# dogs flying on airplanes



## NoMoreSnow

We will be taking our two dogs with us to Mexico. We live in Indianapolis and are moving to Merida. The dogs are a red Doberman and a fawn Staffordshire, both weighing around 80 lbs. Does anyoneone have experience with flying dogs? I need my dogs ALIVE and well. I am nervous that they will get lost since airlines have been known to loose things. I have also read that the temperature should not be above 85. Can I combat the impending high temperature by taking a flight that arrives in Merida at night? Can anyone give me a run-through on the airport procedure for checking my dogs in at the airport here and then retrieving them from the Merida airport?


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## RVGRINGO

The airlines will have seasonal restrictions on when you can fly pets as cargo. In some cases, on some routes, they simply won't take them. In any case, it is quite expensive and then, there is the problem of customs at your destination. You must have all the paperwork in order, plus letters from the veterinarian, attesting to freedom from internal and external parasites, application of Frontline, etc. If customs decides to hold the dogs, it is unlikely that they will be cared for at all. There is a ten day limit before 'disposal'.
So, be absolutely sure that you get all the customs information, direct, in addition to the airline requirements. You will also need some serious pet carriers to prevent escape while handling. This is a very stressful situation for the dogs, and if they escape, they are seldom seen again.


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## chicois8

RV gives you the correct technical answer, I will try and give you the humane answer...
I worked behind the scenes at SFO for 15 years and saw hundreds of animals ( mostly dogs) shipped, they are not treated very well by baggage handlers, barking dogs get their crates banged on, most of the dogs water is spilled, if a dog does escape and make it to a runway the safety officers do not try and catch them, they shoot...and last of all baggage compartments on planes are very cold and are not heated, I would never ship my dog on an airplane....hope this helps


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## NoMoreSnow

Yes, that does help. I think we are now leaning toward buying a big van and moving ourselves, the dogs and our luggage in the van. I would have had an aneurysm worrying about them. There are too many variables that I can not control in getting them there safely.


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## jojo

chicois8 said:


> ....and last of all baggage compartments on planes are very cold and are not heated, I would never ship my dog on an airplane....hope this helps


I dont know about internal flights, but international planes have specially designated areas for animals which have heaters. Without those heaters they would die as the temperatures go way below freezing. Both my daughters are cabin crew on an airline that carries pets (thomas cook) and they say that they are treated with the utmost kindness, respect and attention at all times - the cabin crew see to that and are very aware of the pets on board! Also most airlines do not deal with pets themselves, but use specialist pet carriers who oversee all the paperwork and the crates in which the pets are carried 

Jo xxx


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## RVGRINGO

From the USA to Mexico is only technically 'international'. Many flights are on 'regional' or 'code share' airlines. Then, there is the Mexican attitude toward travel with pets; something that Mexicans rarely do and wonder why we do it.

About a 'big van': It will be handy for your move, but you will probably hate it from then onward. Mexican towns have narrow streets and very tight corners, making larger vehicles very difficult to maneuver in many places and often impossible to park. As such, I would suggest that you consider something more like a small SUV. You might even be able to carry the dogs on top, in secured carriers facing backwards. They'll love the fresh air & won't take up space or bother you inside the vehicle. A trailer might not be practical, as it would become a part of your vehicle on importation and would have to leave Mexico any time the vehicle exited. That means keeping it and storing it safely until the next time you leave the country and could dispose of it.

Another option: Use a U-Haul as far as the border and put your stuff in storage. Drive to your destination with the dogs and settle in. After a month or two, when the dogs are comfortable, have a friend or maid stay with them, while you take a few day's vacation to get the rest of your stuff from storage. That can often be the least complicated and most economical solution; also solving the vehicle size problem.


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## Don P

I am not posting this with the intent of scaring you, but in case you didn't see this story, 7 dogs died this week after being on an American Airlines flight that was an hour late taking off.

