Flying to U.S. with dog by American Airlines

We'll be returning to the U.S. in mid-August. We have a medium-sized dog who will fly in cargo. American Airlines has a rule that if it's 85 degrees F at the site of landing (Chicago), then they will not allow the dog to fly. Has anybody dealt with this before? What kind of back-up plan would you suggest? Thanks for any thoughts.

We have flown with our dogs several times but have been lucky that the temperature at the departure and arrival points were OK (not too hot).
I don't know if you have your ticket already purchased, but is it possible to book a flight that lands early in the morning or late at night when the temp is not likely to be over 85? As for a backup, you may want to have a kennel or animal transport company on call in case your dog can't fly with you.
good luck.

We also have flown with a dog but only at times when this problem has not arisen.

You need to find a kennel company who can collect the dog and can arrange for it to be transported as cargo. You will also need to check the entry rules for the US for animals entering as cargo rather than luggage, These can be different, though generally the Us is pretty relaxed compared to the EU.

You might want to contact the airline to see if there is a particular shipping company they work with in shipping animals as cargo. OR you could talk to you vet. They should have contact details for kennels and maybe shippers too.

I know it can seem like a lot of hassle but it is always better to do this than to take the risk with your dog in the heat.

Good luck

My career has been flying airplanes. I've seen many animals in the cargo hold while doing the walk around. Be glad they have a temperature rule. In the summer the temperature on the ramp can be 10-15 degrees hotter do to the sun reflecting off the concrete, airplanes , and terminals. Then add in exhaust from the engines and the APU.

Sometimes, in Dallas, by the time I finished walking around the airplane exterior I was dripping in sweat.

Fly early in the day. Good luck.

I agree with TexMunich except that there's nothing you can do about the times you fly. Departure slots to the US are almost exclusively departing 0600-10:30, arriving 1400-1800 local time East and Central, so you're often arriving during the warmest part of the day. Even though pets are transported in a pressurised and temperature-controlled section of the hold, when they're unloaded they could easily be sitting on the tarmac for 30-60 minutes. Factoring in the absorbed and reflected heat, your dog coul be sweltering in over 100°F heat in that cramped transport box with no air circulation.

woof.

We brought our cat back (mid-June) and forth (mid-August) with no problem. On Luftansa, she rode inside the plane with us. In Dallas, I rented a car to drive the rest of the way. It all worked out.

A couple of years later (mid-June), American Airlines, started allowing pets on all flights. We checked her in at Frankfurt in the morning and watched them unload from the flight in Dallas. We were worried but the guys on the tar mat made sure she was in the shade while loading. Luckily, all went well.

We'll be returning to Germany mid-August with two small dogs and I'll admit, I am worried! I have a meeting tomorrow to find out more about the move and am especially interested in the dogs and their safety.

Thanks for your responses. We're checking into Lufthansa as a back-up, and an animal transport company. I know the rule is for good reasons, and our dog is a hairy one, so would get too hot. Hopefully, the weather will be mild in Chicago, but you never know. We appreciate your suggestions.

For the record, the temperature rule is an international convention and all airlines (at least all North American and European airlines) abide by it. Also, the temperature must not be high at any point along the voyage. That includes the point of origin and any stops along the way.

-geoff

Consider giving your dog a haircut, even if it isn't a breed that usually gets short cuts. Friends took an English Sheepdog on a plane trip, and a few days before the trip they had the dog trimmed really short. Looked hilarious until the hair grew out, but it certainly helped keep the dog from overheating during transport. Obviously there are a few breeds where you shouldn't do that for health reasons. But if it is just a matter of keeping a standard look, then to heck with fashion and appearance.

If your dog is a golden retriever, by all means, get her shaved - they are adorable (like puppies again) with their fur short!! My aunt's dog loves it!

OK, we had joked about shaving him, but maybe we really will. He's a Sheltie, long hair with the double coat. He's really cute but he's not going to be in shows or anything. If it helps, we'll do it! I have the feeling my husband will want to do it himself, so any suggestions?

Don't completely shave your Sheltie, but leave about an inch of hair so the dog continues to have protection against sunburn. It will take at least half a year for the hair to grow back, longer if you go for a shorter shave. You can get inexpensive hair clippers at many supermarkets and appliance stores for under 15 euros. They are sold as "human hair clippers" but work just as well for dogs. Sheltie hair tends to grow a bit more slowly than other breeds and their skin is more sensitive, so if in doubt then leave the hair a bit longer. You can also just cut the belly hair short while leaving it a bit longer on top to keep more of the typical Sheltie look if you prefer, yet still give some relief from heat. Or you can go for a "lion cut" with longer hair on the face and tail, while the body is trimmed short.

A professional grooming (bath, cut, nail trim) costs me less than 50 euros but a Sheltie might need more time and be a bit more expensive.

Good luck!

edit: found a photo of a partially shaved, lion cut Sheltie so you can get an idea of what it might look like.

Take a lot off the top (article with before/after photos of a totally shaved Sheltie)
Shaving a pet's fur has its pros and cons

My aunt 'shaves' (it's a really short cut, not completely shaved) her golden because they live on a lake and the dog loves the water. Well, if you ever had a dog with long hair in and out of the water all the time - they start to stink. Plus, it's cooler in summer for the dog.

Another friend also shaves her golden in summer. She lives in Phoenix, AZ - enough said.

Thanks so much. Bipa, we loved the photos and the advice. We're better informed now, but if anything else comes to mind, please let us know.

Another bit of advice is to very blatantly mark your dog´s crate as containing a live animal. Plaster it with pictures of him, write his name on it, etcetera. Baggage handlers will of course treat a dog better than other pieces of luggage, and you need to make sure they grasp that there is an actual dog in the crate. That way they make sure to take him in first. When I traveled with my dog, he got grade-A treatment from the baggage handlers and security officers. Unfortunately the Lufthansa check-in lady here in Munich had no idea how to check in a dog, so go with plenty of time...

as Bipa said- don't do a complete shave down!
dogs with double coats cannot cool themselves as well without fur. i would say minimum one ince of fur... preferably 2. instead of a complete shave down shave (1-2" length) some of the stomach, cut the fur around the butt, head/ears/neck. For the main body use a comb that gets a lot of the undercoat out and will thin the coat. That will keep the dog with protection, but keep it cooler. that's the look my dog (doubel coated, long haired herding mix) is sporting right now because it's keeping him cool in the warm and super humid temps, but still allowing us to run agility outdoors and all other active things.

if you want any more info just pm me.