Top 10 tips for flying with pets

NEW YORK - Traveling with pets can be a nerve-racking adventure for first-time fliers - and even more so for their owners. But preparing ahead, from organized feeding schedules to vet visits, is a strategic way to guarantee you and your furry friend will be fine 35,000 feet in the air. Online travel adviser Cheapflights.com (www.cheapflights.com) offers its top 10 tips for flying with pets.

1. Calculate the costs
The charges associated with carrying pets onboard — whether checked or in the cabin — add up quickly. Research airlines' different rates ahead of time and factor the canine and feline fees into the total cost of airfare — both yours and your pet's — before pressing book. Delta Air Lines for instance, attaches a hefty $200 fee per kennel to check a pet for one-way flights; cabin riders do less financial damage at $125 per kennel. And a good rule of thumb: like general airfare, discount airlines like Southwest ($75) and JetBlue ($100) often charge less for pets.

2. Call the airline
Start by checking your airline's website for regulations, but also get a verbal confirmation that you and your pet are set to fly. Many airlines limit the total number of animals allowed within the cabin on each flight, so it's important that a reservation be made sooner rather than later — and confirmed 24-48 hours before departure. American Airlines, for instance, caps the number of four-legged fliers at seven per flight: two in First Class and five in Business and Coach.

3. Rehearse nearby
First-time fliers are sometimes overwhelmed — justifiably — by a 35,000-foot ascent, so it's important to schedule trial runs before the big day of flight. If you live in a city, take your pet for a ride on the subway or other modes of public transportation to familiarize it with both the movement and the crowds. Since the American Veterinary Medical Association frowns upon sedation — the combination of tranquilizers and high altitudes can prove fatal — it's best to travel with calm, drug-free pets.

4. Visit the vet
Some airlines, like JetBlue and US Airways, don't require vaccination or health and veterinarian documents for animals on domestic flights. It's still recommended, though, that pet owners visit their vet before trips and carry up-to-date medical records and a first aid kit (gauze, tape, eye dropper, etc.) on flights. Many airlines, like United, require you to carry a health certificate issued less than 30 days before departure. To play it extremely safe, get acquainted with local veterinarians at your destination in case your cat or dog gets sick or injured while away.

5. Prepare the kennel
Squeezing your dog or cat into the claustrophobic kennel you purchased when they were just wee ones won't do on a flight, whether short- or long-haul. Invest in a container that leaves your pet room to turn and stand up without hitting its head on the top of the carrier. Different airlines have different dimension requirements, though the USDA has laid out universal must-haves: food and water dishes, "Live Animal" stickers, upright arrows, bedding and other necessities. Remember to include objects that the animal is familiar with, whether it's a favorite toy or blanket from home.

6. Attach ID tags
In case of separation, it's important to mark your pet — as well as carrier— with proper ID tags. Attach to the kennel a note with your flight number, contact information and pet's name. Do the same on your pet's collar; remember that a reachable phone number is the most important detail. Many animals nowadays have microchips implanted that shelters can scan to identify the dog or cat within a national database. Tattooed IDs are also an option for pets, and handy when registered with the National Dog Registry.

7. Exercise the day before
Spoil your dog or cat the day before traveling with extra exercise, the goal being to wear them out. For dogs, that means longer walks and high-energy activities; for cats, a few extra games of Claw the Rope could do. Exhaust your travel companion so the next day's flight is met with relaxation.

8. Pack food and water
Just like us, dogs and cats get dehydrated on flights. A handy tip: Freeze water before you leave home to ensure your furry friend has water in his dish by the time you both pass through security. United reminds passengers that, according to the USDA, pets must be offered food and water within four hours of checking in for a flight. On United flights, a signature is required to show when your pet was last offered nourishment.

9. Withhold food
A silly suggestion, considering the aforementioned tip. Of course you can pack food and snacks for your animal's voyage, but it's also important to avoid giving any edibles to your pet for a matter of hours before departure. Nerves are a guarantee, and not just for finicky felines. Queasiness, on the other hand, doesn't need to be.

10. Prepare for the unexpected
Flexibility and patience are virtues that every traveler should possess. The same holds especially true when flying with pets. Whether your flight is delayed, your dog gets sick mid-flight, or your cat decides he can't wait for the kitty litter — taking pets up in the air can be tough. Bottom line: Plan for the worst and expect the best. Bon voyage!

Rex Express Portal

Complete AVI services to all players in the travel industry. Based in London, Geneva, Paris and now Barcelona.REXEXPRESS offers travel providers and passengers a low cost, online solution for communication, reservation and AVI transactions worldwide.

