Shipping a Puppy - Clan of the Poodle

Michele Clay 386 345-3388

Phone numbers for airline pet shipping departments are listed in the lower section of this page. Please make the initial call to make sure pet shipping from Orlando or Daytona Beach, FL to your destination is available, and fits the parameters mentioned below. If shipping a puppy to you presents no complications, you may send your deposit or payment for a puppy. Upon receipt of payment in full (including all shipping related charges), I will call the airline to make the reservation and obtain a confirmation number.

I will ship a puppy, but I limit the transit time to no more than 6 hours, including any layover. There are direct flights to Houston, Atlanta, and Newark. I can ship out of Orlando (Friday and Saturday only) or Daytona Beach (any day, any time). To cover the cost of gas, tolls, and parking at the airport, I charge a $50. trip fee. I will not ship out of the continental U.S.

Continental is the airline with which I'm most impressed. They are more lenient regarding temperatures because puppies are taken to the baggage claim office in the airport terminal, not to an external cargo office. They are at all times kept in a climate controlled area. If the combined weight of the puppy and carrier is 9 pounds or less, the shipping charge is approx. $157. If the combined weight of the puppy and carrier is over nine pounds, the charge will be approx. $199. (plus fuel charges.) Most of my puppies can be shipped at the $157. rate. Two puppies flying together in the same carrier would be at the higher rate, and so would a larger puppy. Optional flight insurance for a puppy is just a few dollars more.

If you decide to check flight availability on an airline's website, be aware that just because a flight is listed doesn't mean it handles live cargo. Many of these are "commuter flights", which means they are smaller planes. You must call the airline's pet shipping department for accurate information. Major airline pet shipping department phone numbers are listed below for your convenience. JetBlue will allow a small pet in a small carrier in the cabin with you for $50., but they don't have accomodations for pets to be sent unaccompanied as cargo. JetBlue sells soft-sided Sherpa bags for $60.; these are made especially for JetBlue.

Airlines other than Continental have temperature restrictions in the summer and winter. They will not take a puppy if the temperature will be above 80 degrees anywhere along the flight. In the winter, some airlines require a certificate of acclimation if the temperature will drop below 45 degrees. If the temperature is predicted to be 25 or less, pet shipping is suspended.

If you're considering flying here to pick up your puppy, Spirit Airlines has some very affordable flights. The last time I checked, the fee for you to bring the puppy on board in a shoulder bag was only $30. If you need to purchase a pet shoulder bag, try Wal-Mart for the best price or PetSmart for greater selection.

If I will be sending you a puppy on Continental, I will need the funds available at least three days before the estimated shipping date (no c.o.d.) Just prior to mailing the shipping cost, ask me to weigh your puppy so you'll know how much to send. If your puppy will be traveling on Continental, and you send the minimal shipping cost early, it is possible that your puppy's weight will exceed the 9 pound limit (when added to the weight of the carrier and bag of food) at the time of shipping. You will be responsible for the additional charge. Delta allows c.o.d.'s, so you may pay the shipping cost when you pick up your puppy at the cargo building.

The original health certificate is only good for 10 days for the purpose of shipping, and is included in the price of the puppy. I have to take all the puppies in a litter to the vet on the same day. If the health certificate needs to be updated ($42.) (puppy will be due for a booster shot prior to the shipping date), or if a travel certificate is required ($29.) (more than 10 days but less than 21 days since the health certificate was issued), there will be an additional vet charge (you won't need to pay for both - it would be one or the other). If the health certificate was issued within 10 days of the shipping date, there will be no additional charges.

If you have any questions about having a puppy shipped, please call me (386 345-3388). DO NOT send a deposit on a puppy until you've made sure shipping arrangements can be made to your destination. Please check your calendar to verify you'll be able to go to the airport to pick up your puppy when it's 8 weeks of age, or the following weekend. When I've gotten the health certificate for your puppy, I will make the flight reservation, and email you the details. If the arrangement is for you to pick up your puppy at my home, please do not change to shipping at the last minute. I will have other commitments, and won't have time to take your puppy to the airport.

All airlines require the puppy to be in an "airline approved" pet carrier with food and water cups attached to the gate. If you already have one, you can mail it to me - allow at least a week for it to arrive here. Continental does not permit the use of the following types of carriers: Nylabone brand, Petzazz brand, or any "fold down" carrier. If you don't have one, I can buy it here and add it to the price of the puppy. The cost of the carrier and cups I would get is $28. or $38., depending on the size. The smaller carrier is suitable for one, medium sized, 8 week old puppy. The larger carrier is suitable for larger or older puppies, or two puppies flying together.

-- SIX HOUR TRANSIT LIMIT --

Airline Pet Shipping Phone Numbers

Continental toll free: 1 800 575-3335 This is a 24 hour number. Counter-to-counter, no temperature restrictions to most cities, flights from Orlando. Hub is Houston, TX.
Delta toll free: 1 888 736-3738 Temperature restrictions, puppies must arrive at cargo building 2 hours before flight time, flights from Daytona. Shipping cost: approx. $233.. Hub is Atlanta, GA.
Delta (Daytona Beach office): 386 252-3331 and 386 258-1017.
Northwest (if you're traveling with the puppy): 1 800 225-2525.
Northwest (if the puppy is being shipped to you): 1 800 692-2746 option 7, then pound sign. They stop answering their phone at 8pm. Temperature restrictions (no more than 80 degrees or less than 10 degrees), certificate of acclimation NOT needed, puppies must arrive at cargo building 90 minutes before flight time, flights from Orlando. Average cost: $170.
U S Airways: 1 888-300-0099 Temperature restrictions, approximate cost $170.
United Airlines: Used them once, will NEVER use them again. They had no record of my reservation to send a puppy from Orlando to L.A. I was told to have the puppy at the cargo office by 4:45pm for a 6:45pm flight. When I arrived, I was told the flight wasn't going to leave until 9:20pm, which meant the puppy would arrive in L.A. 3am my time. As it turned out, the 9:20 flight was cancelled, the puppy was taken home by a kind cargo office employee for the night, and was sent on an 8am flight the next morning.
American Airlines: bad experience with them - I will not use them.

Available through WalMart.com $19.97
pet shoulder bag

Here's a jewel of a webpage. It's a United States time zone map, which, if you call airlines for flight schedules, you'll find very helpful. The url is http://www.worldtimezone.com/time-us24.html.

-- Back to Top --
[ Site Directory ] - [ Application ] - [ Example Puppies ] - [ Poodle Puppies ] - [ E-Mail ]

Last updated 4.22.2008