7 dogs die after American Airlines flight to Chicago

The airline spokesperson says in the article that they fly 100,000+ pets safely annually, so maybe this kind of event is statistically so rare that we should ignore it (like the stories about drug trafficing in Mexico that cause people to think it's not safe to travel there). Unlike plane crashes that always make the news and are tracked by statistics, however, I don't know that there are statistics that track what percentages of pets are injured, lost or die when handled by airlines. Here's a story I recall seeing earlier this year about a dog that was lost by an airline, and another lost dog is referenced at the end of the article:

Airline loses holidaymaker’s pet dog in transit -Times Online

With dogs on an airplane, I would think the issue is not only the temperature of where they are kept and how they are handled, but whether they would stay calm and lay down and sleep during the flight or be anxious and possibly get overheated from panting. Flat faced dogs like pugs and bulldogs are particularly susceptible to overheating, but I don't think your breeds would be high risk. If you decide to fly your dogs, you might want to talk to a vet about giving them an anti-anxiety drug before the flight, the type of drug that people use to calm down dogs that panic in thunderstorms.


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## clint

*Bringing Dogs into Mexico*



NoMoreSnow said:


> We will be taking our two dogs with us to Mexico. We live in Indianapolis and are moving to Merida. The dogs are a red Doberman and a fawn Staffordshire, both weighing around 80 lbs. Does anyoneone have experience with flying dogs? I need my dogs ALIVE and well. I am nervous that they will get lost since airlines have been known to loose things. I have also read that the temperature should not be above 85. Can I combat the impending high temperature by taking a flight that arrives in Merida at night? Can anyone give me a run-through on the airport procedure for checking my dogs in at the airport here and then retrieving them from the Merida airport?


Hola...We brought 3 dogs in with us 2 1/2 yrs ago, and it WAS an experience to say the least.

The Merida airport no longer has animal handlers, so you will have to fly into Cancun and take a taxi or have someone pick you up there. We had to take a "van" taxi as I'm sure you will have to do to fit in the bigger cages. It cost us $5,000 MP for the taxi then - but that was because the "driver" had to stay in Cancun an extra night, due to the fact that they "lost" 2 of our dogs along the way and we missed the connecting flight ... we found them in the sun, on the tarmac. We stayed overnight at an airport hotel (the extra charge was $30 US/per dog per night), but we had them evoke article ??? and the airlines had to pick up the cost of the room. I imagine you could possibly get a van taxi for around $2,500 - $3,000 MP. They will not allow animals on the ADO buses.

Once we got into Cancun we had a real hassle because all the paperwork etc., is geared for a max of 2 dogs so you should be OK and not have a problem there. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get thru customs with our 3 as there was so much paper work involved with having a 3rd.

A point of caution - make sure you get ALL papers back from the people at Cancun customs. They kept ALL our medical records for the 2 that came in cargo, but I got to keep the papers for the one I had as "in cabin". Apparently, these records went to Mexico City for whatever reason (our Spanish was not good enough), and we have not been able to get them back (Our vet tried for us)

The airlines were very good though, they made sure they had someone come on the plane after loading the animals to let us know that the pups were on the flight and safe. This made us feel so much better. It was climate controlled in cargo - they have a special area just for animals. At the time they had a max capacity for 6 dogs, so be sure to check with the airlines - get them on your ticket at the time you book your flight, and make sure to confirm that all airlines have animal handlers, as fewer and fewer do now.

OK...that was our experience bringing 3 dogs in from Canada. Hopefully, your's will be much better with only 2 - there should not be a holdup in Cancun.

Amber

Once here though, the pups loved Merida.


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## NoMoreSnow

clint said:


> Hola...We brought 3 dogs in with us 2 1/2 yrs ago, and it WAS an experience to say the least.



Thank you for the response. That does seem like a stressful ordeal. We have decided to buy a van and move our stuff and dogs all together. I want to avoid my dogs being found on a tarmac.  

What kind of dogs do you have? How did they adjust to the heat? Is there decent dogfood down there? One dog requires food without dyes so we just get it for both of them.


