PetFlight - Air Travel Information for your Pets

November 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:19:54 GMT

Delta reports the death of a nine year-old Golden Retriever named Misty. Misty was traveling from Baltimore, MD to Orange County, CA through Atlanta, GA. Upon landing in Orange County, ramp agents opened the cargo door and found Misty Deceased.
According to pathologist report, Misty’s cause of death was cardiopulmonary failure. The pathologist further states within the report that the changes in Misty’s heart had been developing over the “last few weeks to months”.

Hawaiian Air reports the injury of one dog and the death of another.
A Pug traveling from Portland, OR to Honolulu, HI escaped its kennel while it was waiting to be picked up after the flight and injured its paws before it was caught. The cause was listed as a defective kennel and Hawaiian Air stated that agents would be trained to identify unsafe kennels prior to acceptance.
An English Bulldog arrived in Kona, HI from Honolulu, HI and was showing signs of distress. The dog passed while it was being taken to the baggage claim. Cause was listed as unknown and no additional information was provide.

PetsJets

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 18:35:00 GMT

PetsJets is a unique service that provides a personal escort for pets small enough to be carried on the plane.

Craig D. Anapol started the company PetsJets, because of his love of animals and awareness of the need for such a service. PetsJets provides a way for people to safely transport their pets, small enough to be carried onboard, and know they'll have a personal escort with them every second of the trip.

The process of sending your pet the PetsJets is simple. The client contacts Craig, and he finds out where the pet needs to travel from/to, the date of the trip and if it is one way or roundtrip. He then searches for the best routing and fare and advises the client. The client pays for Craig's ticket, the airline service charge for carrying a pet onboard (usually $100 - $150 but varies by airline) and PetsJets service fee which is $85/hour for domestic & $95/hour for international travel.

PetsJets' service can take a dog or cat to/from any location & any day or time. There are several scenarios where it's ideal:

Instead of a puppy or kitten being shipped via air freight, PetsJets service is a great alternative.
Instead of or a dog or cat enduring a long car drive (for example when people relocate) PetsJets is a solution.
It's a way to circumvent when airlines have seasonal weather embargoes ( i.e. AZ in summer, AK in winter).
The service is ideal for people who have secondary homes.

More information can be found at PetsJet's Home Page .

Hawaii Forms

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:35:25 GMT

Hawaii's Department of Agriculture Brochure and Forms

If you have questions about any of the following brochure and forms listed here, you can contact the Hawaii Department of Agriculture at:

Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Animal Quarantine Station
99-951 Halawa Valley Street Aiea, Hawaii 96701-5602

Telephone (808) 483-7151
FAX (808) 483-7161
E-mail: rabiesfree@hawaii.gov

Brochures and Checklists

Frequently Asked Questions [Rev. 2/08]

Frequently Asked Questions for 5-Day-or-Less Quarantine Program [Rev. 10/05]

Direct Airport Release Security Advisory

Animal Quarantine Station Rabies Information Brochure [Rev. 02/06]

This brochure contains important information about pre-arrival requirements, quarantine station procedures, policies, rules, operations and fees.
CHECKLIST for 5-Day-or-Less Program [Rev. 2/08]

CHECKLIST for Pet Arriving From British Isles, Australia, Guam and New Zealand [Rev. 11/05]

CHECKLIST Only For Resident Dogs And Cats Originating From Hawaii And Returning For The 5-Day-Or-Less Program [Rev. 10/26/05]

CHECKLIST for Requesting Direct Airport Release at Kona, Kahului and Lihue Airports [Rev. 07/17/07]

Dog and Cat Import FORM [Rev. 10/05]

One completed form per pet is required to be submitted along with all pre-arrival documents (Two Rabies Vaccination Certificates, Health Certificate, Pre-payments) NO LESS THAN 10 DAYS BEFORE PET ARRIVES IN HAWAII TO QUALIFY FOR 5-DAY-OR-LESS or AIRPORT RELEASE. If the health certificate cannot be sent 10 days before arriving with the rest of the documents, the original must be given to the inspector upon arrival in Hawaii.

List of Approved Animal Hospitals [Rev. 02/07]

Breed Code Listing and Color Code Listing [Rev. 06/05)]

List of registered private individuals or organizations which may be contracted with for fee as intermediate handlers to assist in the interstate and inter-island shipping of pets.

Summary For Veterinarians [Rev. 10/05]
Summary for veterinarians of health certification, microchip, rabies vaccination intervals, OIE-FAVN test and waiting periods requirements of the 5-Day-Or-Less program.

OIE-FAVN Testing Forms - All posted laboratory fees and documents are subject to change by the laboratory without notice.

Kansas State University FAVN-OIE Testing Form for general public [Rev. 07/07]

FAVN Testing Request form for DOD Members [Rev. 07.05]

Request For Electronic Microchip for Foreign Countries [Rev. 07/03]
Effective June 30, 2003, the State of Hawaii will only provide microchips for requests outside of the 50 States of the United States.

