbath, and MORE!!! Don’t forget to check out our tips on traveling with your dog before you Jetaway, and we’ll see you soon! :-)
They have won:
Roundtrip airline tickets with their dog to San Francisco, CA
Other toys and accessories including: a pet carrier from Porta Pet, Pet Zen Deluxe Chow Pal Travel Kit, a leash and harness, and Dura Doggie Discs!
Sheila says: “We are so excited about the trip and the great products! We have never visited San Francisco and can’t wait!”
We are sure you’ll love San Francisco and we are looking forward to meeting you and your little sweetie, Toby! Can’t wait to see how the professional pictures turn out! He’s a photogenic little one, to be sure!
Two million animals travel on airplanes each year in the US, but a bit of forethought and prior planning goes a long way to ensure the trip is smooth sailing and not a horror story in the making. It’s stressful and angering enough for an airline to lose your luggage, but to lose your dog?? Delta lost a dog on a flight from Mexico to Michigan this spring, striking fear into the hearts of pet owners everywhere.
To make sure your airline trip with your pet(s) is hassle-free, and most importantly, safe for all of you, follow the advice below, and your air travel will hopefully be free of turbulence (though we make no guarantees about the air-related kind)!
DO YOUR RESEARCH: Prices for pet air travel, as well as overall “friendliness” of pet travel policies can vary widely among airlines. Also keep in mind that airlines will only fly pets older than eight weeks and those that are in good health.
The top five most pet-friendly airlines, as rated by PetFinder in 2009, are as follows:
1.Continentaltracks the pets from origin to destination with its “PetSafe” program for pets flying cargo. It’s pricier than other programs, but it’s climate-controlled, allows roomy carriers and has designated cargo staff.
2. JetBlue embraced pet-toting travelers when it launched JetPaws last summer. To display their welcome of pets aboard, JetBlue provides a pet carrier bag tag, two TrueBlue points each way, a welcome e-mail and a free pet-travel guide, but the in-cabin rates for pets have increased accordingly.
3. Airtran charges the least for your pet to fly under your seat: just $69 each way. It doesn’t allow pets in the cargo compartment, however.
4. American Airlines is zoo-trusted and ensures their staff is animal-trained. American has assisted popular zoos in transporting animals in cargo. While they only allow a limited number of pets in the cabin, they ask pet parents to make special notes for their animal companions flying in cargo and they promise to abide by all requests.
5. United Airlinesallows animals of all kinds. They accept small cats, dogs and birds in the cabin; rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs as checked baggage and other animals including parrots, cockatiels and ferrets in United Cargo. (Shipping by cargo is a designation for items, like some pets, that you can’t check as baggage, which means that your pet may or may not be on the aircraft with you.)
Finally, a new airline debuted this year that tops the list with a truly “pets first” philosophy. Pet Airways is the first “pet-only” airline that allows all pets to ride in the cabin. The only downside is that no humans are allowed! Pet Airways may be a good option to accommodate larger dogs that would not be allowed in the cabin on any other airline. The Pet Airways website also lists a helpful chart that compares prices (and availability) for pet travel among the major airlines (including fees for in-cabin vs. baggage compartment) as well.
MAKE A TRIP TO THE VET. Knowing that your pet has updated vaccines is necessary if you board your pet at your destination, and a health certificate with proof of updated vaccinations is required by some airlines. It’s best to carry the papers with you, in case of emergency.
BOOK AHEAD: Make your flight reservations well in advance and do your homework on what the airline’s policy is about pets on the flight. Airlines can refuse your reservation if there are already too many pets scheduled aboard a particular flight.
LUGGAGE TAGS ARE GOOD, BUT PET TAGS ARE CRUCIAL. Make sure that your pet has a sturdy collar with an ID tag including your home address and telephone number on a tag. It is also a good idea to include trip-specific information such as the contact information for your vacation accommodations and your itinerary attached to your cell phone number. Attach an ID tag to your pet carrier as well with your name, phone number, address and a recent photo of your pet.
