How to Ship a Puppy Safely

Our modern lives can often take us in unexpected directions and to distant locations, but if you can figure out how to ship a puppy safely at least there will be one less stressful chore in a hurried lifestyle. Shipping a puppy safely is really not a difficult task, it just exposes our ignorance in a area with which most of us have no prior experience. It does however require a bit of research as to the particulars of shipping a puppy safely in terms of rules and regulations that must be followed by pet owners. These can be easily learned with a few telephone calls to the airline or a travel agent, and veterinarians are a great source of information in aiding a pet owner to ship a puppy safely.

After learning the airline rules on what is necessary to ship a puppy safely, a trip to the veterinarian is an absolute necessity. Puppies that are expected to travel are required in every circumstance to receive a health certificate in advance of movement. This is usually just a normal health examination and ensuring that a puppies shots are up to date.

When it is possible given the size of a particular puppy, it is always best to arrange to ship a puppy safely by taking the puppy into the airplane cabin with you and storing it under your seat. In this manner you can be absolutely certain that your puppy is okay during every minute of the trip.

If this is not appropriate, it will be necessary to have your puppy shipped in the airplane's cargo hold. To ship a puppy safely in this manner it is necessary to provide a good quality cage with the appropriate amount of room for your puppy to travel comfortably. It is a good idea to place a familiar items such as a favorite toy or blanket inside of the cage to reduce travel stress for your puppy during the flight. Don't feed your puppy food for five hours prior to the flight as it will reduce the possiblity of vomiting or a bowel movement during the flight. Also remember to let your puppy relieve itself as close to departure time as possible, and line the bottom of the travel cage with an absorbent material.

Finally, it is always best to attempt to arrange for a direct flight in order to ship a puppy safely. The less time your puppy spends in a cage on an airplane the better, and the odds are increased considerably that you will be able to ship a puppy safely without incident.