For pets arriving from Guam, Affidavit for Export From Guam to the State of Hawaii is required.

October 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:19:21 GMT

Alaska Airlines reports the death of a two year-old male Boxer. The owner was shipping his sick dog to a pet hospital in Anchorage, AK for treatment from possible rat poisoning. When the cargo door was opened in Anchorage, ramp agents found the dog deceased. It is unlikely this death was directly related to the flight.

Alaska Airlines also reports the injury of a seven year-old female Siberian husky. Upon landing in Seattle, WA ramp agents found the dog inside its kennel, tipped on its side, with its front paws bleeding. Alaska said no action was taken in regard to this incident, but it is unclear why the kennel shifted during flight.

American Airlines reports the loss of a cat named Jack during loading at John F. Kennedy International. Jack as since been found.

Continental reports the death of a 10 year-old Yorkshire Terrier named Chuy. Chuy was found deceased in Salt Lake City, UT on a flight from Houston, TX. The owners refused a necropsy and commented that their dog was very old and wasn’t well and had diabetes.

Delta reports the death of a 2 1/2 year-old German Short Hair Pointer. This is another incident where the dog had pre-existing injuries and it is not clear the the death was related to transport. Delta did publish a reminder on the importance of adherence to Delta Air Lines acceptance policies, confirming Delta does not accept animals which exhibit signs of injury, distress, or are demonstrating efforts to escape and that Delta reserves the right to refuse pets as checked baggage if the health of the animal is in question and/or if the animal’s health may be jeopardized by the extreme conditions.

Jack The Cat is Lost in AA Baggage at JFK

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 01:37:21 GMT

UPDATE
Jack has been found!

PetFlight is helping spread the word about Jack, a cat who was lost at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on August 25, 2011.

Jack was flying out of JFK, but never made it on the plane. Check out the Facebook page and help if you can.

Full details can be found on Facebook

September 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:42:04 GMT

Alaska Airlines reports the death of a six year-old Pug traveling from Houston, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. When the passenger went to pick up their dog, they noticed that it was not moving. Alaska Airlines does not indicate at an necropsy was performed.

American Airlines reports the death of three dogs.

A two and a half year-old Greyhound named Gullen arrived deceased in Santiago, Chile from Miami, Florida. Three other dogs arrived safely. The exact cause of death was undetermined at the time of the report. A necropsy was not provided and veterinary officials at Santiago Chile did not offer an official opinion on the cause of death.

A seven year-old Yorkshire Terrier named Pety died during a flight from Miami, Florida to Medellin, Colombia. The passenger mentioned that she gave both dogs a “natural calming formula Level 3”. Her second dog, a 10 year old Yorkshire Terrier named Tiny, appeared to be in distress, but was allowed to enter the country.

A two month old Miniature Schnauzer puppy died while waiting for transport in Dallas, Texas. The necropsy indicated a viral infection and was not related to air travel.

Delta reports the death of a six-year old female, yellow Labrador Retriever named Katie. Katie was transferred at Atlanta, Georgia and the plane encountered multiple delays and was unable to take off. Upon returning to the gate, Katie was found dead. The necropsy has not been returned at the time of the report, but Delta indicated that additional steps will be taken in the future to open cargo doors on delayed aircraft that are transporting pets.

Delta also reports the death of a six year-old Mini Pincher named Rocky. But this is another case where the animal was in distress before air travel and was not accepted for transport.

August 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 02:07:33 GMT

Continental reports the death of a two year-old French Mastiff named Duke. Duke arrived in Houston, Texas from New Orleans, Louisiana and was in obvious distress and was quickly transported from the aircraft to the kennel area for assistance but died prior to being able to reach an emergency veterinary clinic. A necropsy was performed and reported "The pneumonitis being equivalent to pneumonia .. an inflammation of the lung tissue; and the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy the preexisting cardiac disease often found in the Giant breeds of dogs".

Continental also reports the death of a five year-old cat named Koohi. Koohi escaped from its kennel while being loaded at Honolulu, Hawaii and found dead three days later, likely of dehydration or heat exhaustion. Continental reports that the Honolulu vendor company was put on warning and they're accepting agent was disciplined regarding the proper placement of our mandatory zip ties.

Delta reports the injury of a five year-old Golden Retriever named Hubbell. Hubbell arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah from San Jose, California with a bloody paw. The owner determined Hubbell was fine and stated he was a hyper dog, who was a first time flyer.

