Brent was ready to go as we loaded up the borrowed truck for our trip to the airport. Over the last week, everything Brent had known in the house was slowly boxed up and removed. And this morning it was his food, his bowl and his favorite toy. That was it; he was ready to go to wherever his stuff was going.
The plan was to arrive at the ticket counter one hour before departure. By arriving at the airport a little before that we were able to stop at the park and wait and let Brent out to stretch his legs and do his business.
Since we were moving, we had a lot of luggage and enlisted the help of a skycap. Since security liked to go over the kennel without a dog in it, he said to let Brent out of the kennel and to walk him in the terminal.
We were helped at the ticket counter by a friendly woman who had a dog biscuit ready for Brent which made him very happy. The additional paperwork took only a second and then we were taken over to security. Brent, still on his leash, watched as they scrubbed his kennel for explosives, something Brent found very funny.
After his kennel was cleared he was loaded up and taken behind the counter. I said a quick goodbye.
As I boarded the plane, I notified the flight attendant that I was traveling with a dog and to make sure that I got the ticket from the loading crew once he was place on board. After it seemed that everyone was on board, a man came in the cabin and handed a flight attendant a tag, she then came back and gave it to me, letting me know that he was indeed safely on board.
We pushed back from the gate and I was anxiously thinking about Brent when we stopped and returned to the gate. An issue with the hydraulics we were told, and hopefully it would be repaired shortly. And it was, thirty minuets later we were taxing for takeoff.
The remainder of the flight was uneventful, at least for me. I have no idea what it might have been like for Brent. Was he alone? Did he have a friend in a kennel next to him?
After collecting our luggage I headed off to find the Animal Quarantine Holding Station, something easier said than done. I asked around it ended up to be only about a 3 minute walk from baggage claim C.
I entered the AQS office and told the lady behind the window, who I was and that I was there to pick up Brent. She had the paperwork right there. I simply filled out my Hawaiian address, signed and dated the document. She made a copy for my records and sent someone to bring up Brent.
I saw Brent as they wheeled him down the hallway in his kennel. He has a slightly worried look on his face but he calmed down a bit as I was able to talk to him and stick my fingers through the kennel. They lady helped me place him in the back of the truck and we were done.
Less than 45 minuets after the plane landed, we had gathered all the baggage and picked up the pooch.
There was a great deal of planning, double checking, and triple checking that went on before I moved with Brent to Hawaii, but the hard work paid off as it was unexpectedly easy picking him up from the Animal Quarantine Station.
Finally Brent was in Hawaii, and slightly over an hour later he was cooling his paws at the Kailua Beach Park.
Map of all airports that have reported an air travel, pet related incident.
The inspiration for PetFlight.