How to fly with your dog

How to fly with your dog

How to book the dog on the plane, what documents are required, and in general, how the dog takes it all.

How to fly with your dog

Let's start with check-in! Before you book a ticket, be sure to clarify the rules of bringing pets in the country where you want to fly, also call the help desk of the airline whose services you want to use, you can also go to the website and find all the information there, but it's better to call - live data in any case more relevant. 

Find out whether it is possible to transport the animal, what the airline's requirements are for the weight of the dog, the size of the carrier, and, of course, how much it will cost you! (In practice I can say that cheaper than Aeroflot I have not met the company yet - their fare is $50, regardless of the weight of the animal and whether he flies with you in the cabin or as additional live luggage, in almost all other carriers this amount is about 200 €). If all terms and conditions of the company you are satisfied, then you book a ticket, and again, call customer service, clarify that on this-and-some ticket, you need to register your pet, as a result, within 24 hours you will be notified about the confirmation of the registration of the dog.

Next, as far as paperwork goes. You must have a veterinary passport with all vaccinations! Vaccination against rabies is mandatory, it must be made no earlier than one month and no later than 11 months before departure! Some countries have additional requirements for veterinary control of the animal (they are necessary to specify in each country separately). 

With the veterinary passport 3 days before departure (not before!!!) you need to get a veterinary certificate (it is issued in the offices of state veterinary control), it costs a penny, you must come there with documents for the dog and it's better to take the pet immediately (although we never needed it for registration!!! papers were more important). Then, on the day of departure, one must go to the airport itself to the service of veterinary and sanitary control - there you will also need to leave some money in the state budget - in this service, you will exchange the veterinary certificate to a veterinary certificate - here with it you can easily cross the border! 

When you get your boarding pass at the ticket counter, you have to show the certificate and the passport there, pay for the pet's transportation and either give the pet with your luggage or take it back to the aircraft with you. In our case, Badi flew with everyone else, as Aeroflot allows you to take with you an animal whose weight doesn't exceed 8 kg along with the carrier.

Now, as for how a dog endures flights. Of course, this question is strictly individual, but, in general, all fairly easy, except for two points - takeoff and landing. Sudden changes in pressure dogs experience much sharper than people, but in total it's only 20-30 minutes. The dog starts chickening out, he gets very tense and eventually falls asleep. So, if you're lucky, the dog will sleep through the whole flight. Buddy slept only the first time. The next time he got used to it, he found time to walk by the window, sit in my arms, and play with the passengers. As you understand, we didn't have Buddy in the carrier, we usually open it right away, and the dog can decide whether to sit in it or come to our arms. Usually, there's no problem with him on the flight at all, it's even easier than with the baby. But, there's one very important rule: 12 hours before departure, you need to stop feeding and watering the dog, so that during the flight he did not throw up, and you do not have to clean up after him. I felt sorry for the baby, so I always took some goodies, a little bit, and, of course, we lightly watered him.

12 hours before the flight you should stop feeding and watering the dog, so that he does not vomit during the flight, and you do not have to clean up after him.
So, if someone did not take your pet with you on vacation just because he was afraid of difficulties in processing paperwork, I hope I gave you a little more confidence, and the next time your Buddy will go on vacation with you!