PetFlight - Air Travel Information for your Pets

April 2012 Airline Pet Travel Report

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:54:36 GMT

Alaska Airlines reports the injury of a dog that arrived in Seattle, WA from San Diego, CA. The dog appeared to have a self-inflected wound to its gum and was bleeding. Alaska indicates that there is no evidence that their handling contributed to the injury.

Alaska also reports the injury of a seven month old Yellow Lab on a flight from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Seattle, WA. Upon arrival the dog was found to be limping. Alaska Airlines suggested the dog be taken to a veterinarian to ensure that no injury was present. After an X-ray, MRI and exam, the dog will go to physical therapy for 2 to 3 weeks, for left hind limb monoparesis (slight paralysis to a single body part usually from nerve damage).

Delta Airlines reports the death of two Chinchillas on a flight from Anchorage, AK to Minneapolis, MN. The Chinchillas were mistakenly loaded into a bin that contained dry ice. While the necropsies did not identify a cause of death, it did indicate that the animals were subject to some sort of cardio-vascular insufficiency. The report states that the carbon dioxide from the dry ice could be a plausible explanation for the cardio-vascular insufficiency and may have caused or contributed to the deaths.

Load Supervisors in Anchorage were counseled on this incident over and above their annual training covering the system wide ban against loading live animals with shipments containing any amounts of dry ice. In addition new local procedures have been instituted at the origin station to include a review by the Operations Office to verify shipments with dry ice are not mixed with live animals before approving the dispatch of the aircraft.

Rhodesian Ridgeback Escapes Kennel

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:48:35 GMT

A 14 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback named Byrdie escaped from her kennel while being loaded on a Delta Airlines flight at La Guardia International Airport. The dog's owner was taken off the plane and was able to quickly get Byrdie to come to her.

This is another great reminder of how important it is to secure the top and bottom half of your pet's kennel with zip ties, along with securing the kennel door with zip ties as well.

Additional details on this incident will be included in the June 2012 Pet Travel Report.

Source

March 2012 Airline Pet Travel Report

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:37:50 GMT

Alaska Airlines reports the injury of four dogs. Two of the dogs received injuries to their mouth from apparently trying to escape their kennels. The other two dogs were able to escape their kennels and received injuries after their escapes. Alaska Airlines does not indicate that their should be any corrective action on these incidents.

American reports the injury of one dog and the death of another. In actuality the injured dog died so PetFlight will be reporting two deaths. In the incident reported as an injury the dog arrived in obvious distress and started to have a seizure when delivered to baggage claim. The dog later died at a local veterinarian's office. The second death was a dog named Cup Cake that escaped the kennel and was found deceased on the tarmac. American reports the the Newark, NJ gate agent, against American policy, accepted a snap-together kennel for transport.

Delta reports the death of one dog and the injury of another. A 1 1/2 year old Yorkshire Terrier arrived in Atlanta, GA deceased from Frankfort, Germany. Delta reports that the aircraft's HVAC system was working correctly and that another animal in the same bin arrived safely. A three year old Cocker Spaniel named Bentley arrived in Atlanta, GA from Sarasota, FL with an injury to his mouth. He was seen by a local veterinarian and resumed the remainder of his flight two days later.

This months incidents again points out how important it is to use a quality, air travel approved kennel and zip tie the kennel halves as well as the kennel door closed.

2011 Airline Pet Travel Summary

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:01:41 GMT

The number of pet related airline incidents declined in 2011. Six airlines reported incidents that included 36 pet deaths, 8 injuries, and 2 lost pets. With a total of 46 incidents being reported in 2011 compared to 56 incidents reported in 2010.

Brachycephalic, or short-nosed dogs also faired better in 2011 making up only 39% of the dog deaths compared to 70% in 2010.

A summary of all the pet incidents in 2011 can be found here.

February 2012 Airline Pet Travel Report

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:04:01 GMT

Alaska Airlines reports the loss if a nine year old cat at the Miami International Airport in Miami, FL. After TSA screening of the kennel, a ramp service agent placed the kennel in the baggage cart and transported the kennel to the aircraft. Upon arrival at the aircraft the cat was discovered to be missing from her kennel. At this time the cat has not been found.

Delta reports the death of a five year old cat on a flight from Frankfurt, Germany to Atlanta, GA. Two cats were traveling in the same kennel and one of the cats was found deceased upon arrival in Atlanta. No necropsy was performed and Delta stated that the kennel was loaded properly and that there were no indications of mishandling.

Delta reports the death of a guinea pig traveling from Brussels, Belgium to New York, NY. Two guinea pigs were traveling in the same kennel and one arrived deceased. The necropsy indicated that the animal’s heart suffered a cardiac anomaly resulting in blood clots.

Delta also reports the injury of a dog on a flight from Detroit, MI to San Francisco, CA. There were indications of a bruised nose. Delta indicates that there were no outward signs of damage to the kennel and that the kennel had been properly loaded. Hawaiian Air reports the death of a 2 1/2 year old bulldog on a flight from Honolulu, HI to Seattle, WA. Little additional information was provided an no mention of a cause was given.

January 2012 Airline Pet Travel Report

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:55:28 GMT

Alaska Airlines reports the death of an 11 year old Yorkshire Terrier on a flight from Seattle, WA to Maui, HI. The owner stated that the dog was an older dog with congenital tracheal malformation and was in failing health. The passenger was also traveling with a cat that arrived in good health.

Delta reports the death of a 17 year old cat traveling from Detroit, Michigan to Nagoya, Japan. The cat was originally accepted in Columbus, Ohio for transport to Manila, Philippines. A second cat contained in the kennel arrived without incident.

December 2011 Airline Pet Travel Report

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:27:03 GMT

Alaska Airlines reported the death of a cat that was unrelated to air travel. The cat was being transported from Wrangell, Alaska to Petersburg, Alaska for emergency medical treatment. The cat passed away prior to the flight.

Delta reports the death of two cats on the same flight from Atlanta, Georgia, to Frankfurt, Germany.

The necropsy for the 4 year old cat indicated the cause of death was a result of acute circulatory failure due to transport related stress. The vet indicated the animal was overweight at 18.21 lbs (8.26 kgs).

The second cat (14 years old) also suffered from circulatory failure due to transport related stress.

A dog traveling on the same flight arrived without incident. The aircraft was checked and all systems associated with cargo bin ventilation were found to be working normally.

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.