Author Topic: Airline Crate suggestions  (Read 24053 times)

Offline lilysmom

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #15 on: October 21, 2005, 02:13:25 am »
I say sneak them on as seeing eye dogs.   8)

Sneaky Sneaky  :D :D
When I rescued Lily, she rescued me right back!

Offline Nina

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #16 on: October 21, 2005, 03:14:20 am »
Fed Ex sounds like it would be a years salary to ship her, lol.  Actually after calling like a gajillion places I found out some useful info.  I just wanted to post it here so if it ever comes up again it's here.

Any airline that will ship a pet internationall y will ship an extra large pet in a modified 700 crate not to exceed 47" in height.  If they tell you different, ask to speak to a manager.  That's what I finally did.  Try to get a direct flight, if you can't, find an airline with a pet sitting service included.  I just found an unbelievably good deal with northwest klm.  Everyone else was not willing to work with me.  But here is what I got.  Service from BWI to Detroit with a 5 hour layover.  During the layover a pet sitter picks up Lily and walks her and plays with her.  Then they put her back on the plane and ship her direct to Frankfurt Germany.  They will allow the modified 700 crate which gives me the ability to have a crate with an extension that will reach 42" in height.  All for the unbelievable price of $800.  United quoted me $2600.  This was not fun, believe me. But I learned a lot and now I know without a doubt that Lily will be joining us on our move to Germany.  Makes me feel really good about the move. :)

Are Lily and Raven both moving to Germany with you? If so I have lots of experiance with 2 dogs in an airport. I can give you some tips  ;D


Nina
Nina and Tim
Calgary, AB, Canada
Harley(Lab mix)
Dilbert(Pyr mix)At the bridge
Jolene (cat)

Offline lilysmom

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #17 on: October 21, 2005, 03:16:29 am »
Raven will be coming on our flight because she's smaller and I can check her as baggage.  My friend will be bringing Lily to the airport the next day or if we can schedule the flights the same day we'll do it that way.  What should I expect?  I'm afraid of the answer, lol. :)
When I rescued Lily, she rescued me right back!

Offline pndlake

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #18 on: October 21, 2005, 03:32:53 am »
Are there animal quaranteens in Germany?  I know there are for cats but not sure on dogs. Each country is different.  ???
Peggy

Offline lilysmom

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #19 on: October 21, 2005, 03:37:35 am »
Not for dogs, thank goodness.  I just have to have them microchipped.  I was planning on doing that anyway. :)
When I rescued Lily, she rescued me right back!

Offline dufus

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #20 on: October 21, 2005, 03:55:02 am »
Hi there,

i  may have missed up, but can you give me a URL or details of where to get this 700 Crate, as Day-z will need one in March.

Cheers

Jill

Offline Nina

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #21 on: October 21, 2005, 03:59:01 am »
LOL the fun of having all your baggage and 2 huge crates in an airport. We were lucky cuz we got to check in our 2 dogs as baggage too before they changed the rules. (that is with Air Canada) now any dog that is over 70 LBS has to fly cargo. So we won't be flying Air Canada anymore. And they changed the price for animals from $80 per dog round trip to 200 on way!

Anyway enough ranting about that... Ok I find what works best is no food or water past midnight, so that they won't mess in there crates. Also have a blanket in the crate for padding and to catch any mess if they happen to have an accident. Also ask what the temperature is going to be, like if traveling in the summer, you don't need a thick blanket but if in the winter you would need a thicker blanket to keep them warm. ( I have traveled in both summer and winter and both my pups were fine) It is easier to take the crate into the airport and then put Lily and Raven in there crates, then you can get everything settled for them. Also I recommed if it is going to be a really long flight, get one of those travel water bottles that attach to the crate(and the whole thing on the inside of the crate, or it will break off, happened to my brother when he traveled with his dane) If your friend is bringing Lily the next day I would suggest she has someone help her. It is alot to carry a crate and then go back and get Lily and put her in the crate ect. makes it easier if there is 2 people. Also I think I mentioned this but try and get a crate with steel doors and one that locks, we had to use plastic zip tie things to make sure they couldn't get out. Harley can get out of those dens that don't have the steel doors.
We also made sure that we got to the airport extra early, as it takes a long time to check in animals, forms to fill out ect, and where yours is international flight it might even take longer than normal. hmm that is all that I can think of for now, hope it helps

Nina.
Oh I'll see if I can find a pic of that water bottle. (what my brother did was fill up 1/2 of it with water and froze it and before he left he filled the rest up so that she would have cold water the whole flight, oh and if you do get one, this may sould silly but test it to make sure they know how to use it, it took my brother an hour before she figured out what it was. LOL )
Nina and Tim
Calgary, AB, Canada
Harley(Lab mix)
Dilbert(Pyr mix)At the bridge
Jolene (cat)

Offline lilysmom

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #22 on: October 21, 2005, 04:03:30 am »
Thanks for that.  Now at least I know what to expect.  I heard about the freezing the water thing before. 

