Is shipping a puppy dangerous? Here’s What to Do Next

Shipping Puppies by Air: Everything You Need to Know

Your fur-baby is about to take a cross-country trip to meet you for the first time, so it’s only natural that you have questions and concerns. We’re highlighting some of the most important things to know, but if you have ANY questions, our team is more than happy to answer them.

Safety Comes First – Although we get asked a million times, “Is it safe to ship puppies?”, our answer never changes. We always say that shipping a puppy is as safe as flying yourself. While the experience can be very tiring for the little guys, there isn’t a risk to their wellbeing. In addition, we have a veterinarian double check the health of all of our puppies before they fly to meet you.

Pet-Safe Flights are Popular – Major airlines offer dedicated pet-safe flights in which pups (and other pets like pigs and large birds) travel in the cargo container of the plane. These flights feature a comfortable environment and temperature-controlled spaces for the animals. It’s not uncommon to see more than a dozen dogs flying on each of these pet-safe flights.

Puppies Often Sleep on the Flights – Most people prefer to get some shut-eye when flying, and many dogs are no different. In fact, we intentionally book early flights to make it as likely as possible that your pup sleeps through the majority of the trip.

We Place Absorbent Padding in Their Carriers – When sending a puppy on a plane, it is our standard procedure to place absorbent padding in their carriers. That way if they have to go potty over the course of the flight, it’s not an issue. Learn more about what you need to bring a new dog home.

We Track Your Puppy Every Step of the Way (And You Can, Too) – When shipping puppies by air, we track their progress every step of the way – and we make sure their full itinerary and tracking is available to you, too. We want to make sure that your precious package is on-track every step of the way!

We Fly Puppies Everywhere – As long as there is a pet-safe flight available, we will send fur-babies all over the country. We primarily fly out of Harrisburg International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport!

2 Forms of ID Needed to Pick Up Your Dog – Our commitment to pet safety by shipping puppies by air doesn’t end when the plane lands. In order to make sure our dogs go with the right person, we request that you prove your identity by providing 2 forms of official ID.

Read Our Reviews to Learn about the Experience – One other key thing we want to assure you of is that when you work with Keystone Puppies, we take care of all of the details and we advocate for you and your dog through the entire journey. Since trust is key for this entire process, we encourage you to read our reviews and see how we did for many other puppy parents!

We hope our guide was not only able to answer, “Is it safe to ship puppies?” – but also gave you some insight into what the experience is like for you and your brand new bundle of cuddles!

While this may sound like a lot of animal deaths, by comparison over 4,400 people died on airlines between 2010 and 2020. (It’s unclear how many human passengers were “lost” by airlines.)

HonestPaws says that between 2010 and 2020, over 250 animal ‘passengers’ died either during or immediately after airline travel. Another 170 sustained injuries, while 20 animals were actually lost by airlines.

Nonetheless, HonestPaws listed its top 5 offending airlines by reported pet incidents including deaths, injuries, and losses. United led the pack with 138 incidents involving pets, followed by Delta with 119. Alaska followed with 83 animal incidents, while American Airlines had 55, followed by Hawaiian with 21.

HonestPaws identifies issues that can impact your ‘cargo pet,’ including Separation Anxiety and Stress, Physical Injury, Respiratory Issues, Weather Conditions, Hearing Loss, Dehydration, Temperature Controls and Pressurization. Although airlines must follow strict USDA guidelines on shipping animals, HonestPaws says “Animals simply don’t understand the purpose of airline transport, much less why they’ve suddenly been subjected to a dark and frightening space for hours.”

You and your pet may have survived a year and a half of COVID-19 quarantine. But will Charlie survive his next flight on a commercial airline?

If you decide to fly with your pet, choose the cabin when possible

If transporting your pet by air is the only option, find out whether they can travel in the cabin with you. Most airlines will allow you to take a cat or small dog in the cabin for an additional fee. But you must call the airline well in advance; there are limits to the number of animals allowed in the cabin. If you are transporting your dog, make sure they meet the size requirements. If you get overwhelmed by all the regulations, there are companies that can help you navigate through the process of flying with a pet.

DON’T GET SCAMMED! – Pet Shipping 101

When making travel decisions, choose what is safest and most comfortable for your pet. For instance, unless youll be able to spend a lot of time with your dog, theyll probably be happier at home than tagging along on your trip. As a rule, cats are almost always better off in their own home.

But if you have decided its best to bring your pet along, follow our tips for a safe and low-stress trip.