Taking the Mutt
 

Hi Guys,

Just wondered does anybody know the cheapest way of taking the dogs to calgary.

I did suggest getting them stuffed and sending them in a container but 'er indoors was not happy with that option.

Looking forward to your suggestions

BC ;)

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

Hi BC,
Funny,my husband suggested similar things for my dog, not an option! It is not cheap, we are flying to Calgary in Feb / March with our GSD and it's costing about £1300 for her. We are probably going with Zoom coz at least it won't be too expensive for us. I think BA are cheaper for pets but don't fly direct to Calgary.
Hope this is helpful, if you find a cheaper option let me know.

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

Hi

I have no idea myself, having not reached that stage in the proceedings (there is still time for my dog to die of old age), but there have been quite a few threads dealing with just that subject. If you a do a search I am sure it will bring up loads of info for you.

Pennyhp

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

We had worst experience with Zoom to Vancouver and would never use them again. Yo uhave to go through an agency ladyhaye or Jet Set Pets.
You pay a lot of money for no service at all as far as we were concerned. All they do is fill paper work n and you do rest. We ahd to take our dog to the cargo area near Gatwick airport. This is not wasy as it it si nowhere near the terminal you are leaving from. Timing is important to get you checked in on time and dog. Once you leave dog you go to terminal. There is no animal holding are. Thye just left her in the office, as they said it would be too cold in cargo area,. They do not treat animals any better than a cargo of meat!
Do not think it is the same as watching Airport on TV where the animals are looked after by trained animal handlers and looked after with care, they dont.
On arrival at vancouver we had to find her. They said they ahd lost the paper work, blamed me at first, then Zoom. Was todl I should have had an export licence which was not true, and they threatened I may not get her until I found paper work. Tried to find dog, and eventually found her two hours after landing in a cold cargo warehouse sat in her cage alone amongst other cargo. Not the place I expect to find my pet after spendibng over £600!!. We were all distraught and tired, which made it worse.
We went Zoom to get cheaper flights , but exptra leg room, and extra baggage allowance. Dog has to go cargo but cost over £600. Int he end prices came out same as BA or Air Canada.
However Zoom had miserable staff and the most uncomfortable seeting I have ever used, even with the leg room.
I advise you go BA and take dog as excess baggage. This seems to be the easiest way, dog will be delivered at check in and collected at baggage reclaim with you. Unles yo uwant to arrive clear customs, then get car and drive to collect dog form cargo warehouse, avoid like the plague!!!
maybe our experience was just a one off, and just in Vancouver?? I dont know, but I would not recommend Zoom to transport your pet, if you love it that much like we do! Use BA who have been doing it longer and better from what I hear, despite all costs.

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

Thanks for letting me know of your experience, i really thought that was the answer but now i am not so sure. unfortunately BA don't fly to Calgary and as we will have to drive to Regina, Calgary is our only option.
My dog is one of my biggest concerns and her comfort is very important!

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

My dog is now settled and was not disturbed by her experience in the end. It is just too much to try and cope with for us trying to deal with uneccessary paperwork and play hunt the dog in cargo warehouses on landing. If you have children too it is very upsetting, My daughter was a wreck and she is 16! You dont know how long you will be at customs we were nearly two hours from getting of the plane to going through immigration. When we got her she was all wet too! She had not wet herself, the cargo handles filled a water bowl up full. This was unremovable because it could not be unscrewed except from the inside!! Hence when she was moved in box the water spilled all over her beding and soaked it! Again a bad design by the people who built the box!
Unfortuately you have little choice with shipping. Air Transat do excess baggage but not until May flights. Ait Canada also allow excess, as long as dog does not weight too much including cage. maybe our experience is a one off but do ask around the forum for further experiences.I shuold not put you off Zoom...

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

We brought our 2 GSDs to Calgary in November and just missed out by a month on the option of bringing them as excess baggage due to changes in regulations by Air Canada and BA. If the total weight of the dog and container is greater that 32 kg then the excess baggage option is no longer possible.

I can't comment on Zoom, but with Air Canada the dogs would have travel as cargo, possibly on the same flight as you. The cost is based upon the size of dog and would have cost just over £2000 for our two dogs. We would have had to do all the paperwork and supply the crates.

