All About Pet Traveling Services

When the owner cannot accompany the animal, a professional pet shipping service will ensure that the pet reaches a care provider at the destination. Ground transportation, when available, is frequently considered the preferable method. But every year, thousands of animals travel unaccompanied on passenger planes as air freight.

Due to recent Federal Aviation Administration regulations, commercial airlines can only accept cargo from known shippers, so a professional pet shipper is required in such situations [source: International Pet Shipping].

Look for a shipper that belongs to the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA), a network that provides oversight for the industry and helps maintain common practices and ethics. When shipping long-distance, shippers work with other IPATA member organizations at the destination.

Shipping live animals requires a lot of advance planning and attention to detail. This is where professional involvement is most helpful. The shipper will make sure that you obtain the requisite permits, import/export licenses, health certificates and other documentation, following the specific requirements of the jurisdictions on both ends of the journey.

Some airlines ban live animal cargo and others are poorly prepared to handle live freight. The seasoned shipping services are familiar with the preferred carriers and routes, as well as the timing considerations involved in booking a flight for your pet.

Animals shipped as airfreight travel below the cabin in the cargo hold: an insulated, pressurized, climate-controlled environment. Air travel is generally as safe for animals as it is for human beings.

Transported pets must travel in a secure kennel, small enough to fit in the cargo deck but large enough to permit the animal to stand, lay down and turn around. Airlines charge customers by the weight of the animal plus its crate, at rates varying from about $200 to more than $500, excluding fees and handling charges [source: Delta Air Lines].

Only going on a cross-town trip? Read on for shipping services of a more local nature.

"You can't take dogs on cabs or subways, unless you pretend you're a blind person," pet taxi service owner Larry Reilly told the New York Times [source: Lee].

He may be stretching the point a bit -- small pups, with their heads peeking out of handbags, and animals in carriers can usually get a ride. But Reilly's quip does point to a serious issue. According to New York's Taxi and Limousine Commission, taxi drivers are required to admit guide dogs but are entitled to refuse service to other animals.

It's not hard to figure out why cabbies would turn down prospective passengers with leashed pets: bad smells, shedding or even a dreaded accident -- and not the kind involving another car.

On the other hand, there are all kinds of situations in which people might need to hop in a cab with their pet, such as vet or grooming appointments, rides to or from the kennel or a trip out to the family's weekend house. And urban professionals without cars may need to bring their pets to a doggy day care facility that's too far away for a walk.

Pet taxi services have sprung up to meet this demand. Reilly started Pet Taxi in New York in 1995. Competitors quickly followed, and the idea has spread to cities around the country.

Pet taxis are climate-controlled vehicles usually equipped with crates, water dishes and safety devices for animals. Many also serve as pet ambulances, with stretchers and ramps for animals with special needs. Some taxi services also offer pet boarding, grooming, walking and day care.

Pets may ride with or without the accompaniment of their human companions. Pet Chauffeur of New York advertises that it can schedule regular visits to escort a pet to the vet or the groomer, so its owner need not take time off work.

These rides tend to cost significantly more than a regular hired car. Pet Chauffeur charges more than $100 to deliver up to two pets and their owners from Manhattan to New York's Kennedy Airport, and $180 for an airport pickup without the owner [Source: Pet Chauffeur].

­Pet relocation companies function like full-service travel­ agents for pets, coordinating all phases of the move.

The process begins with initial meetings to discuss the specifics of the pet's move and the regulations that apply, plan the itinerary and outline the necessary documentation. The agent, or pet relocation specialist, will take responsibility for finding and booking the optimal travel arrangements and preparing the import-export documents.

Before a move, pet owners must make sure their pet's health records and vaccinations are in order; they must show a health certificate issued by a veterinarian no more than 10 days before the departure date. And, they must get their pet accustomed to their crate ahead of time. The more a pet is crate trained, the less stress the animal will undergo during the hours in flight.

On moving day, the relocation service usually takes charge of delivering the animal to the airport, checking it in and supervising the boarding procedure. This may be true even when the owner is accompanying the animal in flight.

Some airlines permit certain smaller animals to travel as carry-on luggage under the passenger's seat, but many animals do not meet the requirements and must travel in the cargo hold.

Relocation representatives will meet the animal at the destination site, guide it through customs, and deliver it either to its new home or into transitional boarding. Many nations -- including the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia -- impose mandatory quarantine periods on imported pets [Source: DogTime].

The process sounds straightforward, but things do not always flow smoothly in air travel. One man booked his overseas move four months ahead, then belatedly realized his cats needed vaccinations six months before they could travel. A service called Puppy Travel helped him board his cats in a kennel for the extra two months, then arranged their flight and got them on the plane [source: Hanes].

Planning for such unexpected contingencies is what makes the relocation specialists worth their weight in gold-and worth the price tag of $350 or more. For many people, it's a small price to pay for their beloved pets and their peace of mind.

For more information on pet travel, visit the links on the next page.