jobop

I am looking for people with experiences of flying over large dogs please and not those that are classed as excess baggage - Many thanks

So the plan is to hopefully have the dog on the same flight as us, but of course she would be in the cargo hold -

• When we land where does she go?
• Do they keep her in the crate until we claim her, or do they have a special holding area?
• Where do we claim her, I hear they have a separate cargo place near the airport and that is where they go?
• Can you walk to cargo or will it require a car / taxi?
• Is it properly signed where to go e.g. a reception area?

Just want to make sure the dog is collected as quickly as possible to eliminate stress (probably more from us than the dog!!).

Also I have read about another’s experience in Calgary where they had to drive to Cargo ask to claim their dog then got given paper work which meant they had to go back to customs in the main airport to get that stamped then back to Cargo to finally pick up the dog - so a lot of back and forth going on? Is it the same in Vancouver?

Our plan was to not get a hire car as I have sourced several dog taxi's that do pickups from the airport but I just wanted to know the pickup procedure for your dog so we know what to do with regards to the final journey to our accommodation with the dog?

Also if its best for us to get a hire car did you tell them you had a dog or did you simply pick up the car go on your way to get the dog and then hover up any fur when taking the rental back

JB0591

Hi

Can't give you the VAN airport layout info but can tell you:

1) When we land where does she go?
- She gets off loaded and will be taken to the airline's cargo warehouse

2) Do they keep her in the crate until we claim her, or do they have a special holding area?
- Yes but they can let her our should they need to.

3) Where do we claim her, I hear they have a separate cargo place near the airport and that is where they go?
- Yes you go to Cargo office to collect Airway Bill (import paperwork) then take it to Cargo Customs office with your stamped GTF list, then back to Cargo Office with stamped paperwork....dog released (once you pay handling charge...think it was $70)

4) Is it properly signed where to go e.g. a reception area?
- Yes Airline X Cargo Office/Warehouse/Facility


Cheers

JB

jobop

Thanks for your reply, so it seems there is a lot of back and forth going on for most experiences until you get your dog released

JB0591

Yes but at least you know the process now.....I was not aware of clearing the dog with my GTF and didn't have her listed on it. They gave me grief about it. Also when you pick up the Airway Bill check the name on the paperwork as my per shippers put my wifes rather than mine. So customs would not let me clear the dog.

Also there should be a customs office around the cargo area of the airport. If it is closed (they normally do Mon - Fri 8/5 hours) then you have to go back to the passenger terminal's customs etc.

JB

JonboyE

The cargo warehouses at Vancouver are about 1 - 2 kms from the passenger terminal and not much in the way of footpaths to get there. There is a customs office in amongst the warehouses.

I suppose you could do it on foot if you really wanted to. I am sure the mutt will probably appreciate the walk back to the passenger terminal after being stuck in a crate for so long.

jobop

Thanks for the info, I guess an option would be to get a taxi to take myself and the other half to Cargo to pick up the dog and then ring for the dog taxi when ready to pick us all up at the Cargo center, (I will of course make sure the dog taxi is available before hand otherwise we are screwed) either that or the dog taxi picks us up first at the airport and then we get them to wait at cargo - one of us in the taxi with the cases and one of us going in to get the dog.

Its a long way off yet but I just want to research everything so we know a little of what might happen

Many thanks

JB0591

You do know you have to take the crate with you? Or you can (i think) pay them (more) money to dispose of it.

Also looks like Cargo Village (as the Van cargo website calls it) is on Miller Road, have a look at the airport on Google maps and you will see that road.

Cheers

JB

jobop

Your right I had heard that about the crate, we would not want to keep it as it would be massive? Any idea on how much to dispose, I guess I could possibly email / phone the cargo of the airline to get an idea of cost?

JB0591

The size will be in accordance with IATA regulations, see:

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/l...ages/pets.aspx

We kept ours.

JB

Alphawolf

Hi totally understand your feelings, we are flying with our 3 dogs in May but to Calgary, fretting is not the word. We won't be happy until we have them safe and sound at the cargo depot.
We have looked at several options to get them to where we are going to live including renting a van to get their crates in too as we won't have any crates for them until our stuff arrives from the UK. We are now thinking of disposing of the crates at cargo (for which there is a charge of course) and renting an SUV basically with hoovering the car out before taking it back.
Didnt realise they had dog taxis, may have to look at those.

Good luck anyway

The4BellsLondon

Hmm - well when we came in Dec 2008, dogs were on same flight . . .

we came thru immi and had all the dog paperwork too, they got stamped there and then as we had to pay the fee - what was silly was that the dogs were in the next door room and being checked by a customs officer - I could hear them barking -BUT we werent allowed to take them . . they then got carted to Cargo on Miller road - too far to walk in dark with cases - hubby was already here , he hired a open back truck (F150 type) , we drove to cargo, gave in paperwork and collected dogs - released from cage, let them have quick run and wee, put crates in back of truck - they are used to sleeping in them, dogs and us in cab of truck and off we went!

I still have the crates, one is a large and we use it in the car - both can squeeze in - the other an xl is about to go on Craiglist!

JB0591

You made me think, my paperwork was with the crate as the dog travelled after us.

The4BellsLondon

We had paperwork with dog and a copy with us as I had read reports of the paperwork WITh the dogs going missing and the dogs being kept in limbo until stuff could be faxed from the UK !

JB0591

You obviously dropped dog off at cargo at outbound airport?

The4BellsLondon

Yup = drove to cargo at LGW in friends car - put crates together, put dogs in, got paperwork sorted then legged it to passenger terminal!