Starting to Panic - Air or Sea?

I have two dogs and one of them just refuses to go into his crate. I have been working with him patiently for two months with very little progress. I have been working with an Animal Behaviorist also.

I just called British Airways about the heat embargo that ends on October 15th for Phoenix Airport and it seems I made a bit of a mistake. This end date is not set in stone and if the temperature is above 85F then they won't let my pets fly. Worst still is that October 30th in 2008 was 96F or so and we would have to pay a change fee for our passenger tickets so we can continue to travel with our pets.

So now I am looking at the Queen Mary II. Two passenger tickets for that are the same as BA Phoenix to London. OK, so we have to get to New York.

What are the conditions like for dogs on the ship? I would assume the QEII was similar. What size are the kennels? Are the visiting hours and area good?

Most importantly: at any point in the process do dogs have to go into those small plastic kennels? I.e. do they walk your dog on and off the ship? Is it out of a crate during the DEFRA part of the process?

thanks, Andy

Perhaps you could put one of your t-shirts inside it so he might associate it with something comforting? Or throw one of his favourite toys in the crate or a treat? I hope things work out for you!

I'm afraid I don't know anything about traveling by sea, but I know it would be a big pain in the you know what for you and your pets. Why don't you call Continental? I am flying with them and asked about the heat embargo too for my cat. They said there is no restriction as all their planes (even the vans that transport the animals from airport to airplane) are climate controlled. The air in the cabin is the same air that the pets will breathe in in cargo.

Good luck to you! I know exactly how stressful this process is!

No kennels available anyway.

Andy

Could you get a family member to take care of your dogs if the heat embargo is still in effect on October 15th?

As for the crate, have you tried a bigger crate? My dog really didn't want to go into the crate that "should" have fit him (albeit barely). He'd go in, eventually, but immediately come back out. When I tried one size up he was quite happy to get in and stay there, so I think having the extra head room helped him.

Good luck!

Could you get a family member to take care of your dogs if the heat embargo is still in effect on October 15th?

As for the crate, have you tried a bigger crate? My dog really didn't want to go into the crate that "should" have fit him (albeit barely). He'd go in, eventually, but immediately come back out. When I tried one size up he was quite happy to get in and stay there, so I think having the extra head room helped him.

Good luck!

He won't get into just the bottom half with no door. It's crossing that entrance threshold he doesn't like.

We are now thinking of driving to NY or Boston. That would avoid the heat embargo and reduce the flying time. But then we would have to find a vet somewhere in that area the day before to give the tick/tapeworm treatment.

Andy

Hope that won't be too long of a drive for you. Maybe you should ask your vet if they can recommend anyone in NY or Boston?

How soon before you depart?

Hope that won't be too long of a drive for you. Maybe you should ask your vet if they can recommend anyone in NY or Boston?

How soon before you depart?

We don't have my wife's visa yet - waiting on the Consulate. So probably late October.

Andy

did you try for the QM2 on nov 1st...........thats when im going........i had no problem getting two kennels but i do know they are hard to come by.........there was no way i could fly with my two chihuahuas........one of them is very old and would never make that trip flying and the other would just be emotionally upset being seperated from the other........im taking them to the ships kennels in their stroller......ive heard nothing but positive things about the care of dogs on the ship.........im very happy with my decision......my dogs welfare far exceeds what is convienent for me.......best of luck in your process

did you try for the QM2 on nov 1st...........thats when im going........i had no problem getting two kennels but i do know they are hard to come by

You are lucky. There are no more kennels available until September 2011.

Andy

wow that is a long waiting list.......maybe someone will cancel earlier