livencabo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 11-18-2007
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Flying with cat and dog
I would appreciate knowing what is required on Alaska from Cabo to San Diego. The only answer I get from Alaska is not specific enough, they just say
the information is available at check-in. Another note on the web-site says 24 hour notice is required. The Baja pet rescue people in San Diego say
they are driving pets and the one time they used a flight the information they had been given was wrong.
I have a cat and a dog, both from Todos Santos where they adopted me and there is no way I could leave them behind.
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livencabo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 11-18-2007
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Thanks to Betty and Kate. I did persist and finally got a number to talk to a person, a very nice person named Theresa. In Mexico the 1-800 number
needed the 001-880 change plus 574 9308. I gave my flight confirmation number and she checked for available space which was confirmed.
My vet wrote the health certificate and checked the rabies vaccination date. It is less complicated than some internet sites made it seem.
We are good to go and maybe someone else can benefit from this note.
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Gadget
Senior Nomad
Posts: 851
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Point Loma CA
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Mood: Blessed with another day
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Flying with cat and dog
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Personally...I would get the hang of it first myself before you made them go with you. You should always use two hands and arms. 
[Edited on 2-28-2008 by Gadget] |
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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livencabo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 11-18-2007
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Thanks Gadget,
I find it is always best to use your brain before you move anything. That includes your mouth. My trial run was with flying the dog cage from SD.
I had most of the information I needed but ran into problems when I tried to complete the process on the Internet and by phone to contact an agent in
reservations. That is why I pass along the correct number if anyone is ever needing to arrange this service from Mexico.
My hands and arms are fine. My problems are low vision and legs which have limited mobility from an accident many years ago. Since I can't stamp my
feet and demand attention, I try to anticipate my needs and make arrangements in advance.
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Gadget
Senior Nomad
Posts: 851
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Point Loma CA
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Mood: Blessed with another day
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| Quote: | Originally posted by livencabo
Thanks Gadget,
I find it is always best to use your brain before you move anything. That includes your mouth. My trial run was with flying the dog cage from SD.
I had most of the information I needed but ran into problems when I tried to complete the process on the Internet and by phone to contact an agent in
reservations. That is why I pass along the correct number if anyone is ever needing to arrange this service from Mexico.
My hands and arms are fine. My problems are low vision and legs which have limited mobility from an accident many years ago. Since I can't stamp my
feet and demand attention, I try to anticipate my needs and make arrangements in advance. |
No insult intended linencabo, I was just clowning. It's a funny heading when you first see it on the todays posts is all. That was just the first
thing that came to my goofy mind. My wife can testify that I am indeed a "pest".
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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livencabo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 11-18-2007
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Gadjet,
None intended, none taken. I did mean for the subject to draw attention, a play on raining cats and dogs and that old favorite flying pigs. Sorry if
you were mislead by the urgent nature of my request. See you in SD!
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Marla Daily
Nomad
Posts: 418
Registered: 9-2-2003
Location: Loreto, BCS
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Frequent Flier Doggies
Our two dogs fly Alaska Air round trip LAX—Loreto with us five times a year. Never had a problem. When we make our reservations we also let Alaska
Air know we will have two dogs going in cargo (in Vari-Kennel crates). Cost is $100/dog/each way. At both ends current health certificates are
required (proof of rabies and shots). Yes it is extravagant to fly with them, but it sure beats leaving them at home or boarding them! They see the
crates and get very excited—they KNOW they are going to Mexico! Our little guy, 28 pounds, was a street dog born in the bushes behind La Palapa
restaurant in Loreto almost 12 years ago. Named Loreto of course. He used to fly free as the official mascot of AeroCalifornia until they were shut
down. People ask his breed, and we just say he is 300 years of Baja evolution!
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1218
Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
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Mood: hubimos llegado
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| Quote: | | People ask his breed, and we just say he is 300 years of Baja evolution! |
Best definition of a Mexi-mix I've heard yet!
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livencabo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 11-18-2007
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Marla,
Thank you for your encouragement. My dog Suerte is named "lucky" because she was thrown away with littermates in a trash bag and rescued by the owner
of german shepherds who killed the other pups. She is now 15 years old and just about matches my years in dog years. So we are a couple of old
ladies not yet ready to give up the ghost. I could write a book for cat fans about the cat, Don Quititote de la Mancha, Spot in English. He packs
himself in my suitcase every time I get ready to leave and sprays it when he sees he's not going.
Pets are an essential part of living in Baja. I hope that people who move here adopt from the shelters if they do not bring their own. More than
that I hope they will find a way to take their animals if and when they leave.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by livencabo
Pets are an essential part of living in Baja. I hope that people who move here adopt from the shelters if they do not bring their own. More than
that I hope they will find a way to take their animals if and when they leave. |
They certainly are, livencabo.
And bravo for your concern. Pets.. whether they be dogs, cats, or ringtails.... make the scene much more enjoyable for us in Baja and everywhere
else we live.
A good thing has been happening along that line. We know dozens of visitors who have fallen in love with roaming Baja dogs and cats.
They adopt the animals, giving them special care, then nuetering and vaccinating before taking their new pets home to the USA. Thanks to this
common and kind practice amongst animal lovers we now have good vet services thoughout most of Baja. Sadly, this was not always the case.
