I am freaking out because I’ll be returning to England from Peru at the end of the month, and I rescued a puppy a few years ago, who will be going back in the cargo. It was the only choice offered. I hired an organization to manage all the paperwork, and they assured me that there have never been any negative situations with them. Still, I’m stressing out about the stress my poor kid will be under, as well as the anxiety of what could go wrong. She even has to spend one night in Amsterdam, so it is not a direct journey. It makes me wonder if it would be better to have her adopted here, but I can’t bear to leave her and plan to keep her. Feeling a lot of shame and anxiety. Could somebody please alleviate my mind? I have been promised that she will be looked after every step of the way.
Not your path, but I’ve taken it several times and it’s always OK. Dryfur has a website with a lot of information, and I recommend reading it and following the advice for crate preparation, etc. The crate poses the greatest risk, with the majority of injuries caused by a poorly designed box or a dog that has not been crate trained and injures itself.
Also, if you are on the same flight with the dog, ask the first flight attendant if she can notify you when your dog is loaded. Most of them are cooperative and will ensure that the dog is on board. Then, ask another FA to inform the captain that there is an animal on board so that he can leave the climate control in the animal hold.
Thank you so much for your input. Unfortunately, I will not travel on the same aircraft as her due to the limitations of this route, but they have told me that everything will be fine. It’s really difficult to put her in that scenario. I will look into crate training and try my best to help her adjust. Thank you for the reassurance.
She’ll be fine. I have done it many times. Check the Dryfur website for prep info. Feel free to DM me for suggestions.