Q: Why Use a Pet Transportation Specialist?
A: You can do it yourself, but we transport pets everyday and can efficiently help get your family pet to their final destination with the least amount of stress.
We know how to properly prepare your pet’s kennel for safe travel.
We know exactly when we need to have your pet at the airport and exactly where we going when dealing with the different airline cargo facilities.
We have strong working relationships with veterinarians who know how to properly complete import/export documentation, boarding facilities, USDA personnel for documentation endorsement, and personnel at the airlines whom we interact with daily streamlining the check-in/pick-up process.
We know the most efficient airline routes for pets to their destinations and understand the myriad of variables that need to be considered in order to successfully complete a pet relocation.
We know how to assist with clearing customs in the U.S. and have contacts around the world to help with customs and delivery at destination.
We know what to look for when it comes to identifying common country protocol and documentation mistakes.
Other concerns you may encounter when trying to transport a pet on your own:
Your moving and have a million things to worry about already.
You have a car load o fluggage and your family with no room for the giant dog crate and smaller crate for kitty too.
You show up at the USDA and they find a mistake in your paperwork that will need to be corrected by your veterinarian before they will endorse your documents.
You are stressing about how to drop the pets off curbside and deal with them in a crowded airport or what to do in order to get them checked-in or picked-up at the airline cargo facility.
Now, you and your family walk up to the ticket counter or cargo facility and the friendly airline agent informs you that due to the weather being too hot or cold that your pets cannot fly.
There are no restrictions for you or your family however if flying on the same flight.
So you didn’t save any money doing it yourself because you will have to eat the cost of the tickets and wait a day, 2 days, a week, or even longer until the weather allows your pets to fly and then you have to go through the whole scenario again.
Q: Do my pets travel in the cargo hold of the plane with the baggage?
A: Your family pets travel in the same temperature controlled, pressurized cabin as their human counterparts. The family pets are simply below deck in a dedicated area of the plane.
Q: Why do you not tranquilize the animals when traveling?
A: Statistics have shown that most travel related pet incidents occur in pets that have been tranquilized. Family pets need all of their systems working efficiently to deal with the stress that sometimes comes with travel. Medications have the potential to affect your pets differently at altitude than on the ground. If your pet is stressed and not able to properly handle it through normal bodily functions such as panting due to tranquilization, then problems can occur. Most animals actually get bored while traveling and sleep just like us humans. If you feel that your pet has too much separation anxiety to handle being alone on a plane, then it is probably best to look into ground transportation where the pet can have constant human contact and supervision. Only you know your pet well enough to make that determination.
Q: Why is Chicago the closest airport I can fly my pet within the Midwest?
A: Due to the size of the planes that fly into smaller airport destinations, animals cannot fly due to weight restrictions and due to the larger crates not being able to fit through the cargo doors of the airplane. In this case, ground transportation is the only option.
Q: Can you assure me my pet will make it safely?
A: Due to events beyond our control, nothing in life is guaranteed. We rely upon experts in their respective fields to minimize the risks and create the best possible probability of a good outcome. Just as we trust the professional pilot to fly the plane safely, you can trust Midwest Pet Express to do everything in our power to safely get your pets to their final destination. We are happy to report that we have never lost a pet.