Traveling with your Pet

My long time friend just gave me a Maltese puppy as a gift and I can't wait to travel with him. Good thing, Philippine Airlines is a pet friendly carrier, I can now travel anywhere with my pet, Hermie.

These are some of the things a pet owner should know when traveling with your furry friends.

Aside from the information above, here are some of the things I found that is also useful when traveling with your pets.

HOW TO GET A LOCAL TRANSPORT PERMIT FOR YOUR PET.

• Proceed to the Bureau of Animal Industry office:
  Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
  Local Tranport Permit
  (02) 928-2743 or (02) 928-2836
• What are the requirements for Dogs & Cats?
  - The animal should be 2 months old and above.
  - The rabies vaccination certificate must be presented.
  - The animal should have been vaccinated not more than one (1) year of age and not less than fourteen (14) days from the time of vaccination.
• Be prepared to fill up a form with the following info:
  - Name of the Shipper/Traveller
  - Address of Origin
  - Address of Destination
  - Type of animal to be travelled
  - Date of travel/shipment
  - Purpose of travel/shipment
  - Type of Transportation to be used (e.g. Airplane, Boat)
• READ MORE: http://www.lakas.com.ph/2011/11/how-to-get-a-local-transport-permit-for-your-pets-in-the-philippines/ 

DOMESTIC TRAVEL - BY PLANE

• Choose your airline. PAL, Cebu Pacific, and Air Philippines will fly live animals.
• Choose your flight.
• Before booking, call the airline. Ask if the specific plane used for the flight you have chosen can take live animals such as the one you plan to bring with you. If it can, inform the airlines that you will be taking live animals on board – let them know what kind, what size, and how many.
• Ask the airline where your pet will be off loaded at the destination – whether on the baggage conveyor belt in the arrival section of your destination terminal, or at some other place like the cargo building at the destination airport. Make the necessary arrangements at your destination to ensure you can collect your pet
  .
• You can now book your flight.
• Dogs and cats need to be in hard shell or wire crates.

1.  Hard shell crates must have steel bolts to keep the top and bottom shells together
2. The wire door must have a crate bowl clipped on to facilitate watering and feeding without need for opening the door.  It should also have a lock or must be secured with cable ties just before the pets are taken for loading.
3.  The crate must be large enough for your pet to sit and stand up in, and to turn around in.

• You have a choice of checking your pet in at the cargo building (in Manila, go to the old domestic airport), or at the passenger terminal check-in counter.

1. Either way your pet will be loaded in the live-cargo hold of the plane.
2. If you check your pet in at the cargo building you pay less and you will need to leave your pet there before you plan to check yourself in.  Give yourself an hour to complete your pet’s check-in.
3. If you check your pet in at the passenger terminal, you will pay more and your pet can stay with you until you go to the pre-departure area. Unless your pet is absolutely and reliably well behaved, I suggest you keep it crated. Before you go to the pre-departure area, you will need to hand your pet over to the cargo agent who will ensure your pet is taken directly to the plane at loading time.
4. Fees will be based on weight and crate size.

• Before checking in your pet be sure you –

1. have your pet’s vaccination records with you, clearly showing updated anti-rabies vaccines (by law this has to be given once every 12 months, and should have been given no later than 14 days prior to the flight);
2. do no feed your pet within 4 hours prior to the flight; this is to avoid vomiting or elimination inside the crate but offer the dog some water if it appears thirsty;
3. have a water bowl clipped to the crate door and tape a bottle of clean water to the crate to facilitate watering the dog, without need of opening the crate door (water can be poured through the crate door into the bowl), in case the flight is delayed;
4. potty your dog immediately prior to finally crating it;
5. check all screws, hinges, and locks of your crate to ensure the integrity of the crate;
6. label the crate with your dog’s name, your name, your address, and your contact numbers; and
7. put your dog’s collar and tag on it.

• On checking your pet in, first get the quarantine officer’s permit to transport your pet. Then you fill out forms, have your pet weighed and measured, and pay the fees. Check your waybills to ensure correct information, and ensure all the labels, flight details, live animal notices and transport stickers are stuck to the crate.


• Request that your pet be transported on the same flight you are on. Be sure to get the airline’s assurance that this will be done.


•  Make sure your pet’s collar and tag are secure on it. Place the leash in your bag and keep it there.


• As you board the plane, ask the flight attendant standing at the plane door to check whether the pilot has been notified that your pet is on board.  If he has not been notified, ask why and insist that they check the whereabouts of your pet. Unless the pilot is notified of live animals on board, he will not ensure proper pressurizing and temperature control in the live cargo hold.


• On arrival, collect your luggage and proceed to collect your pet. Have your waybill and ID ready to show to the cargo handlers. DO NOT sign anything that says you have received your pet in good condition until you have actually received your pet, inspected it, and are satisfied with its condition.


• When your pet arrives in its crate, prepare your leash, open the crate door and leash your pet, take it out to potty and for a drink of water. Inspect it. Sign the necessary papers. Collect your crate and go home. 

Personal Notes:

• Crate train your pet so it is comfortable staying in the crate for long periods.
• Rescue Remedy effectively calms your pet for the flight.
• Thunder shirts are also effective calming tools.
• You may line the crate floor with the dog's bed but Do not leave the leash inside the crate or attached to the dog as this may entangle him and cause injury or death.

Sheba (PAWS Director Elsie's dog) is an aspin, 18 inches at the withers. 

• To get her from Manila to Cebu on PAL, I checked her in at the passenger terminal. I paid twice the cost of my round trip ticket. I think I would have paid about as much for the same arrangement on Cebu Pacific.
• To get her from Manila to Davao on Cebu Pacific, I checked her in at the Cebu Pacific Cargo building. I paid one half of my round trip ticket.  I think I would have paid about as much for the same arrangement on PAL."

>> Travel Tips from PAWS Director Elsie (https://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/philippine-animal-welfare-society-paws/on-travelling-with-your-pet/396121323766852 )

More information can be found at http://www.paws.org.ph/