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## clint

*Dog food available here*



NoMoreSnow said:


> Thank you for the response. That does seem like a stressful ordeal. We have decided to buy a van and move our stuff and dogs all together. I want to avoid my dogs being found on a tarmac.
> 
> What kind of dogs do you have? How did they adjust to the heat? Is there decent dogfood down there? One dog requires food without dyes so we just get it for both of them.


Love your name "NoMoreSnow" LOL ... we're from Canada so can relate to that!

We have chihuahuas. We could only take 2 "in cabin", so instead of leaving one of the twins alone in cargo, we put both of them in cargo, as they had never been apart, even for a few hours. Even when they went in for their operations, we left one twin in the vets a day longer, and the vet had the cages side by side till they could both get discharged at the same time. We took the little one, Clint Eastwood on board with us.

All of our dogs have adjusted to the heat beautifully, but we know people with large dogs with medium to long hair, and they seem to be doing well also. Perhaps the heavy fur acts like an insulation against the sun??

As far as dog food goes - we were amazed!! We brought as much as we could, but found that they had all the major brands here and a lot of specialty items as well. I can't say for dye free types, but I'm sure if they don't have it in the major stores, a vet would probably have it (or could order it in for you), as they seem to carry some very specialized things. We even found "puppy milk" available here!

I think it's a good choice to drive your pets down if possible. If we could have, we would have. As it was we had to buy tickets from Halifax to Vancouver just to get a flight that could take us all at that time of year.

Have a great trip
Amber


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## leegleze

I think you're wise to drive your babies down in your van. If you were to fly into Cancun, you must remember that Merida is a good 5 1/2 hours drive from there, and it would be costly. (I'm not sure why the other poster suggested flying into Cancun, as Merida is a non-stop flight from Mexico City???)

I agree that airlines have severely cut back on their pet handlers. Having lived in Mexico for 10 of my Standard Poodle's 11 years, I have taken him back and forth to Vancouver annually. (I've even taken him with me to the DR, Eastern Europe and England while I taught over there.) On trans-continental flights, Alaska Air staff have always been particularly attentive and kind to him, and he used to love to fly (got more attention than he did at home!!!). However, on our LAST flight back to Mexico from a holiday with Grandma in Canada, my dog experienced a fair bit of trauma. When I met him in Puerto Vallarta, after a stop in LAX, blood was pouring out of his ears! Obviously, the "hold" had not been pressurized properly. For some crazy reason, the airport agricultural representative at PVR was taking an exceeding long time processing the dog, causing him to faint from exhaustion. This, in turn, caused yet another kafuffle where the dog had to be re-examined and more stamping of paperwork ensued, prolonging the dog's anxiety. When he was finally released, my dog was so overwrought that he refuses to enter his crate again, despite the sanctuary it used to be for him.

Now, if I want to go back to Canada for a few weeks, I hire a housesitter from HousesitMexico.com. I'm thoroughly disappointed in an airline I trusted for so many years. They can say "it won't happen again" all they like, but it only takes ONCE, and I'm not about to take that chance with my dog's life!

Whether travelling by air or van, be careful of the time of year you move. Merida is one of the hottest places in Mexico, so It's best to travel in the dead of winter to allow your doggies to gradually get used to the extreme heat and humidity of the summer months. There's so much freedon for them here ... you can take them into coffee shops and even some small grocery stores! What an adventure! Buen suerte!
lane:


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## Pancho

*What kind of dogs do you have? How did they adjust to the heat? Is there decent dogfo*

Our Golden Retriever did fine in the heat. We just made a point of walking him at dawn and dusk… he took his siestas very seriously. He developed food allergies and we gave up on finding a reliable source of commercial dog food. I made his food and froze it in 1 lt. yogurt containers. This is the recipe I used. I started out using oatmeal but needed to switch to rice and beef to lamb but this will give you the idea.
1 kg rice
1 kg lentils
20-24 C minced veg (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots.. anything except onions) 
3-5 kg lean ground beef
Cook the lentils and rice in separate pots, Grind up the veg in a food processor and mix it with the meat. Cook the veg and meat then add the rice and lentils. This yields about 14 lt. enough for about 2 weeks. 
Before we were cooking for him he was a sparse eater but he gobbled this up like it might be his last meal. Warning… once you start this you will not be able to get your dogs back onto kibble


