Pet Relocation presents: Pup in the Air .::. Air Travel for Pets

Pet Travel Journal Part V: Flying with a Pet Was Never So Easy!

March 9th

A PetRelocation.com specialist will travel with your pet worldwide!

PetRelocation Specialist Cara

Rise and shine, it’s the morning of the flight! Mocha and I didn’t need to check in until close to noon, but we wanted to have some time to check out American Airlines’ Pet Relief area at JFK beforehand. We both got fueled up with breakfast, (me: wheat bagel and orange juice, Mocha: Science Diet and fresh water) said farewell to our friends at The Muse and hopped in our chariot (in the form of a cute orange minivan) courtesy of Pet Chauffeur.

As we made our way through Midtown and across the East River, my mind was racing. I had never been to Japan before, or on a flight over 14 hours, much less with a dog as my companion. Did I remember to pack diaper wipes in case Mocha had an accident? Did I leave my cell phone in the hotel room? And in which coat pocket did I hide my passport? Just as quickly as I started to worry, I reminded myself that I was more than prepared, with everything in place, ready and organized. I might have lost my own pair of gloves, but there was no way I was allowing any hiccups for Mocha’s relocation!

We arrived at JFK, bid adieu to our driver Daniel with Pet Chauffeur, and went promptly to the American Airlines (AA) Pet Relief Center. This is a small parcel of land just between the front of Terminal 8 and the parking garage. It may seem like a barren place to be at the end of January, but to someone traveling with a pet, it is the saving grace to potential embarrassment. Would you rather your dog relieve himself in the middle of the floor at the airport check-in counter, or at the AA Pet Relief center on a cute little red plastic fire hydrant strategically placed in the middle of the grass? Yes, that’s what I thought.

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This Week: Checking in at JFK Airport

Cara and Mocha check in at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City before their flight to Tokyo. They take a trip to the American Airlines Pet Relief Area which was created specifically for travelers with pets and even snagged an interview with the American Airlines employees who helped design and build the puppy park!

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Pet Travel Journal Part IV: New York City Sightseeing with a Pet!

March 3rd

PetRelocation Specialist Cara

The night before our big flight to Tokyo, Mocha and I would get to have our final hurrah in New York City. It was surreal to think that after everything that goes into moving a pet to Tokyo—the vaccinations, blood tests, vet visits, health certificates, import permits, quarantine notification, crate shopping, flight booking, packing and a six-month wait—we would actually be taking off the next day!

I wanted to let Mocha get as much exercise as possible to ensure we both could get a good night’s rest and so he’d be relaxed and comfortable on our flight to Tokyo the next day. We always recommend to people traveling with pets that they exercise their pets to help lower their stress levels on the day of the flight. But given that it was January and under 40 degrees Fahrenheit (or 5 degrees Celsius), I knew it wouldn’t be very comfortable spending too much time outside. Luckily, our hotel, The Muse, had a perfect location just off of Times Square. It was the quintessential place to take one last bite out of the Big Apple.

Once I got all bundled up, I perused through Mocha’s myriad of sweaters and coats. I selected the one that seemed most suitable and off we went. Even though it is New York City where nothing is surprising, we got tons of attention from other people out enjoying the city lights. Maybe they were just wondering who was silly enough to take a little dog out in the cold. Either way, Mocha loved it. When we came upon Times Square, I truly thought I saw little Mocha smile. There was still a lot of action going on despite it being nearly 10:30pm on a Tuesday night. I let Mocha investigate everything that didn’t appear toxic, and also proudly mark the new territory as his. After that, I scooped him up in my arms and we ventured up the same steps as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys in the “Empire State of Mind” music video. We too felt like rock stars!

We got a few last parting shots of the scene and then made our way back home. Yes, it was a hotel room, but we were made to feel so welcome that it might as well be called home. Mocha found his way to his provided doggie bed for the evening, did a couple of requisite circles, and plopped down for the night. I had so many thoughts of anticipation racing through my head that I thought I’d never get to sleep. Even so, it must not have been five minutes before I was already dreaming of the streets of Tokyo.

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This week: A New York Minute!

March 1st

What would a pet-friendly trip to New York City be without a dog walk through Times Square? Cara and Mocha visit New York’s Times Square for one last night out on the town before their flight to Tokyo the next day. As Cara learns, when traveling with pets, sometimes you have to imagine the City through the eyes of your four-legged travel partner!

