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Traveling
with your Havanese:
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All our Havanese babies came from abroad –United States and Spain- so, if there is something we can share with you, are tips of how to travel with your pet! Lola was the first one, so with her we learned the necessary steps to travel from the US to Panama with a puppy. We went to pick her up and everything turned out to be far less complicated than we thought!
As no pets are allowed in Mommy´s parents Miami apartment, they had to smuggle me in a shopping bag for the night.
I taught Charlie and Candela how to keep quiet so no one would see us!In Charlie´s case, the procedure was similar, except that he was in Arizona! We were extremely lucky because he flew in cabin from Arizona to Orlando with Carole Thompson and her granddaughter. They took great care of him. Mario and I went to pick him up at the gate –this was previous 9/11- and it was pretty easy to recognize Carole with her sherpa bag, where Charlie was peacefully sleeping. We slept that night in Orlando –it was the Specialty´s weekend- and the next morning we drove to Miami. Charlie slept most of the time, except when we stopped to walk him. One extra night in my parent´s apartment in Miami, and off we went to Panama the next morning.
Here I am, in my parents car, traveling from Orlando to Miami.
Mom sat with me in the back seat to keep me company.Candela, the jet-setter, traveled all the way from Spain with a “few” stops along the way, but always in good hands. From Murcia to Madrid, she traveled with Torito, one of her littermates, along Frank Ferro, the Cuban breeder of Sancho, their father. You cannot do any better than that! They were picked up at the Madrid train station by an assistant of Mr. Carlos Fernández-Renau, a respected Spanish breeder and judge, who took them to his house to spend the night. The next morning, she was taken to Iberia –Dolores had made her reservation well in advance- and off she went in a huge Jumbo jet in a direct flight to Miami. Seven hours later, her plane landed in Miami´s airport where Mario and I were waiting for her.
As there is no quarantine in the US, it was really easy to do the paperwork required to get her out of Iberia´s terminal. In Miami, the USDA office in charge is situated within the airport grounds and, in less than 5 minutes (including the time I took to tell the lady about my wonderful Havanese and to show her their picture album) we were on our way to finally take her with us.
In spite of the long trip Madrid-Miami, Candela came out of her kennel waiving her tail, wanting to cuddle and play! Right there and then we knew what Dolores and Frank had been talking about: she has the most amazing temperament you´ve ever seen! One more night in my parent´s apartment in Miami, and we flew home with our Cuban-Spanish girl stealing hearts along the way.
Mom & Dad cannot wait to see me
Here I come, from Europe to America!
A big plane for an important Hav.
I´m almost in Mom’s arms
Mom & Dad saw me already! They took this picture of my carrier and my travel mates carries,
before they went to do the paperwork. I can hardly wait for them to come back…
Now, this is better! I’m almost home!
A good night sleep with Mom & Dad. This is life.
Ready to fly home
Mom takes me out so I can see Miami’s Airport.
Where Charlie & Lola are waiting for me
I´m home, I´m home!
Getting to know my new best friends
Puppies must be at least 8 weeks old. In our case, we decided to wait until they were 12 weeks old, and in Candela’s case, almost 16 weeks old.
Kennels must meet minimum standards for size, strength, sanitation, and ventilation, as per USDA-APHIS regulations. If you take your pet in cabin, you may take them in a Sherpa bag, a Samsonite Pet traveler or a vari kennels or similar, that can fit under your seat. Kennels must be enclosed and allow room for the pet to stand, sit and lie in natural positions.
If your Havanese will travel in cargo (most airlines have specially suited spaces for pets), the kennel must be easy to open, strong enough to withstand the normal rigors of transportation and keep your pet protected, and free of objects that could injure him. Kennels must also have grips or handles for lifting and should be marked “live animals” clearly. Instructions for feeding and watering the animal over a 24-hour period must be attached to the kennel, should there be a mishap. Food and water dishes must be securely attached and be accessible to the caretakers without opening the kennel.
Examples of soft carriers, Samsonite and Sherpa Bag, respectively.
Example of hard carriers.