Now one more question.  I need a custom crate built.  I got info from one pet shipping place that said you can get crate extensions to raise the height, but I can't find them anywhere.  Somebody PLEASE help me find someone to either build a crate or somewhere to get the extensions.

Thanks. :)
When I rescued Lily, she rescued me right back!

Offline Nina

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #23 on: October 21, 2005, 04:20:54 am »
here are the pics I was talking about the first one is the crates I have and Harley can get out of those ones, she uses her nose and pushes the door open.( she is one abnormally strong pooch) The other one is the door that I recommed that you get, (steel door) and the 3rd is the water bottle that i was talking about.

And how tall is Lily? My brother got a crate from walmart and it fits his dane she is 29 inches at the shoulder. And his crate has the steel door.


Nina
Nina and Tim
Calgary, AB, Canada
Harley(Lab mix)
Dilbert(Pyr mix)At the bridge
Jolene (cat)

Offline lilysmom

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #24 on: October 21, 2005, 04:25:55 am »
She's 31 at the shoulder, 37 in a natural sit and they said I have to have at least 3 inches clearance above her head.  I'm at a loss here.  I don't know where to get a crate to fit her.
When I rescued Lily, she rescued me right back!

Offline Nina

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #25 on: October 21, 2005, 04:47:23 am »
Try petsmart they have some big ones there, the ones that I have aren't the biggest ones they have. And they are good crates. I don't know how Harley can open it with her nose, I can't pull open that door when it is closed. She is just one strong dog. Also try Walmart the one that my brother has is bigger that mine and he said that they had one that is even bigger the only reason he didn't get it was cus they didn't have one in. And I am sure if they don't have one they can order one in for you. I would try that route first as getting one made will cost you a lot more. ( i think anyway)

Here is what I got from the petsmart website:

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_list.jsp?ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302035811&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441780731&bmUID=1129927265425

Nina


Nina and Tim
Calgary, AB, Canada
Harley(Lab mix)
Dilbert(Pyr mix)At the bridge
Jolene (cat)

Offline lilysmom

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #26 on: October 21, 2005, 04:56:05 am »
I need a 40" and the largest they have is 35".  Believe me when I say I've looked everywhere.  I've been on the computer now for 12 hours straight minus potty breaks and putting the kiddies down for a nap.  I know....I'm a bad mommy.  But this is really stressing me.  I finally find the airline and now I have nothing to ship her in. :'(
When I rescued Lily, she rescued me right back!

Offline Nina

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #27 on: October 21, 2005, 05:04:07 am »
Are they really that stickler on the 3 inches abover her head. Dilberts head touches the top of the crate ( when we first bought it, it was way too big for him, now by the " air line standards" it is too small for him) That being said, he still fits in it, he can stand in it, turn around and lay down. I have never has anyone say anything to us, when we were checking him in. My brother had someone say that his crate is to small for Athena but they still let her fly anyway.
So I would ask to see how strict they are and see  how that 35 inch crate is for her. Usually at petsmart they'll have them built and you can put her in it and see how it looks.


Nina
Nina and Tim
Calgary, AB, Canada
Harley(Lab mix)
Dilbert(Pyr mix)At the bridge
Jolene (cat)

Offline lilysmom

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #28 on: October 21, 2005, 05:13:16 am »
I think I'm going to try that.  I called our local petsmart and they don't have one in stock, but Walmart does.  I'll just buy it and if it's not good, I'll take it back.  Thanks for all your help Nina.
When I rescued Lily, she rescued me right back!

Offline Nina

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Re: Airline Crate suggestions
« Reply #29 on: October 21, 2005, 05:17:24 am »
No prob I know how stressful it can be to travel with your pets  :) And you must be really stress trying to get all this together, and with the move too.  Let me know if you need any other help.


Nina
Nina and Tim
Calgary, AB, Canada
Harley(Lab mix)
Dilbert(Pyr mix)At the bridge
Jolene (cat)