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## clint

leegleze said:


> I think you're wise to drive your babies down in your van. If you were to fly into Cancun, you must remember that Merida is a good 5 1/2 hours drive from there, and it would be costly. (I'm not sure why the other poster suggested flying into Cancun, as Merida is a non-stop flight from Mexico City???)
> 
> I agree that airlines have severely cut back on their pet handlers. Having lived in Mexico for 10 of my Standard Poodle's 11 years, I have taken him back and forth to Vancouver annually. (I've even taken him with me to the DR, Eastern Europe and England while I taught over there.) On trans-continental flights, Alaska Air staff have always been particularly attentive and kind to him, and he used to love to fly (got more attention than he did at home!!!). However, on our LAST flight back to Mexico from a holiday with Grandma in Canada, my dog experienced a fair bit of trauma. When I met him in Puerto Vallarta, after a stop in LAX, blood was pouring out of his ears! Obviously, the "hold" had not been pressurized properly. For some crazy reason, the airport agricultural representative at PVR was taking an exceeding long time processing the dog, causing him to faint from exhaustion. This, in turn, caused yet another kafuffle where the dog had to be re-examined and more stamping of paperwork ensued, prolonging the dog's anxiety. When he was finally released, my dog was so overwrought that he refuses to enter his crate again, despite the sanctuary it used to be for him.
> 
> Now, if I want to go back to Canada for a few weeks, I hire a housesitter from HousesitMexico.com. I'm thoroughly disappointed in an airline I trusted for so many years. They can say "it won't happen again" all they like, but it only takes ONCE, and I'm not about to take that chance with my dog's life!
> 
> Whether travelling by air or van, be careful of the time of year you move. Merida is one of the hottest places in Mexico, so It's best to travel in the dead of winter to allow your doggies to gradually get used to the extreme heat and humidity of the summer months. There's so much freedon for them here ... you can take them into coffee shops and even some small grocery stores! What an adventure! Buen suerte!
> lane:


It's was the same with Paco (one of the dogs we had in Cargo) - he absolutely hates his crate now and howls when it's brought out! I'm so sorry you dog had to experience that - it must have been horrible for the both of you.

Did/do animal handlers work at Merida now? I know they had them when I originally came down to buy the house, and on the trip back to Canada, but when we came down here permanently (Feb 2008), there were none to be had in Merida. That's why we had to fly into Cancun and take a taxi from there. It was the only way to get our 3 dogs here. I sure hope they're back on duty now.

I was probably the poster you were referring to re flying to Cancun first, as that is what we had to do then, and have not heard of it changing, but then again, we have not flown anywhere since we arrived here in Merida.

Also when we first arrived in Merida, we were able to take the pups into outdoor restaurants (patio types), but never into a supermarket or into any major malls - even if we only have one that we are carrying. Now a lot of patio restaurants won't allow it either. I miss those times, as the pups love to come out and about with us. 

I imagine each state is different though, as J's cousin still took their dog down to PV (from Vancouver) and they can still take them into restaurants there - even with the new addition they just bought.

Dog sitting is a big thing there (well house/dog sitting). It's probably the wisest choice a pet owner can make.


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## NoMoreSnow

Leegeleze, thanks for the info. Your story is one of many I have read that led me to rethink flying our dogs. Unfortunately, we will be moving when it is hot. But here in Indy it has been above 90F with high humidity alot this summer. The dogs still like to go out and play, which also includes taking naps in the hot sun. I don't know why, but they love that. They both have really short hair, thankfully.