Delta reports the death of an 8 month-old chinchilla. A chinchilla traveled from St. Louis, Missouri to Atalanta, Georgia, and then on to New York, New York. The following day, agents at JFK visually inspected the animal and provided food and water. Delta Agents stated the animal was in good condition and showed no signs of distress or illness. Upon arrival into Moscow, Russia the next day, the animal was pronounced deceased by the local Veterinary Authorities. The chinchilla was returned to New York, and a necropsy was performed, stating "to the best of our knowledge cause of death was due to a septic gastroenteritis or acute heart failure from stress".

Delta also reports the death of an 11 year-old cat named Phoebe. Phoebe was traveling from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania to Atalanta, Georgia. Upon arrival in Atalanta, one of the two cats traveling was unresponsive, lying down it its kennel. A necropsy was performed and the doctor’s comments regarding the cause of death stated "the microscopic findings are characteristic of chronic heart failure secondary to myocardial fibrosis of an undetermined etiology".

July 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:10:57 GMT

Alaska Airlines reports the injury of a dog during loading of a plane in Seattle, WA. The dog was found to be bleeding from its mouth due to an attempt to escape the kennel. The owner was contacted and a vet came to the airport and administered a sedative.

Delta reports the death of a six year-old dog during a flight from Munich Germany to Atlanta, GA. Upon arrival the Miniature Pinscher was noticed to be not moving and was later found to be deceased. A necropsy was performed and noted "severe pulmonary congestion and edema with multifocal alveolar over-distention; distal collapsing trachea; and retroperitoneal lipoma".

Please note that the use of a sedative during air transportation can limit a dogs breathing and ability to cool itself and should only be done with the approval of your veterinarian.

June 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:01:28 GMT

American Airlines reports the death of an 10 year-old cat named Scruffy. Upon arrival in Dallas, Texas from Honolulu, Hawaii it was noticed that the cat was deceased. A necropsy was conducted and concluded the cause of death was enteric lymphoma.

Continental reports the injury of a three year-old English Bulldog named Gwen. Before Gwen was loaded on her connecting flight in Houston, the agent noticed that she was not breathing well. She was immediately taken to an emergency veterinarian for care. After two days of veterinary critical care, Gwen went into respiratory arrest and died at the animal hospital.

According to the necropsy report, “…the parenchymal exhibits widespread partial pulmonary atelectasis ..” which led to this animal getting into breathing trouble during the stress of transport. Without the ability to react normally to this stress, the animal went into respiratory failure which was the eventual cause of death.

Delta reported the death of a cat 30 pound cat named Smokey on a flight from Atalanta, Georgia to Dublin, Ireland. No necropsy was performed at the owners request. Temperatures were reported normal and another dog traveling on the same flight arrived safely.

United reports the death of a Doberman Pinscher named Radar on a flight from Honolulu, Hawaii to Washington D.C. During a connection in Denver, Colorado Radar was reported to be in good condition. Another dog on the same flight arrived safely.

Necropsy results from Radar's death report fatal arrhythmia stating that Radar’s breed is highly susceptible to heart disease, and fits history and previous findings of Radar’s health.

May 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:06:11 GMT

American Airlines reports the death of a 13 year-old mixed-bread dog named Weenie. No visible trama was reported and all aircraft temperature controls were functioning correctly.

Delta reports the injury of a Chihuahua. Upon arrival, the kennel was damaged and a few days later the owner reported that three lower incisor crowns were missing and evidence of a cut on the inside of the lip were found.

A two year-old English Bulldog arrived deceased in Athens, Greece from New York's John F. Kennedy airport. The conclusion of the veterinary doctor based on the autopsy findings is that the immediate cause of death is the acute collapse of the circulatory system. The acute circulatory deficit was primarily due to the left ventricle endocarditis and may have been worsened by circumstantial conditions associated with the stress of travel.

A seven year-old King Charles Spaniel named Dorothy passed away while waiting for a flight from Tampa, Florida. Delta reports that a delay was incurred for a mechanical issue. The condition of Dorothy was checked by both the ground and flight crews and appeared to be sedated but alive. As of the report date, the autopsy results have not been received and the cause of death is unknown.

Delta also reported the death of two five year-old Guinea Pigs on a flight from Frankfurt, Germany to Atlanta, Georgia. Necropsies were completed. The first pet, Arthur had microscopic changes in the heart which were likely associated with the cause of death. The change in temperature, environment and stress could have decreased the ability to compensate for the heart disease and/or could have triggered an arrhythmia. The second pet, Tuck also had changes noted in the heart that likely contributed to death. The stressful conditions probably decreased the compensatory mechanisms or triggered an arrhythmia and he had subsequent heart failure with pulmonary congestion and edema.

United reported the death of an English Bulldog named Hoku. Hoku arrived deceased in Atalanta, Georgia from Frankfurt, Germany. A necropsy was performed and some health issues were found previous to travel and after, no final determination was made of cause of death. United reports that all airport procedures were followed and three other kennels holding a dog and two cats in cargo hold were all in good health.