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Thread: Best way to travel with pets?

  1. #1
    Kaylinn
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    Default Best way to travel with pets?

    Planning my trip home.
    I have 2 cats and a dog that need to travel across the country, and I am trying to determine the best method of doing this. Now.. I do not like the idea of shipping my pets, as then they are out of my hands, out of my control. I don't like that. However....If I drive across the country, that means I will be traveling 8 hours or more a day with 3 pets in kennels. The dog is fine, he can get out and walk, but the cats would be cooped up all day long until I reach a hotel for the night. And then there's the issue of finding hotels along the way that will accept pets.
    Shipping is also expensive. So all signs point to drive. I have never driven a long distance before, and driving across the desert scares me. What if the carwere to break down in the middle of nowhere in June when temps can reach over 120 degrees? Aside from myself, my pets out die of heat stroke. I want whats best for them....a 6 hour flight that is out of my conrol, or a 4 day drive?

    Also...My car is very very tiny. 2 cat carriers in the back seat, 1 dog carrier in the front seat, no room for any luggage whatso ever. Enough to make the drive, but not to bring anytjhign with me for home..would have to ship verything, which can get expensive. Or possibly I coudl rent a small trailer, but i don't know if my little car could pull it, I don't have a hitch, and I don't know if Im comfortable driving a car with a trailer on the back.

    So I'm just planning and thinking..and of course, the safety of my pets is my top concern. My safety is next...and of course, money is always a concern. I need to do the cheapest way possible while remaining safe for all.

    Suggestions? Advice? Thoughts?

    Anyone ever drive from coast to coast?
    ( LV to Pittsbugh actually)

    Edit to add:
    I would much much prefer to fly home, have my car shipped. I can fill my car full of whatever, plus take luggage and that is pretty much all I have.
    I would only be driving if that was what I decided would be safest for my pets. I would never concider making the drive if it weren't for them, but I will drive if that's what's nesessary for their safety.
    I am also interested in hearing stories abotu shippign pets, and how safe they actually are. Are the realy just handled and treated as luggage, or is special attention given to them?

    And why does the airline website say that sedated pets are prohibited? I would definatly want to sedate them all if they had to fly. They would be scared shitless. The strange people, the noise of the plane, being bustled around, not knowing what was happenign or why.....This home is all they know, it will be a tramatic move for them to begin with, I would like to make it as easy on them as possible....

  2. #2
    God/dess UtahMike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best way to travel with pets?

    Your pets on an airline are indeed treated like luggage. How they are treated depends on the individual baggage handler. I once owned a cat who piled up a lot of frequent flier miles and seemed none the worse for it, but I have also heard horror stories that might be true or might be urban legends. I don't think it is very likely that your pets will be injured by flying as baggage.

    A person I know drove from Utah to Ohio with her three cats. She had them sedated for the trip so they would not be stressed. It seemed to work out OK for her.

    If you are worried about the heat of the desert, drive across it at night. Before air conditioning, people would stop in a town at the edge of the desert, sleep during the day, then drive across at night. There are places where you can't drive the desert and run your air conditioning anyway, or your car will overheat. Be sure your car is in good shape before you go and you won't have to worry about it. Tires and belts should be checked and replaced if necessary, and be sure to check your oil every time you get gas.

    Two other options on your car are to sell it, fly, and buy another when you arrive in Pennsylvania, or to advertise at your university to see if someone trustworthy is going east and would drive it for you.

    Most hotels and motels will take pets now. Here is a list of places that do: http://www.petswelcome.com/

    I am sure that since you are planning it far ahead, your move will go smoothly.

  3. #3
    Gypsy74
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    Default Re: Best way to travel with pets?

    are you sure you can't take pets on a plane??? because I JUST flew two weeks ago on united airlines and there was a girl with a fluffy white dog in a pet carrier in the seat next to me.

  4. #4
    Kaylinn
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    Default Re: Best way to travel with pets?

    ^ Some planes will allow small pets as carry on, from what I've read...but I have 3 animals. How would I chose who gets the comfy spot next to me, and who goes under the plane?

    I dunnoI'm just in the concidering all options phase still, have plenty of time to decide what to do...

    For the record, if it matters, my car is a 2002 mitsubishi eclipse convertable with 130,000 miles on it. Although it has a backseat, it's pretty unfunctional as a backseat. I don't know why there is even one there. it don't fit people. The trunk can't even hold more than 3 bags of groceries. It's a desperatly tiny car, but siuts my needs perfectly for now..
    I love that car to death...but I'm scared of owning it in Pa anyway...I am DEATHLY afraid of driving in the snow, and in Pa, it snows half the damn year. I'd rather own a Jeep. But I love my car so much. It is my dream car. I don't know..still concidering all options....
    thanks for the input so far.

  5. #5
    Banned LatinaRose's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best way to travel with pets?

    I'm in a hurry but I can answer some q's real quick.

    My mom just shipped one of their cars from AZ to Detroit. It was required to be completely EMPTY and it cost $1300. It also took them 3 weeks, wtf??

    You can fly with one small pet under your seat. It is usually around an $80 fee both ways. Other pets do go in straight up cargo, which I don't recommend esp for little ones. If you have to, I would go to the vet and see if there's anything you can give them to keep them calm and out of it. Also, I don't know if you're allowed more than one pet for passenger.

    I've driven from Detroit to Arizona. It took about 4 days driving with a friend, but we did take our time and stop to fuck off in certain places. I think it cost around $800 btw food, gas, and hotels along the way. My mom and I just drove back actually and she kept a very accurate log, I'll ask her grand total next time I talk to her.

    From someone who has moved back and forth across the country a few times, I think your best bet is to drive with the pets. Maybe M could drive with you there and fly back?? Ship whatever won't fit. If you wanna sell the car, you might get more money for it back home, considering its a convertible in July and it's never seen snow.

    Good luck!! Feel free to ask me any more q's about moving so far.

  6. #6
    madmaxine
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    Default Re: Best way to travel with pets?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kaylinn View Post
    For the record, if it matters, my car is a 2002 mitsubishi eclipse convertable with 130,000 miles on it.
    Sell it. The miles are too high. Or ship it to trade it in...Besides, how much stuff can you cram into a convertible? It might be cheaper to get rid of the car & ship your most valued possessions to PA.

    I'll think of more suggestions...We transported 2 dogs and 3 cats across 1,000+ miles in a moving van and new vehicle, but it was labor intensive and 3 people were splitting up care responsibilities.

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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best way to travel with pets?

    They don't ship sedated pets because the air pressure/oxygen mix/whatever it is is not the same where your pets are as where you are, and if they were sedated or old or had a heart condition or anything they could die from not being able to get enough oxygen. Temperature is also an issue, depending on the time of year - your pets will be sitting in the hot (or cold) airplane belly for up to an hour after landing before being unloaded.

    I've flown with animals before and nobody's died, but it's never my first choice.

    If you were driving and you broke down you would just roll the windows down and call AAA. I do it all the time, lately. :-(



  8. #8
    God/dess fancygirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best way to travel with pets?

    fyi, a slight tranq is different then sedated. they don't want the pet sedated for the reasons lena stated, but if your pet can get out of the crate while the inspector checks it, and get back in-- you're good.

    I shipped my dog stone sober and I felt really bad because I thought no sedation meant no happy/sleepy meds whatsoever. I was wrong.

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