exploring options for Watson...

[Reichart00]

Hi,

Watson is a 100lb Swissy/Rott mix foster dog in the Des Moines, IA area who has a family that is very interested in him that lives in Alaska. The family wants to ship him from Iowa to Seatac, then fly him from there to Alaska.

Watson is terrified of new people- he's not aggressive at all but he will bark and try to bolt. I feel that ground shipping would be very difficult for him. The less he is handled, the better off he will be.

Their application hasn't been formally approved yet, although I think it will be. It will be a perfect home for him.

Are there pilots who will fly a dog from Des Moines to Seatac? I'm assuming Des Moines to Alaska might be too far? Just exploring our options with this big guy.

Thank you!!
Cody
MidAmerica Rottweiler Rescue

[MBThrillSquadron]

Hi Cody,

I don’t think anyone has been able to chime in here, so I’ll do my best. Most of us fly single-engine airplanes with six seats or fewer. The cabins of our planes are usually set up so that cats and small dogs can be crated for a trip, but big guys like Watson may have to be able to ride on a narrow bench seat without getting reactive. A trip of that length would also probably have to be flown in legs with handoffs (we're faster than ground transport, but we still have range limitations), so it’s not a great option for a dog who's working on his social skills or who is an escape risk.

Not sure what else to suggest besides commercial airlines or personal delivery. I don’t know if Ameriflight flies animals, but they use twin turboprops and may be worth a try.

Hope this is some help,
Leanne