Why use REXEXPRESS Portal Services?
REXEXPRESS provides full internet animal travel services at your fingertips.

• REAL-TIME PASSENGERS BOOKINGS ONLINE E-TICKETING
• PETS TRAVEL IN CABIN OR EXCESS BAGGAGE
• DOCUMENT HANDLING AND MANAGEMENT
• ONLINE E-CARGO/AWB 
• CHECK-IN WITH PAN MEMBER AIRLINES
• LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS CONNECTED
• CUSTOMS & CLEARANCE
• PET FRIENDLY HOTELS ANYWHERE

www.rexexpress.com

DIGITAL SERVICES BY REX HANDLING

Digital services to passengers travelling with their animal reduces costs, boosts productivity, maximises competitive advantanges with an added traveller satisfaction. An AVI digital traveller uses airport and airline services quickly and efficiently.

E-TRAVEL PROVIDERS (AVISYSTEM SOLUTIONS)

AVISYS™ has developed the only online solution for AVI travel inclusive of its different services such as the Pet Travel Risk Assessment (PTRA) providing the single source for pet travel insurance. Our Pet Travel Network (PAN) can offer the various customs delivery shoping and hotel services at a local level worldwide. 

www.avihandling.com 

REXEXPRESS MISSION STATEMENT:

To united the animal travel industry with common platforms and coherent communication tools to explore business-to business and business-to-consumer models.

Emotional Support Animals

Senator George Graham Vest, of Missouri, won a court battle over the shooting of a dog with a speech that included the line, "The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog." Read more of this moving eulogy at: http://www.warrensburg.org/drum.htm

Dogs have shared their lives with humans for at least 14,000 years and possibly much longer. During those millennia dogs have been man's helper, protector, and companion. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 39% of U.S. households include one or more dogs and 34% include one or more cats.

An Emotional Support Animal is a dog or other common domestic animal that provides theraputic support to a disabled or elderly owner through companionship, non-judgemental positive regard, affection, and a focus in life. If a doctor determines that a patient with a disabling mental illness would benefit from the companionship of an emotional support animal, the doctor write letters supporting a request by the patient to keep the ESA in "no pets" housing or to travel with the ESA in the cabin of an aircraft.

ESAs are not task trained like service dogs are. In fact little training at all is required so long as the animal is reasonably well behaved by pet standards. This means the animal is fully toilet trained and has no bad habits that would disturb neighbors such is frequent or lengthy episodes of barking. The animal should not pose a danger to other tenants or to workmen. But there is no requirement for fancy heeling or mitigating tasks since emotional support animals are not generally taken anywhere pets would not ordinarily go without permission (the exception being to fly in the cabin of an aircraft, even if the airline does not ordinarily accept pets).

For more information about the differences between emotional support animals and psychiatric service animals, read the related article at: http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/76

It is important to note that having a diagnosis of a mental illness, by itself, is not sufficient to qualify a person for an ESA unless that illness is so severe it disables them. Only a judge can truly determine whether a person is legally disabled. However, a doctor can probably make a medical determination of a person's disability and on that basis prescribe an ESA. To qualify as disabled under federal disability rights laws, a person must experience substantial limitations on one or more major life activities because of their mental illness.

Studies have shown real health benefits for those living with pets, including:

* lower cholesterol

* lower blood pressure

* lower triglyceride

* reduced stress levels

* reduced feelings of loneliness

* better mental health

* increased activity

* more opportunities for exercise

* more time spent outdoors (for dog owners especially)

* more opportunities for socialization

To read more about the health benefits of pet ownership and the human/animal bond, check the list of suggested reading on the Delta Society's website.

https://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=333

Why dogs bite...and how to avoid being bitten.

By PETSTATION Editorial Staff

Over two million persons are bitten by dogs every year in the United States alone. That is either a lot of bad dogs or a lot of unlucky people. Our assessment would be that this situation is far more of a "people problem" than a "dog problem." Certainly there is no shortage of dogs poorly trained and/or socialized which might bite anyone, any time, any place... but these are still a distinct minority. Many bites are inflicted by pet dogs that have never bitten before and may never bite again... but just happened to have the wrong buttons pushed at the wrong time.

