Now I'm worried.
I contacted the guy in charge of the Animal Port at the airport in Honolulu today and he's got me kind of worried. His exact words were "You've got the worst possible flight plan for getting a pet to Kwajalein".
AAAUUUUGGGHHH!!!!! I did not want to hear that.
When flying into Hawaii the way I am (on the airline I'm on and not immediately connecting to another flight) he said that the airline will assume you are staying and will take your pet directly to quarantine which I do not want no matter what. Once they go in they never come out. (not quite but almost)
I'm hoping he's being overly dramatic but I need to stay alert and make A LOT of calls to try and keep this from happening.
Has anybody out there used the Animal Port and did you have any trouble getting your pet there instead of quarantine? Has anyone had a pet mistakenly go to quarantine and can share what happened? I thought just flying him was the hard part, I had no idea this could be a problem. Ugh.
7 comments:
I don't have first hand experience traveling with pets. Sorry! But had many transferees with pets. Check out www.pettravel.com. There's some general information. I know pet owners are hesitant about sedating their loved ones, but consider the stress on the cat if s/he is awake for most of the flight. I've heard strong opinions both way. It might be better to have your cat sleep through the ordeal. I'd also tape an info sheet on the cage/basket with the cat's itinerary, your contact info, and all other pertinent information (age/breed/inoculations). Try to make the job for the officers as easy as possible. You want them to focus on the well being of the cat, instead of "servicing" the pet's owner. Ask them what they would recommend to make this as painless as possible. As with everything in life, use your critical thinking skills - make sure you listen to the right advice; ie talk to a vet. Also research the climate your cat will be exposed to. Pets are often barred from flying during the summer months because of the heat. Of course: LOTS of WATER for your pet.
Call the Kwaj Vet they may be able to help.
805-355-2017
Thanks for the input.
Anonymous- Thank you for the advice to talk to the island vet. She gave me some solid advice as she flew the same flight plan I will.
Leo- The airline I'm flying won't allow you to drug your pets.
I have a pretty chill cat, his name is Rick James after all! I'm sure he'll be fine with the process, I just don't want to lose him or spend the entire time I'm in Hawaii trying to rescue him.
The vet told me if he doesn't make the flight, not to worry because the Humane Society guy I talked to will take care of him and get him on the next flight. That makes me feel better. I thought I would have to stay and take care of it an pay for a lot of unnecessary expenses.
I very much appreciate the input. Thank you.
I'm glad to hear you got some solid advise.
How difficult was it for you to get permission to have your cat? I am getting ready to apply for a job and want to bring my small dog with me. I picked him out as a 2 week old baby and he is now 5! I don't know if we can be seperated but I want what is best for him. I am planning on calling the vet to find out details, even before completing my application process.
That was my first question to my hiring manager.
If you are going unaccompanied, dogs are not allowed in the Bachelors Quarters, only cats.
There is a limit to the number of pets so you will definitely want to find out before you decide.
Good luck!
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