The maximum number of puppies per kennel is 2, provided they are under 6 months of age and weigh less than 20 pounds each.
It´s extremely important to write down the name, address and phone number -in either the bag or the kennel-, of the person who´s shipping the Havanese, as well as the person who will pick him up or the person who´s flying with him.
Make your reservation with time and be sure to let them know that you´ll be traveling with a pet. Most airlines only allow 2 pets to travel in cabin, so this is very important. Be sure to confirm your reservation and your pets 24-48 hours in advance.
You’ll have to buy your Hav’s ticket. The approximate cost is $75.00 each way.
Airlines and the State health officials generally require health certificates for all animals transported by air. In most cases, health certificates must be issued by a licensed veterinarian who examined the animal within 10 days of transport. This certificate –the United States interstate and International Certificate of Health Examination for small animals - should be validated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Rabies vaccine is required in most trips abroad.
Airlines requirements are not always the same. Some don’t even allow in cabin or cargo travel with a pet outside of continental US. During Summer, most airlines forbid the shipment of pets, unless they travel in cabin with a passenger.
Hawaii, US territories, and certain foreign governments have quarantine or health requirements for arriving pets. The pertinent authorities must be contacted prior to departure.
In Panama’s case, as our government allows “Home Quarantine” the requirements are pretty simple. Al least three days prior to your pet´s arrival, a letter should be sent to the Ministry of Health, requesting Home Quarantine.
Feed your Hav some 5 or 6 hours prior to departure.
When making your reservation, make sure you don’t get bulkhead seats, because there won’t be space for your baby! (It happened to us with Charlie!)
In regards to airport security, they will need to X-ray the dog’s carrier. Even though they will tell you that they are harmless, it is better to take them out of the bag, have them x-ray the carrier, and put her back in the bag on the other side. With Lola and Charlie- prior to 9/11- as well as with Candela, we did just as explained and it was OK with the authorities. What they do get is a lot of “What is it?” “How cute!”.
As far in advance of the trip as possible, let your Hav get to know the flight carrier. Vets recommend leaving it open in the house with an old sock or other familiar object in it.
Arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Both you and your Hav will be far more relax. If your hav is traveling as a carry-on pet or by the special expedited delivery service, check-in will usually be at the passenger terminal.
If you’re sending your pet through the cargo system, you will need to go to the airline cargo terminal, which is usually located in a separate part of the airport. We’ve never had this experience, so I would advice you to call in advance to find out anything else they require.
When making your reservations, try to book a direct, non-stop flight, whenever possible.
Try to avoid traveling in extreme heat or cold seasons. During Summer, try to travel early in the morning or late in the evening.
Carry a leash with you so you may walk your Hav before check-in and after arrival. Do not place the leash inside the kennel. Never let your Hav loose in a strange place, no matter how well-trained he is.
Remember to carry with you –not packed!- all your pet’s documents, health records, etc.
If you’re picking up your pet, be sure to have all the required documents and information to do so: flight number, time of arrival, airwill number, etc.
In keeping with airport regulations, do not take your pet out of its kennel inside the airport or the plane. In our experience with our Havanese, as they are so well-behaved, we’ve been able to get them out in the plane for short periods of time. However, no matter how darn cute they are, some passengers may not like animals. Also, it is safer for them if they remain in their bags.
Outfit your pet with a collar and an identification tag. Carry on a current photograph of your baby, just in case.
Make sure your pet’s nails have been recently clipped to prevent them from hooking onto the carrier door or other openings.
In regards to sedatives, not only are they dangerous when air traveling, but as per our experience, they are not necessary at all. Havs behave incredibly well and in all our three trips they have slept most of the time.
No matter how great the flight, traveling is tiring for us and our pets alike. What could be better than getting home safe and sound and taking a little nap together?
Supply of pet’s regular food
Bottled water
Water and food dishes
Wee-wee pads
A blanket
A couple of her favorite toys
A few treats
Brush and comb to look “marvelous” upon arrival
Towel paper
Water-less towels (Quick bath for dogs)
Doggie walk bags, in case of accidents
And just in case, an air refresher spray
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