OVER-DOCUMENT & OVER-PLAN. Don’t count on airport workers to know the rules for traveling with pets, some of which are airline-specific. To avoid any awkward altercations or worse, print out and carry the airline’s pet policy and requirements along with you to help smooth out the check-in process. And if your pet is traveling as cargo, ask the flight attendant to monitor the temperature in the pet-storage area to ensure your pet’s comfort and safety.
Finally, This video from FareCompare’s CEO, Rick Seaney, about flying with pets covers some good points such as being aware of airline breed restrictions, traveling with pets in the cabin vs. cargo, as well as seasonal restrictions for certain breeds and other good general pet travel tips:
Although you might love Fourth of July Fireworks and the surrounding holiday celebrations, all of the commotion and deafening noises of Independence Day can scare the daylights out of your dog or cat.
In addition, amidst all of the holiday hubbub, it can be very easy to lose track of your pet and before you even realize it, your (frantic or terrified) dog or cat may have gone missing. In fact, the Humane Society of the United States reports that animal shelters across the country are used to receiving “July 4th Dogs:” dogs who run off during fireworks celebrations and are rescued by animal control officers or helpful citizens who take them to the safety of a local shelter.
Follow this list of precautions to protect your pet this holiday weekend, so everyone in your family can enjoy a fun and safe Fourth of July!
Don’t take your pet along with you to watch your city’s fireworks display. You might find this fun and exciting, but your pet will find it nothing but pure terrifying torture and won’t understand what is going on. Remember how sensitive an animal’s hearing is, as compared to a human’s and be considerate of your pet’s comfort. In addition, pets are creatures of habit and love a stable routine, of which Fourth of July fireworks are anything but.
Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area while you party. Be mindful that Fourth of July celebrations aren’t always confined to your local city’s scheduled fireworks displays. Even neighborhood firecrackers, loud music, and block party celebrations can scare pets. In this case, it’s best to keep your pet confined to a quiet room in the house that he feels comfortable in, with his bed, a lot of chew toys, and some comforting white noise left on, like the TV or music, to mask foreign noises, and to keep him company while you’re out. Remember too that some animals can become destructive when frightened, involuntarily eliminating or defecating in fear, or displacing their anxiety by chewing, scratching, digging, and so on, so be sure that you’ve removed any items in the room you leave your pet in that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if he chewed it.
Ensure your pet is safely confined in a spot they will feel comfortable in. Some pets can become so upset or frantic by loud noises that they simply want to bolt. Dogs can be very ingenious, and can find very clever ways to get out of rooms, houses, or fenced yards, only to become lost or worse. One such tragic story recounts what happened when a 2 year old dog, left at home alone while her family was out for only four hours to celebrate the Fourth of July, escaped from the house and fenced backyard. The family returned home to feces on the living room floor, an open sliding glass door, and a hole under their fence. Only days later did they find their dog, dead, on the side of a road where she was often walked. “From what we can tell, when she heard the fireworks she freaked out and pooped on the floor inside—for the first time ever—then she opened the sliding glass door with her paw, and dug a hole outside our fence…. She went searching for us.”
If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, and there is no safe/quiet haven in your house, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for alternative ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
Never leave your pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear by the unusual loud noises and lights of fireworks, pets who normally wouldn’t leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
Don’t let your pet help you with the Bar-B-Q! Keep your pet away from grills, charcoal and lighter fluid. Sunscreen, insect repellent and citronella candles can also hurt your pet.
Even though you’re indulging, resist the urge to indulge your pet! Your pet will most likely happily eat up anything you give him, but remember that onions, salt, avocados and chocolate can all be fatally toxic to dogs and cats. In all of the festivities and crazy activity, it can be hard to keep track of what your pet has eaten, or what guests have “spoiled” him with, and too much “people food” can make your pet very sick.
If you suspect that your pet has ingested a toxic substance, or is displaying signs of overindulgence: Contact your vet or the 24-hour Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435.
Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running loose without any identification should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners.
If you plan to go away for the holiday weekend with your pets, see more detailed information on Car Travel with Your Pets.
