Article about Pugs dying when shipped in Cargo

[PugSavers]

Some people who are new to pugs wonder when experienced pug people tell them that reputable breeders don't ship their pug puppies unless they are accompanied by a person and in the airplane. Finally a reputable and mainstream publication explains why a pug or other short nosed breed should NEVER be shipped cargo!!!

Pugs, Bulldogs More Likely to Die on U.S. Flights - BusinessWeek

This is just a sampling of flights in the US, consider the problem worldwide. If you love your pugs don't even think about exposing them the possibility of a painful death in cargo.

[Heike]

as far as i know, flat faced pets (dogs and cats) can only be shipped for a couple of month during the year.
the time will come, when my 2 have to fly cargo. we will be on the same flight. i refuse to leave them behind.

[nanbhack]

why why why . I dont get it! so angry .

[Heike]

why why why . I dont get it! so angry .

why? because my husband is in the army. in about 4 years we will try to go back to europe. i refuse to leave my dogs behind. guess we will fly when there is no heat/ freeze embargo

[Rebecca and the Pugs]

Gosh Roxane, thank you for posting this article. I think many people don't understand how dangerous this is.

[PugSavers]

why? because my husband is in the army. in about 4 years we will try to go back to europe. i refuse to leave my dogs behind. guess we will fly when there is no heat/ freeze embargo

Sadly you will be "leaving them behind" if they die in cargo. All of these dogs that died did so when there was no heat/freeze embargo. Why can't you and your husband each fly with one pug in the cabin? Or if you can't fly together, find another person in the army going the same place to bring one of your dogs. I know that breeders often purchase pugs at the Nationals and they will have someone who didn't fly there with a dog bring one home on the flight with them.

I also know anoter former PVer who took the Queen Mary ocean liner across the Atlantic so he and his wife could get their 3 pugs to the states.

There are other options than putting them in such danger.

[CountryPug]

The lady I got Bella from, co owned a pug that was sold and shipped to South America., by the other co owner. The pug was left sitting in his crate while either in the process of being loaded or unloaded, in the heat and was not allowed to get out.....sadly he overheated and died. Needless to say our breeder was devastated.

You may not have control over how long your dog just sits there waiting to be loaded or unloaded and this goes to show that these things really do happen.

[pugtwinsmom]

I remember way back in the early 90s begging my vet to let me bring my BT puppy up to Ohio for Christmas. I was in graduate school in Texas, and there was no way I wanted to kennel my new dog that long. There was already a dog or two in the cabin because the airline would not allow him with me in the plane..only cargo. The vet stood firm. She even said if she did write an ok for it, if the weather was below a certain temp in Cleveland, I would be going back to TX without the BT because she was going to state he wouldn't be allowed to fly in those temps. It was obvious to me it would be below that temp.

I really, really owe that vet. I was young, it was my first dog as an adult, and I would have been more devastated having something happen to him on the plane than having him be kenneled for a long period over Christmas. While he was in a crate in the kennel for an extended period of time over the Christmas break, he was fine. I don't believe he even knew the time passed. Cheers for vets who stand their ground and won't allow dogs to travel in cargo even when desperate clients beg... :-)

[Rosiepug]

as far as i know, flat faced pets (dogs and cats) can only be shipped for a couple of month during the year.
the time will come, when my 2 have to fly cargo. we will be on the same flight. i refuse to leave them behind.

Heike, try not to fly in summer. You mentioned you're going to Europe, if possible use Lufthansa Airline.
They have fabulous care for animals.

I flew Pudding in cargo to Crufts Show this year.

They send a bod to check your crate, to see if it is of correct type and size, so the pug can move.
They ensure the pug has a water receptacle. I didn't have one in the crate because I didn't want an object in there but European laws meant I either put a water bowl in there, or she didn't fly.
I put the water bowl in there. A good choice is the type that screws onto the door grill so it can't spill or move around in the crate.
They note when the dog last ate and what it ate. They note how often they fill the water dish. They allocate one person to look after the dog and make sure it has water in its container before it is hand loaded into the plane.

I was more than satisfied, can't speak highly enough of their care but beware some airlines are not as care concious and a problem area is always if they leave an animal waiting on the tarmac to be loaded. You need an airline that takes the dog out last minute and loads just before leaving.

I was sitting in my seat on the plane when Puddi was brought out to be loaded. I was still sitting there on arrival, when a motor trolley came along to unload her and take her inside the terminal before the rest of the luggage came off.............. that's service, GO LUFTHANSA

[tall grass pugs]

It seems to me that Lufthansa is the last of its kind, and nothing is snappier or more of a heart throb than a Lufthansa pilot adjusting his cap and giving someone 'the look.' If you are flying because you have to, take the time to get a notebook and fill it up on research information. For example, your connecting airline from Missouri to NYC is pretty sorry. And your troubles would start there, risking a second on and off with a second class group of people. We just had a service wife move her dogs from Wa or Ca to Hawaiii, three of them including one rather fluffy and not so young. They all made it. But she did a lot of ferreting out data and procedures.