Selecting an Airline Carrier For Your Pet - Flying in Style and Comfort For Your Pets

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Airline Approved Pet Kennels Having a fun and safe trip means keeping Fido and Fluffy safe and happy too! Whether your pet will be able to accompany you in the passenger section, or whether he must fly as "baggage," pets needs their own airline approved pet kennels.
These crates are similar to your standard pet crates - except they are lighter in weight; most also come with handles and wheels.
However, it's best to be able to "lock" the wheels so that the carrier doesn't start rolling in transit and terrifying your pet! If you have to carry your pet a long way - consider getting one with a cushion grip handle.
And while every airline can and does set its own standards for approval, certain features are common to nearly all of them.
Smaller dogs that travel in the passenger compartment with you are usually approved to go in soft mesh or canvas bags, although a hard carrier is always safer in case of turbulence.
For animals relegated to the baggage section (never let your pet fly "freight"), standards are rigid.
Airline approved pet kennels emphasize three features: comfort, safety, and ventilation.
For comfort, all carriers must be large enough for the pet to lie down, stand up, and turn around in.
However, you don't want to select something so big that your pet starts roaming around in it and gets confused.
A smaller, cozier kennel makes pets, especially cats, feel safe.
Most airlines specify that each kennel can include no more than one adult pet.
The bottom of the kennel must be covered with a soft absorbent material like toweling to take up "leaks" and provide bedding.
Straw and wood shavings are not permitted.
For safety, a baggage crate needs to be made of high-impact polypropylene or metal; the door must be constructed of welded or cast metal of sufficient gauge to prevent the animal from breaking it down and escaping.
The best airline approved pet kennels have side and rear ventilation, which is particularly important for airline travel.
Some airline-approved pet kennels feature a seatbelt slot for added safety, so your kennel can double as a car crate! While many kennels lock, it's a bad idea to lock them.
If there is an emergency with your pet, you will want people to be able to extract him fro the kennel without tearing it apart.
Airline approved pet kennels must also be clearly marked: LIVE ANIMAL and THIS SIDE UP.
Your name, address, and contact telephone number should also be clearly printed on the outside of the crate.
Be sure you select one that requires no tools for assembly - the last thing you need is to find you're stuck in Upper Mongolia with a Rottweiler, a dismantled crate and no screwdriver.
However, it's important to remember that each airline can devise its own rules about pet carrier requirements.
Always check with the airline before you fly.
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