[Edited on 2-29-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
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Mood: Skeptical
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Does anybody have experience flying a large (100lb.) dog in a crate in the cargo section? Any reason to think it is any more of a problem for the dog
in terms of comfort? Are the costs more than $100? Do you tranquilize your dogs? Do you have access to watch to make sure it gets loaded on your
plane?
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BCSTech
Senior Nomad
Posts: 584
Registered: 4-16-2006
Location: Todos Santos, BCS / Placerville, CA.
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Mood: Carpe Manana
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I just flew my dog from La Paz to LAX Saturday on Alaska so I can give you some additional information. The pet carrier needs to have food and water
containers accessible from the outside, as well as handles or lifts. Mine did not have any food containers so I used some cable ties to attach a
couple of plastic containers to the door. I used two of the containers Costco sells with their cashews and mixed nuts.
I was told you need to call the airline at least 24 hours in advance to make a reservation for your pet so I did that. Once at the airport, there is a
grassy area next to the Alaska terminal where you can walk your dog. My dog weighs about 50 pounds so I got a Sky Cap with a four wheel cart to bring
him into the ticket counter.
Once there, they charged me $103, and I filled out a form that contains flight and contact information for the owner. They attach the form to the
outside of the carrier. I had also written my info and cell number on the outside with a marker pen.
Our flight was delayed for two hours, and after about an hour, one of the employees came to find me. They said I needed to put a lid on the water
container so it would not spill out. Fortunately, I had brought the lids although it seemed a little funny that that they would require you to include
a water container that your pet could not access!
Once we were finally inside the plane, they gave me a sticker from the form, letting me know my dog was on board.
Once at LAX, there must have been 3,000 people waiting to get through immigration. It took 40 minutes. Once through, I went looking for my checked
bags and dog. My bags were at Carousel #7 although I found my dog along the wall next to Carousel #1 where Alaska puts all the oversized luggage from
all flights.
Next stop was the customs inspector who wanted me to throw away the dog food in the container. I told him I would need something to cut the cable ties
or else I would have to remove the dog and turn the carrier upside down to dump out the food. He rolled his eyes and told me to leave it.
At all inspection stops, beginning in La Paz, I was asked if I had a health certificate (I did), but not one inspector ever asked me to actually show
it to them 
Tip passed along by a friend: Put a tee shirt or other article of clothing you wore the day or night before into the carrier. Your scent will comfort
your pet during travel (I hope!)
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pacificobob
Super Nomad
Posts: 2308
Registered: 4-23-2006
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one more pet question...
will alaska airline allow one passenger to ship 2 large dogs and a cat? or is there some limit on how many pets a single passenger can ship?
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BCSTech
Senior Nomad
Posts: 584
Registered: 4-16-2006
Location: Todos Santos, BCS / Placerville, CA.
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Mood: Carpe Manana
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I would call the airline to confirm this. I was told that space was limited due to the size of the baggage compartment, so that's why the need for the
reservation in advance.
[Edited on 3-3-2008 by BCSTech]
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livencabo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 11-18-2007
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Techie.
I read your latest information as I was packing and it was essential to avoiding problems. I thought I would slide on the food and water because it
is such a short flight. NOT! So many things could happen. So I did the Baja thing and improvised handles and a plactic bowl for food, another for
water with a lid and put them in a clear plastic bag that my hair rollers came in along with a note in English and Spanish.
A friend who works in loading the planes said I should give the cat a tranquilizer because the workers sometimes get annoyed if the animals are
agitated. He really howls when he is upset. The cat, not the friend. Well, maybe the friend too. So the vet said to get Calmivet, a one time pill.
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BCSTech
Senior Nomad
Posts: 584
Registered: 4-16-2006
Location: Todos Santos, BCS / Placerville, CA.
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Mood: Carpe Manana
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The tranquilizer is a good idea. My dog was not happy, and I wished I had one (for both of us ;> He did NOT like being separated, and whined and barked at anyone who got too close.
Definitely was an unplanned long day for both of us. He was in the crate for six hours before I was able to get him out again in LA.
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livencabo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 11-18-2007
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I always appreciate when people come back to report how everything turned out, so here goes.
I did a Web check in, but the result was not the usual boarding pass. Instead it included instructions for contacting a clerk at check in at the
airport. The good news was that the Web check in line was short. A friend was essential to watching my bags and cat while I got my FME, the pass to
leave and come back to Mexico from Immigration.
The cat had calmed down so se passed on the tranquilizer. It only lasts for half an hour, so I don't know if it would have felped anyway.
The problems were at Lindberg field. The Immigration/Customs officers offered to information at all either for help with the cat or my disability.
The cat was the last to arrive in baggage claim after all the luggage. Lucky it was't the dog, I was able to lift the cat from the oversize baggage
rack on to a cart. I was at the end of a very long line with the cat howling.
It was only after I was through Customs that an officer told me I should have contacted my airline for help. Then when I said I had done that, a
customer service woman from Alaska stepped forward. Her excuse was that she was notified that someone with a pet would need assistance but that the
flight attendants didn't point me out.
Since I was the only person with a pet I think that for whatever reason she made no attempt to find me.
The cat was in the crate for five hours. I will be doing everything I can to shorten the time for the dog. He won't be put into the crate until the
last possible moment. On arrival I will find the customer service person and have the pet unloaded right away, then I will go straight to the exit.
The heightened Security has made all aspects of travel more difficult. More than that it has affected the attitude of most everyone including other
passengers
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