Holy ****- May Be Moving to Hong Kong - Pet Travel- Page 2

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 1:46am

Need a date?? .

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 1:54am

With my luck, you'd be allergic to cats!

[Popular]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 2:15am

Well if I get out of work early enough I may just drive down to see if there are any last minute cancellations. If not, I'll just head over to my mom's place for dinner. She lives close by to UCLA, and as she loves to remind me almost daily, I am due for a visit.

[KelRel]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 8:29am

Congrats!! Make sure you check about quarantining the animals if need be. I know some places keep your pet for up to 6 months to make sure that they are ok to be allowed in the country. This is so exciting, have a wonderful time sweetie!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 10:20am

I done the investigation on the vets, shots, certificates. It may take a bit of money and a bit of time, but those are doable. So long as all that is in order, no Quarantine.

I just need to know how to physically get them there.

I have to figure if it is safer to use the airline I travel on (presuming they will have pressurized places in their luggage area for pets) to take them, the size of the crate required . . .

Or, whether I will need to go to a third party service who would actually pick them up from me and transport them on a separate flight.

It is harder to get them over there than me!

Oh yeah, better make sure my Passport is extended pass 2007!

[peach]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 12:31pm

Wow - congrats! That's really exciting!

In terms of the kitty babies - my biggest concern was quarantine, but if you can get past that, kudos!

Cathay Pacific and Singapore Air are great airlines, but I believe both require pets to be in the pressurized cargo hold (don't quote me on that). If you want to bring them on board, you may want to try some additional airlines as well. I flew from JFK to Dusseldorf on Lufthansa, and the lady behind me had a little papillon dog with her in the cabin - so might be worth checking multiple airlines, as there are different rules on each. NOT that you'd want to necessarily travel through Europe to get to China, but see what's out there...

Good luck!
Updated On: 1/27/06 at 12:31 PM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 1:55pm

Thanks Peach!

It is looking like a 95% probability at this point that this will happen.

If the cats can go in a safe, pressurized place on the plane, I would probably be OK. The issue in the past has been planes that send them as straight cargo, without any additional air pressue. That can cause strain, discomfort and death to the animal.

I visited the CP, site, and there was not much there. I am going to call them directly.


Updated On: 1/27/06 at 01:55 PM

[bongoboy]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 5:02pm

Hi,
Here's another link that might be helpful. Looks like there may be lots of other useful info as well.
Later!
Bongo
Expat Focus Hong Kong Pets

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 5:27pm

Just spoke to Cathay Pacific - they have a special area in cargo that is pressured specifically to have live animals transported.

I have to jump through hoops, permits and a few other things, but it does not sound as onerous as I first thought.

They are off to get a full set of shots this weekend, just so there is no double on the 1 year vs. once every three year requirements for some things.

Thanks Bongo!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 5:34pm

You're flying CATHAY???

Oh, they're wonderful!! As airlines go, they're pretty top-of-the-line. They have Häagen-Dazs ice-cream, and I believe the late-night meal is instant noodles. (It's exciting for me cuz I love instant noodles.)

Updated On: 1/27/06 at 05:34 PM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 5:53pm

That is who they said they wanted me to fly.

So, yep, it is supposed to be pretty nice, to go CP business class. Glad it is not on my dime!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 6:00pm

You're gonna lurrrrrvve it (especially business class, oh my). Cathay Pacific is Hong Kong's official airline.

[eibod]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 7:51pm

This sounds like a great opportunity. Before flying with your cats however really check out the airline's procedures as far as how they handle the animals. This is a long flight and if your cats are in a cargo hold it may prove to be very stressful for them. It'd probably be best to put them in one carrier so they have each other for comfort. They'll need a litter box. You need to make sure the carrier is very secure and can handle being bounced around. And I'd lock it- you don't want any possibility of it accidentally opening. Inquire if the temperature is monitored- if someone checks on them at any time etc...
The ideal would be to be to bring them in the cabin with you, This would be my first choice over anything else. If they must go, in a special hold just research everything completely and take every precation to protect their safety. Good luck and congratulations.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 8:09pm

Thanks -

With two cats, the options for carrying them both on are very limited - at least that is what I have been told.

And, according to the rules the airlines cites, each cat must be in separate container, be able to stand, move around in a circle, and not touch any part of the container wall. But, they have to be separated.

I am still looking at options, but so far, Cathay Pacific is the only one that flies direct from LAX - at least under our travel program at work. When I called them, they did indicate that while it would be in cargo, it would be a special, pressurized area specifically designed for live animals and household pets - so that makes me feel a little better. I may go down to the terminal over the weekend and actually talk to the cargo desk to get some more info about how they are handled and the like. I have to buy the apporpriate crates/carriers for them to go, have heard from many folks to either get locks or straps.

Both are going to the Vet on Sunday to get a full compliment of shots, because it is not clear from the regulations whether they want all shots within one year. If so, there are some we do every three years here that I will need to have done. Better safe than sorry.

Thanks all for the great tips - keep them coming. My furry kids and I really appreciate it!

[eibod]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 8:59pm

Going to the airport to speak with the actual airline personnel sounds like a great idea. You want to know ever detail- for ex what if the plane gets delayed- will someone check on them? I had a friend fly with a dog to Atlanta the day the Delta(?) Airline's computers crashed. They were on the runway for hours, the dog was in the cargo hold for something like 11 hours. It is important to know all their procedures. And I'd get straps to put around the carriers to give extra protection in holding them together in case of jostling around as well as a locks for the actual doors.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 9:10pm

YWIW, what industry do you work in? I want your kind of job!