Being Prepared

Today as I was driving Diego to the groomers I was running through my schedule in my head. We will be in Tunisia for another 5 weeks and there is so much to do. Diego will have another appointment for a haircut and a health certificate to travel to Houston on July 13th. That will be a very busy day at work and I need to make sure I am allowed to leave at 3:30 in order to get Diego to his appointment by 4.

It made me think of a time in September when Barney's "mommy" and I had to leave work a bit early in order to get health certificates for the dogs to travel. We had no travel plans, but were in a situation where there was a possibility we would evacuate. We wanted to get those certificates just in case we had to leave at the last minute.

                     

                                  Diego and Barney 
                     waiting for their health certificates

So, I had the certificate and all the other paperwork needed to go to Europe and the USA, but I didn’t know if I could actually get Diego out of Tunisia. What if I was told I couldn’t take my dog on the flight? Because of Diego’s weight (8kgs including his carrier) he only has 2 options to get out of Tunisia by air…. Alitalia or Lufthansa. My anxiety was rising.

One person told us about an experience she had when people had to evacuate via military planes and leave their animals. The next day, there were people who made sure all the animals were put on flights in the hold. Well, Diego cannot ride in the hold due to his breed. Good to know, but that info didn’t calm me down.

The other option would have been to take the car on the ferry to France or Italy. I have never done that and am not sure how far in advance you would have to book. I’m not sure I would even have time to sort that out.

Luckily, we did not have to evacuate and all is well, so I cannot offer any information about the process of evacuating (just being as prepared as one can be)!

Have you ever had to evacuate with an animal or know someone who did? Please share your experiences!

Hotels and Sleepovers

This weekend I went to a local resort with some friends. It is very rare I get to go away for the weekend because I usually do not have anyone to watch Diego. Luckily I have become friends with a woman I work with who has a super cute dog named Barney. Diego stayed with Barney all weekend and had a blast. Sometimes Barney stays with us and I love it! They can be in the yard all day, running around and playing and I can be inside relaxing or getting work done.

We worked very hard to get them to get them to be friends and to a level where they can stay alone together all day. Now, I drop Diego off every morning at Barney’s and pick him up in the afternoon.  I hope when we move to Copenhagen I can find a nice person with a dog and have the same support system.

I also have friends with a young son who loves dogs and it's fun for them to get together for a play date. Diego spent 3 nights with them in May 2012 and had a blast! Pekingese are great breeds for families. They are gentle and kind and just the right size for a toddler. 

This morning at the breakfast bar I ran in to a family I know and their little girl asked where Diego was. I told her that I was not able to bring him to this type of resort because it was against their policy. However, when we stay at the Hilton or the Westin Diego is welcome there as they are pet-friendly hotels.

Diego has only stayed in a hotel for a total of 3 nights. Twice in Frankfurt during a layover and once when we went to New Orleans for one night in August 2012. In Frankfurt we stayed at the Hilton and in NOLA at the Westin. Both pet-friendly hotels and very nice places to stay!

I found these places by looking on Expedia (www.expedia.com) and checking off “pet-friendly” to narrow my search. I know the La Quinta and some Super 8 motels are pet-friendly as well.

Don’t always go by what the website has, though! Once you find a hotel that suits you, call them and ask to speak to the manager. Ask the manager if their hotel is pet-friendly and if there are restrictions (size, breed, etc.). Also, ask about their fees. They can range from $40-$150 per night and some places also ask for a deposit.

The first time I searched for a hotel at the Frankfurt airport I saw that there was the Hilton and the Hilton Garden Inn. I decided I wanted to stay at the Hilton Garden Inn because the price was about $100 less than the Hilton. I called the hotel and the person who answered confirmed that they were a pet-friendly hotel. I hung up and placed my order on Expedia. I got on their website to find the directions and saw the words:

Pets:

Service animals allowed: Yes

Pets allowed: No

I couldn’t believe it! I had just purchased the room and all sales are final on Expedia! I called them again and was told that no, they do not accept pets. I asked to speak with a manager to see if they could change my reservation to the other Hilton (right next door) and they manger said no. I’d have to re-book a room at the Hilton Frankfurt Hotel. That is what I almost did until a friend suggested I call the manager at the Hilton Frankfurt Hotel and see what he/she could do. I called and spoke to a very nice man who told me that he can easily change the reservation and keep the same rate. I was already impressed with the difference in the level of service and excited to stay at the Hilton Frankfurt Hotel. When we arrived the manager greeted us by name. We have stayed there again since and enjoyed it. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone traveling with a dog through Frankfurt. It is pricey, but well worth it because it is attached to the terminal and there are shops and restaurants all around. There is even a small grassy area to take your dog.