Any dog could potentially bite someone. No dog is absolutely, positively, one hundred percent bite-proof. All dogs have within them an "aggressive response" to certain conditions. And that's as it should be. These are, after all, the direct descendants of the wolf... and part of their lasting appeal to us humans is their wild heritage. And there could even come a time when we might wish that our affable little ragamuffin would exact retribution from the ankle of the burlgar making off with the stereo system. Still, when a pet dog bites it often comes as a complete shock to the pet's keeper. When this occurs, what has happened is simply that the dog's aggressive response has been triggered. It doesn't mean that the dog is bad, or perhaps even did anything wrong in its scheme of things... in fact, far more often it is human error that leads to dog bites.

A big chunk of this human error involves keepers placing their dogs in situations that could manifest the conditions to trigger the pet's aggressive response. Another big chunk involves humans placing themselves in situations where a dog's aggressive response could be triggered. Children are often involved in both of these scenarios. Of course, this will probably always be something of a problem -- kids being kids and dogs being dogs.

Consider a real-life story of a lovable Cocker Spaniel that could be cuddled and snuggled by the family children, but snapped at and nicked a neighbor kid who just reached out to touch it. A problem dog? A problem child? Neither, just an untenable situation between two creatures a bit strange to each other.

And how many times has a wayward ball or toy sailed over a fence into another yard, a kid clambors over to retrieve it, only to be nipped by the previously minding-his-own-business mutt in residence. The kid meant no harm, but very definitely intruded upon the dog's territory... an area millions of years of evolution have instructed this creature to defend.

The aspect of intruding upon a dog's territory is quite often part of a bite scenario. And it doesn't even have to be actually within the dog's terra firma. All dogs possess as well a "personal space" that extends beyond their skin and coat to varying distances... depending upon the "social rank" of the dog within its own "pack." Submissive or otherwise very docile dogs may only have a personal space of a few inches, and even this space can often be violated without dire consequences... but then there is always that one in a thousand instances where an otherwise gentle pet will cut loose on an encroaching human. Dominant or otherwise aggressive-prone dogs are far more volatile, having personal spaces that extend for many feet beyond their physical position. Anyone or any thing that penetrates this area is subject to immediate attack.

Dogs sometimes bite simply because they don't like someone. This may be hardly an acceptable excuse to the embarassed dog's keeper, but usually there is a very significant reason (perfectly obvious to the dog) why the pet does not want this person around. It could be a certain smell, or the dog's detection of some feeling or emotion on the part of the visitor. Dogs, like many animals, quickly pick up on human emotions of animosity, fear or otherwise unsociable attitudes. Indeed, the dog's capacity in this regard is virtually unbelievable. An illustration of this remarkable sensitivity is dramatically conveyed by the example of a man who could not understand why his Collie-mix always growled when a certain friend stopped by. This friend, a male, was the only individual among many visitors of both sexes for whom the dog held such clear disdain. Only years later did the friend confide that he was gay, and did once have "a crush" for the dog's keeper, a revelation that stunned the owner. The Collie-mix had apparently sensed all along that the gay man was an unwanted potential rival for the affections of its keeper.

So, taken all together, it is usually plain that dogs only bite for a reason... a good reason in their own minds. This reason most often involves protection... they are protecting their property, their family (pack members) or themselves. In resorting to biting, they are on the "defensive"... it is the human that was the "offensive" threat.

If we humans keep these dog "psychology" concepts in mind we will greatly lower our chances of being bitten. Of course, we must also keep an eye out for the idiot keepers who continually place their dogs in unstable situations. This includes a range of dimwits from the numbskull who trots his dominant-aggressive dog down a sidewalk crowded with children , to the elderly lady who fails to close off her toy breed when the Maytag repairman finally does have some work to do.

Beyond this awareness of dog and dog-keeper psychology, here are some other rules for lowering your chances of being bitten by a dog.

Don't rush up to strange dogs, gleefully presuming they will all be ecstatic to be fondled by you. Many absolutely will not be. And especially do not allow children to do this.

If you must connect with a strange dog, approach very slowly, deliberately, and extend your hand (palm up) so that the dog can sniff you and make sure you are a good human.

If you encounter a growling dog or one that appears potentially aggressive, slowly back away until you are out of the dog's territory or "personal space." As you back away, don't turn your back, do not threaten, scream or shout, avoid eye contact, and DO NOT RUN.

If you harbor an inner disdain, resentment, fear or anger toward dogs, don't go near any until you successfully deal with this personal problem.

With two million bites annually, there are ample reasons for everyone to be aware and perceptive regarding the potential of any dog to bite. For those who are bitten or mauled by dogs, even one bite is one too many. Yet we must also keep the big picture in mind.

