[lucypeanut]

My puggle is 26 pounds (not overweight). She is too large to be carried-on into the cabin of the plane and flown under my seat (I did this once before when she was about 16 pounds), and I am TERRIFIED to fly her under the plane in cargo because of horror stories I've heard.

We need to fly from New York to California for Christmas. I basically never see my family anymore because of my travel issues with my dog. I hate boarding her or having a pet sitter take care of her, because frankly, I miss her too much and don't enjoy my vacation! I will only take a weekend trip (3 days max) if she's not with me, but I'd like to have a long, enjoyable, relaxed holiday with family in California. I know you dog lovers out there will understand. Amtrak doesn't accept pets except for service animals (yes, I even considered taking the train cross-country to Christmas.)

I don't want to put her through the stress of a scary, uncomfortable 6 hour flight in cargo, or crammed into a too-small space in the cabin of a plane. Does anyone know any ALTERNATIVES? I'm willing to shell out a decent amount of $ this once so I can have a nice holiday. Thank you!

 

[tirluc]

why not drive? if there are at least 2 drivers you should be able to drive straight thru and be there in like 3 days.....i, also, wold not like to fly them in cargo, altho it is more regulated.....there are certain airlines that have actually gone the extra mile to make it safer.....

 

[lucypeanut]

thanks. do you know, or can anyone else comment, on which airlines are the better ones for dogs traveling in cargo? or has anyone had a good personal experience with a particular airline?

 

[Bearjing]

I would recommend driving as well. It can actually be a wonderful bonding experience with a dog, and even with only 1 driver, if you have the temperment for it, it can be a wonderfully relaxing experience too. Of course, the time constraint can be a problem going as far as you are...

I do understand well your situation. My SO and I vacation to see our families separately for exactly the same reason, we do 'little outings' with the pups for *our* vacations.