Poncho, thanks for the recipe. We already make dog food that the boys get every other day with their regular food being served in between. Our recipe usually includes chicken, oats, carrots, potatoes, peas; and never any onions or chocolate.  I will show my other half your recipe and perhaps we could start implementing some of your suggestions. When we give them the food we make we use the microwave to heat it up. So now every time we make something in the microwave and they hear that 'ding' they come running. Silly boys....


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## RVGRINGO

Remember Pavlov?


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## NoMoreSnow

RVGRINGO said:


> Remember Pavlov?


Hehe, yes, I was a psych major.


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## conklinwh

I along with about everyone else I know ended flying their dogs with that "one time". This is one reason we set our sights on being a days drive to Texas. Won't work with Merida but I know a number of folks that have driven both the coast route and also the toll network to Merida in 3 days. Sounds like you have been there before and are OK with the weather.
Just like New York City cold bears no resemblance to Chicago cold, Indianapolis hot bears no resemblance to Yucatan hot. You are in the tropics!
If you haven't lived there, rent don't buy!


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## NoMoreSnow

conklinwh said:


> Just like New York City cold bears no resemblance to Chicago cold, Indianapolis hot bears no resemblance to Yucatan hot. You are in the tropics!
> If you haven't lived there, rent don't buy!




I am nervous to meet "Yucatan hot". I hope we will be friends. We will definetly be renting until we decide that we want to stay permanently.


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## conklinwh

Good luck! There does seem to be a reasonably active expat community north of Merida in the areas of Progreso and Sisal.


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## Sisalena

conklinwh said:


> Good luck! There does seem to be a reasonably active expat community north of Merida in the areas of Progreso and Sisal.


When I moved to Mexico in February 2005, I brought my 3 dogs along in the back seat of my truck. The first indication I had that it wasn't going to be an easy trip was at the border crossing at Matamoros. We spent 10 hours there due to a snafu with their computer system. Once we got into Matamoros, the hotel would not allow us to keep the dogs in the room, so they had to stay in the truck. Thank goodness it was winter! Only one motel allowed us to keep the dogs in our room, and that was in Tampico. 

I live in Sisal, about 45 minutes from Merida, and can attest to the heat and humidity. Daytime temperatures in Merida are around the 100 degree mark this time of year, and don't drop noticeably until around December or January. If you do decide to drive, make sure you have confirmed reservations at hotels/motels that will allow your dogs in your room (which might be a chore), or else plan on driving straight through, non-stop, with the a/c on in your vehicle. With two driving, you could make it in a couple of days. 

As for dog food, the selection in Merida is rather sparse. There's Purina and Pedigree, and if you want to pay an arm and a leg you can find Science Diet and Hills Prescription food at Kota (their answer to "PetSmart") or a vet's office, but for two large dogs like yours, it would probably run you at least $300 US a month for those brands. My Shih Tzu also developed allergies when we moved here, and I've been feeding her the Sams's Club Member's Mark "Exceed" brand of lamb and rice for the past month or so, and it seems to be improving, along with much help from our Vets, Dr. Tony and Dr. Nelson of Planned Pethood. 

I have to keep my Shih Tzu and Peke (one unfortunately died a couple of years ago) shaved at least 10 months of the year, but they have adjusted well to life here in Yucatan. Of course, my house isn't air conditioned, and if you rented one that is, that would definitely make a difference to their - and your - comfort level. 

Good luck with the move, and I hope to meet you when you get settled in.


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## Pancho

We feed our golden puppy NUPEC it is promoted as the only quality pet food made in Mexico. They have a website so you should be able to go on line and find out if it will work for you.
Re overnight accommodation…finding something with a pet can be tricky but this might just work… on the outskirts of most towns and cities are a variety “no tell motels”. These usually rent for 3-4 hours but you can rent them for 8 which is all you need if you just want to get a good nights sleep. Most of these places are clean and comfortable and reasonably priced. When you pull into the property they will quickly direct you to a parking stall and either pull the curtain or close the garage door so that no one will recognize your vehicle. Discretion is their business and they will check you in on the spot. If your friend in the back seat is quiet and they do not see him you should ok for the night just take him out for his business BEFORE you pull in..


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