Since there are over 40 million dogs in this country, obviously most canines are not to be feared. Indeed, no dog should be feared, but all should be respected. Considering the dagger teeth and snarling potential of each and every dog, the most striking point of all is how wonderfully, how peaceably, the vast majority adapt to the crazy swirl of human culture. For over 10,000 years these members of the wolf clan have amply demonstrated their marvelous capacity for training and trust. If only humans were as good at serving their "best friends" this would be a better world for both people and pets.

For more information on dog bite prevention and responsible pet ownership, send a business-size self-addressed stamped envelope to: The Human Society of the United States, Dept. D, 2100 L St. NW, Washington D.C. 20037-1525.

http://www.petstation.com

Animal friendly tourism

Animal cruelty can be a by-product of tourism. Animal circuses, bullfights, ‘swim with dolphin’ programmes and poor welfare zoos are all examples of animal exploitation in the name of entertainment.

But if tourists choose to spend their money on cruelty-free attractions, rapid change can result. Ethical tourism has become a hot topic – the public expects the travel industry to set high standards for its activities. Ethical whale watching is one of the industries experiencing rapid growth as a result.

Make change happen

We are all responsible for ensuring that our actions abroad do not contribute to animal suffering.

Here are some straightforward tips on how to make a difference to the way animals are treated all over the world.

Before you go

Check if your tour operator has an animal welfare policy.

While you are away 

• Don’t accept culture as an excuse for cruelty. Cockfights, bullfights and the use of animals in religious or other festivals can all be considered part of a local culture, but culture is no excuse for cruelty. 
• Don’t be tempted to try the local cuisine if it includes wild animals. Avoid food items that are produced through cruel practices, such as foie gras, or involve inhumane killing, such as bushmeat.
• It is best to view wildlife where it belongs: in the wild. Many zoos keep animals in poor conditions with their basic needs denied. If you decide to visit a zoo ask whether it adheres to the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Code of Ethics before you enter.
• Captivity cannot meet the welfare needs of marine mammals such as dolphins and whales (read more >>). Facilities displaying captive marine mammals and activities like swimming with dolphins should be avoided – they may appear fun and educational but are unnatural and stressful for the animals involved.
• Never purchase souvenirs made from animals. Avoid all products and souvenirs made from animals, including all fur, ivory, shells, seahorses, teeth, rhino horn and turtle shell products.
• Never pay to have your picture taken posing with a wild animal. Many of these animals have been taken from the wild and their mothers killed. They may be drugged, harshly trained or have had their teeth removed to ensure they ‘behave’ around tourists.
• If travelling with a group, check the itinerary doesn’t include activities that exploit animals. If it does, lodge a complaint with your travel agent or tour operator, who may be unaware of the cruelty involved with such activities.
• It is possible to find ethical and humane equine (horse and donkey) and camelid rides, during which animal welfare is protected. However, please avoid any ride that gives you cause for concern about the animal’s welfare. At a minimum, check that animals have access to shade, water and rest.
• Compassionate travellers should avoid riding wild animals such as elephants for entertainment, because these animals are often captured from the wild, inadequately cared for and usually trained using inappropriate and cruel methods. 
• Remember the farm animals. While free range organic food may be hard to come by in some areas, it is worth checking – if restaurants recognise a demand for cruelty-free food they may stock it in future.

What can you do if you see an animal suffering?

Standards of animal welfare can differ greatly from region to region, but you don’t have to feel powerless when you witness animals suffering abroad.

If you see an incident of animal cruelty, note the date, time, location, type and number of animals involved. If possible, record what you have seen on film. Photographs and video footage are invaluable evidence, but never pay to take them.

It is vital to lodge your protests locally in the first instance. Report the cruelty to:

• the local tourist offices 
• local police
• a local animal welfare society
• your tour operator
• the zoo or aquarium management and – if you have serious concerns – the zoo association for that country. 

When you return home, inform the country's embassy, your local politician, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (if relevant) and fill in our online cruelty report form >>

Page tools:

 

http://www.wspa-international.org/helping/animalfriendlyliving/travel.aspx

Travel to London with your pet this Xmas?

Thinking of travelling to London with your darling pet? Now that would be a trip to organise! The right documents, the correct vaccinations, many would be discouraged by the logistics. But not you, 'cause you're smart, you ask us, and we guide you through the process; arrange a door to door service, including collection and airport delivery, flight and freight arrangement for both you and pet, meet and greet at the airport, verification of your pet's documents, we'll even find a pet friendly hotel. We take care of the details while you concentrate on the shopping.

Somerset House, The Strand, London

Contact us now for a tailor made solution for you and your pets this Christmas :-)