Can St Bernards Handle Long Airplane Flights?

[opus]

My mom lives across the country from me and fosters dogs that need a home. Her recent foster is a St Bernard that was given up by a family because the dog was getting too big (not sure what they expected from a St Bernard). The dog is in good hands now but I was considering paying to fly the dog out to stay with me. However I am unsure about how dogs respond to long plane flights, especially if they were just displaced from their home. Any experience with this?

 

[Evo]

My mom lives across the country from me and fosters dogs that need a home. Her recent foster is a St Bernard that was given up by a family because the dog was getting too big (not sure what they expected from a St Bernard). The dog is in good hands now but I was considering paying to fly the dog out to stay with me. However I am unsure about how dogs respond to long plane flights, especially if they were just displaced from their home. Any experience with this?

I would look into the airlines history with flying pets, some have a very bad reputation of accidentally killing and losing pets. VERY BAD REPUTATIONS.

I have flown dogs, you will need to buy a "sky kennel" for the flight, probably want to have a vet give your mom a mild sedative to give the dog to relax it. Try to get it on a non-stop flight to reduce the risk of loss or death.

United Airlines accounted for a third of animal deaths on U.S. flights in last 5 years

The death of a giant rabbit on a United Airlines flight from London to Chicago focused the spotlight again on the carrier that has struggled with more than one-third of U.S. animal deaths aboard passenger flights during the last five years.

United had 53 animals die on its flights from January 2012 through February 2017, the most recent month available, according to the Transportation Department’s Air Travel Consumer Report. That compared with a total of 136 animals that died on all flights of airlines.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/04/26/united-airlines-animal-deaths-flights/100925100/

 

[opus]

Oh wow I had no idea there have been so many. In my small amount of research I read that some airlines won't accept animals during the summer for heat seasons, but I wonder the cause for that many deaths and losses. Ill have to keep looking into that. And if I decide to fly her, Ill definitely take yoir advice on the mild sedative. If she was a bit closer I would drive, but that's not feasible while I am in school. Maybe Ill wait until the semester is over and just make the road trip.

 

[Evo]

Oh wow I had no idea there have been so many. In my small amount of research I read that some airlines won't accept animals during the summer for heat seasons, but I wonder the cause for that many deaths and losses. Ill have to keep looking into that. And if I decide to fly her, Ill definitely take yoir advice on the mild sedative. If she was a bit closer I would drive, but that's not feasible while I am in school. Maybe Ill wait until the semester is over and just make the road trip.

Good luck to you and bless your mom for fostering animals. My younger daughter has fostered dogs that were diagnosed with heart worms since they need extra care while taking the arsenic treatment, they become incontinent and get very ill. She adopted two of them, her ex boyfriend kept one when they broke up and she recently adopted another. It also had a cyst which 3 vets said was nothing until it literally exploded a couple of weeks ago covering her, the walls, and the floor with puss and blood, she rushed it to the emergency room. She paid for that and I paid for the emergency surgery, we are waiting for test results hoping it's not cancer.

Her best friend volunteers at the rescue shelter where she would get the foster animals.

So you and your mom are aces in my book!

 

[opus]

Glad there are people like y’all that care for animals as well! I can't believe how someone can just get rid of a family member like that.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I don't think United has a worse than average history. Southwest boasts of never losing an animal, but they don't take any. There are about 25,000 flights per day, and 4200 are on UA. Subtract off Southwest's 3500, and United's fraction of flights would be about 20% and they have 28% of the animal fatalities: a 2 sigma effect.

I think the better number to consider is fatalities/animals flown - 2 million per year and 188 fatalities in 5 years. That's a probability of dying of 1.8 x 10^-5. If your pet has a 10 year lifespand, the probability of him dying on any given day is 2.7 x 10^-4.

Me, I'd make a decision based on the alternatives, temperment of the animal, especially as they are all different. Some would be more stressed flying. Some would be more stressed by being kenneled. Some would be more stressed by a dogsitter. And some would look forward to a thousand mile drive with his head out the window.

 

[BillTre]

We flew our dig once (she was about 80 pounds).
We checked to make sure that she would be in a pressurized cargo hold. I had heard the some are shipped in a non-pressurized cargo hold, didn't want that.
Drugging the dog is also something we did. I think its probably a good idea whether the dog is high strung or not.
I would try to include something in the dog box that would provides something nice (soft and insulating) to lie on.
It when well for us.

 

[opus]

Thanks for the responses all. Going to see what my mom thinks based on the dogs demeanor. I don't think Id want to put her on the plane if she's already terrified. But if she’s a doofus like many big dogs, I don't think itd be a bad idea. My old mastiff wouldn't give a damn so it could be similar.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I never would, but I am super protective. Wouldn't trust those handling the crate and would worry too much my pup was being stressed. If possible I'd drive them to their new home.

 

[jim hardy]

They go in the cargo compartment which isn't heated. It'll likely get below freezing there so don't shave the pooch .
Go to the cargo terminal of whatever airline you're considering and talk to the guys. I had good luck with Delta some decades ago their Miami crew was friendly and wouldn't let a dog get hurt..
Look for a nonstop and check the 'equipment ' listing for the flight you're considering to find out what kind of plane it is.
Then look up that aircraft to make sure the cargo hold is pressurized. I think most are nowadays for structural reasons - passenger compartment floor would buckle if it weren't - but make sure.

old jim

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

They go in the cargo compartment which isn't heated.

They are climate controlled. How could they not be? Pets would die on longer flights.
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/help/faq/animals.html

 

[CWatters]

Some airlines allow "emotional support animals" to travel in the cabin but they might object to a big dog.

Might also need a doctor's letter.

 

[jim hardy]

A St Bernard in the cabin? I wouldn't do that to the other passengers unless i bought all three of the seats on a window exit.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

A St Bernard in the cabin? I wouldn't do that to the other passengers unless i bought all three of the seats on a window exit.

Think of all the slobber!