While staying in a hotel I place a pee pad and a bowl of water in the bathroom and Diego makes himself at home. For some odd reason he likes to check out bathtubs so that is the first thing he does when we go to a new place. He even hangs out in the bathtubs in our houses in Tunisia and Galveston. He’s not hurting anyone or himself so allow it!

Hilton Frankfurt Hotel:

http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/hesse/hilton-frankfurt-airport-FRAHAHI/index.html

The Westin New Orleans Canal Place:

http://www.westinneworleanscanalplace.com/

                             Diego Loves the glass elevator at the Hilton Frankfurt Airport Hotel

                                               Walking in Carthage, Tunisia with Barney

                                                              Beach Bums!

                                          Checking out the view from the Westin in NOLA

                                                                        Sleepover!

                                    Snug as a bug in a rug at the Hilton Frankfurt Airport Hotel

                                                            Checking out the bathtub

                                                           After a long day in NOLA!

Bathtime with Liam!

Safety

I’m watching channel 13 news (ABC) in Houston right now and see that there were gunshots at Terminal B at Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). 

I can’t imagine how terrible that must be for people that are traveling and working at the airport today. I am anxiously awaiting details and as it is breaking news, they don’t have much to report. They are not sure yet, if other terminals have been shut down due to this incident (the shooter is dead due to a self-inflicted gun shot wound).

So I got to thinking… what would I do if I were traveling with my dog on this day? Diego would be with me, so I would break the rules and take him out of his carrier if we were forced to sit in the terminal for hours on end. Even if we were stuck on the runway, I would open the top of his carrier in order for him to get air, especially on a hot Houston day.

Earlier this evening I was looking online for more information about dogs in cargo or the hold. I came across an article about a service dog forced under the seat while the plane was sitting on the tarmac. 

Here is the article: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=22248545

Fortunately Diego and I have never been in this situation. I believe the “worst” thing that happened was we were delayed on a flight from Frankfurt to Houston by 45 minutes. Big deal. And we were in the air, circling so the temperature was comfortable and the air was circulating.

After reading this article, of course it is upsetting. It’s horrible. I can’t imagine having to go through that. But I do have questions… why was a service dog forced under the seat? I know why Diego has to go under the seat and I understand, so something is missing. I guess I’ll never know.

If you look on the internet, you will find dozens of articles about dogs dying in the hold. This can obviously make pet owners nervous. If it’s your first time on a plane and before you go you search “airplanes” on the internet, and only see articles about crashes, you will probably get nervous and have second thoughts. Just think about all the flights that safely make it to their destinations.

Even when I do a search on Google, dogs that do not die on planes, no “feel good” articles come up. Only horror stories.

In Tunisia, I know 5 people who transport their dogs overseas in the hold and no one has ever had a problem. One dog I know has lived in 5 different countries!

I’m not saying that it’s not risky, but if you do your research and find an airline that has meaningful restrictions (type of dog that can travel in the hold, not taking dogs in the hold when the temperature exceeds a certain point, etc.).

If you have good stories about transporting your dog in the hold or by cargo, please comment and tell your story!

Some helpful websites:

Air France:

http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/pratique/animal_cabine_airfrance.htm

United:

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/petsafe.aspx

Lufthansa:

http://www.lufthansa.com/us/en/Animals

Delta:

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/special-travel-needs/pets/pet-travel-options.html#check

KLM:

https://www.klm.com/travel/us_en/prepare_for_travel/travel_planning/pets/index.htm

Singapore Airlines:

http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/travel-information/pets-carriage/

Emirates:

http://www.emirates.com/tn/English/help/faqs/FAQDetails.aspx?faqId=193426

Animal Relief Areas (from American Airlines)

http://www.aa.com/i18n/disclaimers/animal-relief-chart.jsp

Alitalia:

http://www.alitalia.com/en_en/Informazioni-Supporto/organizza-il-tuo-viaggio/index.html#animali

Qatar Airways:

http://www.qatarairways.com/us/en/animals.page

*My favorite part of the Qatar Airways website:

“With the exception of falcons and service dogs, animals are not allowed in the cabin during any flight. Falcons are allowed only in Economy Class and must be hooded for the entire journey. Customers are limited to carrying only one falcon aboard the flight. A chain or cord must be attached to one of the bird’s legs and tied securely to the handler to prevent the bird from flying. A maximum of six birds are permitted in the cabin of an aircraft.”

Japan Airlines:

http://www.jal.co.jp/en/jalcargo/inter/guide/animal/

Egypt Air:

http://www.egyptair.com/English/Pages/TravelingWithPets.aspx

End Note: As I finish writing this, the news is over and Katie Couric is interviewing someone on her talk show. Hopefully all is well at IAH.

                                Diego and his best buddy, Barney, hanging out in thier carriers!