Pet Moving - Summer Time Recommendations!
Relocating your Pet during the summer months is a process that many airlines refuse and most companies shy away from. However, when done right, many of the heat related problems can be avoided.
During these summer months, many airlines will not allow live animal travel due to the heat - when booking with a professional pet transport company like
ours, we can avoid these summer restrictions.
These airline restrictions are in place, due to the wait a live animal may experience on the tarmac of the airport. Since live animals are last to be loaded, first to be removed, they must wait on the hot tarmac till all other goods are loaded/unloaded before them. We work with airlines to avoid this wait, by not only choosing flights that are climate controlled - but we also hold the animals back in a climate controlled office, until all goods are loaded, then deliver the animals directly to the plane in a climate controlled vehicle. This same process is repeated during any layovers or transfers of planes.
The planes themselves, with pet friendly airlines, are climate controlled & fully pressurized. The best possible place for any live animal to be when traveling long distances.
Although companies like ours do everything we can to make sure the trip is as climate controlled as possible - we are still at the mercy of airline staff who are hired to handle many of these processes. To help avoid any problems, we make sure to solve any before they happen. One way of solving problems, is to make sure your pet and their travel crate are ready for the summer heat.
1) Pet Grooming- Under Coat Removal: Most veterinarians and professional groomers recommend against shaving your pet for the summer months, because a dog's coat helps to protect his skin from the sun and provides insulation from the heat. Since dogs don't sweat to cool themselves (the way people do), they don't need exposed skin to stay cool.
However, your pet's coat must be well groomed for it to serve its purpose. Regular brushing and combing to maintain the coat are important during the spring and summer months. If your dog is badly matted or tangled, their coat may actually trap the heat and humidity close to the skin, adding to their discomfort.
Shaving double-coated breeds like Golden Retrievers, German Shepards and Shelties does NOT keep them cooler. Their undercoat helps protect them from the elements. By shaving them down you destroy all natural protective properties their coats offer them. You also increase the chances of bug bites, sunburns and other skin irritations.
Removing dead undercoat will help keep them cooler. Bringing your double-coated breed into a salon for a professional undercoat removal prior to departure is the best way to help them feel comfortable.
2) TRAVEL CRATES: Since your pet will spend most of their travel time inside of their travel crate, it is very important that you do the following:
A) Crate Training: The #1 most important step in the process! Please make sure you give as much time as possible for your pet to acclimate to their travel crate.
B) One Size Up! : When traveling during the summer months, it is recommended to purchase a travel kennel that is One Size UpӔ from your current crate. This will allow for maximum air circulation & ventilation.
C) 4 Sides of Ventilation: Every travel crate must be ventilated on ALL FOUR SIDES of the crate. If your travel crate does not have holes on the back, you can drill them in. Depending on the size of your pet, we recommend that you drill even rows of holes, about 5 holes across and 5 rows down at the least. Please make sure the holes are as big as possible, without the pets nose sticking through.
D) Water Dishes: It is best to get the deepest possible dishes you can for your relocating pet. Please make sure that you freeze the water in each dish, prior to your pet being picked up. This will ensure the water stays in those dishes for as long as possible. Please remember to include the funnels on the outside door, above each water dish, to help with the delivery of water.
E) Bedding: Please make sure that you do not insert thick padded bedding into your pets travel crates. Although this will allow for maximum comfort, it will also create a layer of warmth that increases with the thicker bedding. A crate pad can be purchased that does not have extra lining.
F) Accessories: Such items as Crate Fans are recommended, but we can not promise their use after airport staff has seen them. Many airport workers will allow for such items to be used, however it is also a security violation to have such a ґbattery operate device on the petsҒ travel crate. It is worth the try, so please do go out and purchase a Crate Fan if your pet is traveling long distances.
3) NO SEDATION! We do not recommend any form of Sedation be used when flying your pets. Please see additional documents on Sedation.