In the end we decided that we would worry too much about possible paperwork problems (although others on this forum have done the paperwork without any problems) plus we hade some synchronisation issues between leaving our just sold (yippee!!!) house and the flights. We used a company called Airpets who are based near Heatrow airport. In total it cost us about £2800. This included 5 nights boarding at their kennels and the crates. They picked the dogs up at out house. I felt sorry for the cat traveling in the crate beside them in the van that picked them up.

They had a thorough check up by the Airpets vet which caused a minor concern when he found an inflamed cyst under the neck of our very fluffy white GSD. Didn't delay the trip, but at least it shows they do properly look after the dogs.

We were worried as hell about how they would take the journey, watching the plane land at Calgary airport. But, 60 minutes later we picked up two very happy dogs at the Air Canada cargo terminal (after a quick detour to customs to pay $40 or so).

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

We also use the Airpets/Air Canada route and were very happy. We left them kenneled for the last few days so we could run around and Airpets collected them in Mordon in their little van. We were on the same flight and as we were clearing customs (in March) all the people that was dealing with us could do was to process us soooo quickley as we had dogs with us! We paid someone to clear them through customs and upon reflection I would probably do this myself as all of our customs dealings both in Calgary and Saskatoon were so straightforward it was silly. We briught two Cocker Spaniels and they were both fine upon landing so don't worry about your mutt (too much!) . If you're not going directly to Regina then I can recommend a kennel just outside Calgary that was excellent :D

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

Just spoke with BA.

GS Dog at 37 Kilo plus Kennel as excess baggage is no problem at all. They do though require at least 24 hours notice to confirm that the space for the dog is allocated. We will have 1 x GS Dog, 2 x cats (Cats and dogs need to get along as they will be in close proximity to each other. 1 cats sleeps with Charlie (GS) the other cat just thinks he is a pain.

Heathrow.

£20 handling fee and £70 excess for Dog. Excess for cats may be less as they are much lighter - did not go into it that much.

Will also be taking a Dyson hoover in its Box. 10-12 x luggage. Plus hand luggage. Plus 3 kids.

(1 x heart attack will follow)

Hope this helps




But... still need PPR yet! 3 months now since medicals went to CHC!

(Not a good Xmas or New Year thank you very much!)

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

Is this to Calgary? Excuse me if I'm being thick!!!!

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

No I am the thick one.

To Toronto.

Maybe that is different but BA's site says nothing at all about destination.

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

Thanks Posidrive. This sounds great and we have decided this is what we will do, it sounds so less stressful than taking the dog to the airport ourselves, especially with 2 kids in tow. I feel so much happier now, she is such a daft mutt but means the world to us all ( although my husband would deny this ).

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

We had many conflicting stories talking to the airlines. But at the end of the day we played safe with the worst case scenario that we were told. ie The 32 kg per dog including crate that came into play mid October. With the BA option we were looking at flying into Vancouver then a relaxing drive accross the Rockies to Calgary. In the end the Airpets option took all the pain away.

For excess baggage you really need to take care. It is probably no coincidence that 32 kg is also the maximum weight of any single item that most airlines will now load as baggage. The last thing you would want is to arrive at the airport and be told "no". At least get it all confirmed in writing before you go

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

Thank you.

I will get it in triplicate if I can. Trust no one is my tactic and although my family hates it when I do it they at least know when the paperwork comes out at the desk Dad is in full swing... and it is usually sorted immediately.

After all if they have nothing to hide they won't mind putting it in writing....will they :)

(Start listening for the Phone from our Agent again tommorow)

Re: Taking the Mutt
 

Good advice. I also was told a hundred different stories by Air Canada and their agents...didn't have time to get it in writing but I got the full name and call centre location for each and every one of them and was prepared to argue it at the desk.

As it was they didn't weigh the dog, they didn't ask for his fitness-to-fly certificate, and they forgot to charge me for him!!! Later transpired it was the last Air Canada flight ever out of Glasgow so perhaps they had other things on their minds like getting new jobs :(