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Pet Travel Journal – Part III: Checking In at The Muse Hotel

February 23rd

PetRelocation Specialist Cara

Pet-friendly hotel. What exactly do these 3 words mean? At The Muse Hotel in New York City, it means a pet concierge named Ginger, Little Stars Organic Training Treats in peanut butter flavor, a comfy dog bed, water and food dishes, Hill’s Science Diet dog food and a custom printed greeting with water dish outside the front doors of the hotel. And a lot of love!

As Mocha and I got out of the cab upon arrival at The Muse, I decided it would be best to take Mocha for a short walk. Hopefully this would decrease the likelihood of him “marking” the lobby and thus causing great embarrassment for me. As we headed down the sidewalk in front of the hotel, I heard a woman call out, “Is this Mocha?”

“Wow! Famous already!” I thought to myself. But before my head could get any larger, I realized that the woman wasn’t quite a complete stranger. She was Guinness’s mom, the fellow dog who was also staying at The Muse for the night. Guinness was a nine-year old golden retriever who was handsome as can be. He was from Cape Cod and was in town to enjoy some time in the City. Guinness and Mocha liked each other, so his owner and I decided that some photos were in order. We ended up with a couple of cute shots, but there certainly is truth to the old adage of avoiding work with children and animals.

Mocha and Guinness

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This Week: A Room With a View

Cara and Mocha get to see what pet friendly travel is all about in this week’s episode of Pup in the Air! They head to The Muse to meet Ginger, the Director of Pet Relations, and find out where they can go for their big night out in New York City!

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Pet Travel Journal – Part II: Cara Meets Mocha

February 16th

PetRelocation Specialist Cara

“I love New York!” I smiled to myself as we touched down on the runway at LaGuardia Airport. The City really does have a magic about it. It’s an excitement that I’ve never felt in any other city before and it’s just as fresh no matter how many times I visit. It made me wonder if Mocha the Chihuahua I was in charge of picking up would miss New York once we took off for Tokyo to take him to his owners. Will Takarazuka Garden Fields or Uneo Park in Tokyo be any substitute for walks in Central Park? I came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter. I try to remind all of my clients who are moving or traveling with their pets that pets, particularly dogs, mainly live in the moment. Even if they’re temporarily feeling stressed or anxious, as soon as they’re back in the arms of their loving “packs” — their owners — most pets happily settle in, no matter where they are in the world. That’s what’s important. (read more…)

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This week: Picking Up the Pup!

In this week’s episode, Cara touches down at La Guardia Airport and heads over to Manhattan, where Mocha is ready and waiting for her! Cara’s a little nervous about how they’ll get along and whether Mocha will like his new travel partner but she also can’t wait to begin their adventure to Tokyo together. Will it be smooth sailing or will they hit a patch of turbulence along the way? Watch and see!

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Pet Travel Journal – Part I: How Mocha’s Pet Travel Story Began

February 8th

PetRelocation Specialist Cara

“I just don’t know what to do!” expressed one of my clients, Hiro, during our initial phone consultation last October. It was a beautiful fall day at the PetRelocation.com headquarters in Austin and I was working on several pet moves all over the world. As a Pet Relocation Specialist, it’s my job to talk with our clients, find out their needs and then, most importantly, make sure their pets safely get to where they’re going. In this client’s case, I could never have guessed that my answer to his quandary would soon set the stage for an international trip around the world with a tiny Chihuahua! (read more…)

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Pet Travel’s Ten-Letter Word: Quarantine

February 4th

Pet owners moving to a rabies-free country are often faced with the difficult decision of what to do with their pets. Because rabies-free countries typically require a six-month quarantine, most pet owners don’t want to subject their pets to the sterile, “doggie jail” that most people associate with the word “quarantine.”

While quarantine facilities for pet travel have significantly improved over the years, now pet owners have another option. Countries like the United Kingdom and Japan have set up ways for pets to fulfill the quarantine without ever leaving the comfort of their home. After being fully vaccinated for rabies, pets are given a blood test. Once this blood test has been approved, the pet simply needs to wait for 180 days (or six months) prior to traveling to the rabies-free country. This means that, as long as the pet owner has six months to wait prior to their move, the pet can remain in their own home and fulfill all of the import requirements. Many pet owners are comforted by this, but it still doesn’t resolve the issue if someone doesn’t have six months to wait for their pet. (read more…)

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