According to the American Pet Products Association’s most recent tally, more than 62 million American families own a dog. Chances are many reading this article fall into that category and have at one point either flown your or your passengers’ dog(s) – or possibly even rescue pups en route to their “furever” homes. Let’s cover some tips and tricks to better the chances that flying with Fido is a fun affair for both you and your pet.
First and foremost, there are several key differentiating factors between transporting an animal in a car versus in a private aircraft. Of course, altitude is one of the most obvious ones. Dr. Michaella R. Abugov, DVM, private pilot and practicing veterinarian in the Greater Boston area, explains how altitude, rate of climb and related aspects affect dogs in flight.
“In pressurized cabins where hypoxia is a non-issue, a smooth and stable departure with a low rate of climb is key to the comfort of your canine companion. A dog’s ears can pop just like ours as we climb through flight levels. Giving your dog a high-value treat (I love filling a hollow rubber Kong toy with peanut butter for my dog) for departure can stimulate chewing and licking that will release pressure behind their ears as well as help entertain them during the most potentially frightening phase of flight.”
Another factor that may impact some dogs is motion sickness. Certainly, if you have an animal who turns green the second your car goes into first gear, you are unlikely to take them on a ride in one of your most treasured investments. But the potential for dogs to become motion sick may increase in flight just as it does in people.
“If your dog gets motion sickness in the car, it is likely they will experience it in flight as well. In an otherwise healthy dog, I would recommend withholding food (not water) for 10 hours before flying if they have the tendency to vomit. There is also a prescription medication that has a very strong anti-nausea effect and will prevent vomiting. I recommend discussion with a veterinarian to see if this would be a good option.”
A third identified factor in flight that pilots should bear in mind is cabin noise. There are several products in the marketplace that can help dampen noise mid-flight.
“Mutt Muffs” from Sporty’s is a great option for ear protection. I also recommend equine ‘ear stuffies’ that you can buy from tack shops either in addition to or instead of the Mutt Muffs if your dog won’t tolerate them.”
If you have an anxious flyer on your hands, other products can help dogs enjoy flying more.
“There are many products available to the general public that can potentially help your dog with anxiety, such as the Thundershirt (which applies calming pressure around the dog’s torso), the supplement Solliquin, or pheromone sprays and collars that work by mimicking natural pheromones that a mother releases to relax her baby,” said Abugov. “Traveling with your dog’s favorite toys, beds or blankets will help them feel more at home during the flight.”
“While the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) discourages sedating pets for air travel, there are mild anti-anxiety medications that you can discuss with your veterinarian on a case-by-case basis to take the edge off for extremely anxious dogs.”
Scott Johnson, based at Laconia Municipal Airport (KLCI) in New Hampshire, is the owner of a 2020 Cirrus G2 Vision Jet, in which he has accumulated more than 700 hours. He, his wife, and 15-year-old daughter are often joined in flight by their nine-year-old Cattle Dog rescue, Lucy. The family has had Lucy for over eight years, and she has enjoyed a countless number of flights from her own designated area of the cabin. Being that there are more seats than family members in the aircraft, Scott has removed the rear seats.
“I always take out the last row of seats, which leaves a ton of space for storage. But we usually just put a pad back there…it’s gotten to the point where we get to the hangar and Lucy already knows what is going to happen. She just bounds right in and lays down on the little dog bed. And like most passengers, she’s asleep within 10 minutes of taking off. She doesn’t really meander around. She just lies there or sits up and looks out the oval window in the back.”
Johnson said he is fortunate to have a great dog, so he has little extra in terms of preflight considerations for Lucy. Whenever they must land for fuel or take a bathroom break, their canine back seater also appreciates the opportunity to stretch her legs. When asked about being around other aircraft, Johnson points out Lucy’s mild manner and training as positives on the ramp. Often, his wife and daughter will go into the FBO to ask where the best place to walk Lucy is. “Everybody is so accommodating, although I do focus on where we stop. CAA (Corporate Aircraft Association) FBOs are typically preferred as they are good folks and accommodating.”
Scott Krohn of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is also a Vision Jet owner who often flies with a canine component. But his inflight company consists of three full-grown Bernadoodles. These Bernese Mountain Dog and Standard Poodle mixes certainly hold a large part of Krohn’s heart and equally large part of his cabin. The 2020 Vision Jet G2 has propelled Scott, Gonzo, Cooper and Winston on many memorable flights together. The lightest of the three “doods” is 90 pounds, with the other two sitting at 120 and 140 pounds.
When asked how his large dogs enjoy flying in his aircraft, Krohn said, “I haven’t noticed any kind of discomfort with them. They don’t whine or show any signs of being anything but happy boys back there. They are just trying to figure out where we are going to land. They want to know if we are going to see the sun in Florida or the snow in Minnesota.”
All journeys for the happy tagalongs begin at the aircraft’s two-foot-wide cabin door. “They will get their front feet up, and then I will help them out a little bit. The steps are a little tricky for them.” He added, “I take out the rear console, at least one seat, sometimes two seats. I don’t put them in a kennel or tie them. They don’t play musical chairs and just stay in place the whole flight.”
Krohn is careful to consider his dogs’ personal limitations just as he would with human passengers. He typically will aim not to fly more than a few hours to make sure that a bathroom break is not overrun. The break also allows him to recalculate the weight and balance of the aircraft, which has a maximum payload of 1,128 pounds.
Aside from owner-flown pups, many dogs are flown aboard private aircraft each day in the United States via rescue organization efforts. “Pilots To The Rescue” is just one example of these non-profit organizations, which rely on a network of trained volunteers to transport animals within the continental United States. Since its inception, the group has transported hundreds of dogs, which are typically flown as part of a “pack” rather than alone.
Michael Schneider, a commercially rated pilot, serves as the organization’s Executive Director, co-founding it in 2015. As “Top Dog,” Schneider helps to oversee the non-profit’s
non-ambulatory flights and serves as PIC on many of them.
“The most stressful part of the trip is loading. If the animal has never been on a flight, they may not want to go in the plane so easily. If it’s your first time flying with a dog, I don’t recommend doing it single pilot. Even if it’s just a short flight, you don’t know how they are going to react.”
Predominantly, the group transports animals in its Piper Turbo Saratoga based at Essex County Airport (KCDW) in Caldwell, New Jersey. But they also lean on the support of its 1,000-plus volunteers to complete missions in their own aircraft, with frequent destinations being the Carolinas and Tennessee. These are common places where sponsoring agencies have driven (often through the night) so that the dogs can be further brought across the country for rescue. On top of saving these animals, a goal of Pilots To The Rescue is to ease the burden on these gracious “Road Warriors” and the amount of driving that they have to do, as well as the dogs.
This year, the group is to fly more than 1,000 animals – an ambitious goal roughly double the number flown last year. At present, depending on the animal and the size of their crate, roughly 10 dogs can be carried each flight. While Schneider notes that the group is currently in the process of getting a second Turbo Saratoga that will be based in Atlanta or another area in the South, the long-term goal is acquiring a Cessna Caravan. The single-engine turboprop would be a considerable improvement toward the organization’s expanding mission.
