Yes, your puppy can FLY!
Many of our puppies are found by forever families who live far away from our farm in Southern Indiana and sometimes road trips are impractical. Fortunately, the Louisville International Airport (SDF) is under 40 miles away from our farm and is an easy trip.
Transporting Your Puppy With You
You can fly your puppy home with you. Most airlines require that the puppy be in a carrier and fit under the seat in front of you. Keep in mind that these puppies grow quickly so you will not want to delay pickup if you plan to fly your puppy in the cabin with you.
When flying your puppy with you, you will need to bring an appropriate puppy carrier for the flight.
A pet fee of somewhere around $100 is typical as well. Please contact your preferred airline for exact details so you will know what to expect.
As long as we have advanced notice of 2 weeks, we can get all of the required forms in order so your puppy will be able to fly with you.
Transporting Your Puppy Without You
We can fly your puppy to an airport near you via Air Cargo. We will properly prep the kennel, the food, the forms, and the puppy to be ready for the mutually arranged flight. There is an additional charge for transportation from the farm to the airport.
The timing and route will have to be carefully selected to provide for the safety and comfort of your puppy. For instance, the Louisville Cargo terminal does not open before 5 AM and requires arrival a minimum of 2 hours before flight time, so no flight before 7 AM is possible at all.
Most of the information that follows comes from the airlines and is subject to change. Before making a final decision to fly your puppy, a check for updated regulations will be important.
Airline-Compliant Puppy Kennel(s)
Make sure you've chosen the right kennel for the animal being transported. All kennels must meet the IATA Live Animal Regulations. As a general guideline, please make sure your pet can sit, stand and move around within its closed kennel, without touching the sides. Please follow the kennel requirements to ensure the safest transportation of your pet:
- Kennels must be made from rigid plastic, metal or wood with a metal grated door.
- Kennels must also be leak- and escape-proof, in good working condition and secured with metal nuts, bolts or screws. Make sure screws are not exposed, which may cause serious injury.
- Kennels must have adequate ventilation on all four sides.
- All wheels on the kennel must be rendered inoperable or removed completely.
- Kennel must be clean with no offensive odors.
An example that should work for your 10-week-old puppy is the Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier, 28 Inch* and accompanying travel kit* which you can purchase and have delivered to us at:
Goat Milk Stuff
76 S Lake Rd N
Scottsburg, IN 47170
For older puppies you will need a larger kennel such as the
Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier, 36 Inch*
and accompanying travel kit* which you can purchase and have delivered to us at the address above.
We will prep the kennel for travel according to regulations, including
- Two dishes (one for food and one for water) attached to the inside of the kennel. Make sure dishes are accessible from the outside without opening the door. Note: bottle water feeders are not allowed.
- A bag of food taped to the top (in the event of a delay) along with feeding and watering instructions.
- • Statement that food and water was offered within four hours prior to the puppy’s delivery to American.
- Absorbent towels and/or pads on the bottom of the kennel.
Multiple puppies
Two puppies may share the same kennel if each is less than 20 lbs., so long as the puppies are comparable in size and temperament. Of course, a larger kennel would be required for two puppies!
Most of our puppies are in the 20-30 pound range between 8 and 12 weeks of age. But you should always check your individual puppy.
Required Forms
1. Health certificate
All dogs must be certified as fit for travel by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of travel. You will be responsible for paying for the vet visit to get the health forms. Keep in mind it takes 48 hours after the vet visit for the vet to produce the appropriate health certificate.
2. Rabies vaccination
All dogs 12 weeks old and older are required have a rabies vaccination signed by a licensed veterinarian in accordance with local regulations. If your dog is less than 12 weeks old, they are not required to be vaccinated.
3. Breed verification
All dogs must be certified by a licensed veterinarian that they are not considered a breed that is restricted for various reasons particular to air travel. Our puppies are all acceptable for air travel and have no trouble getting this certification.
4. Temperature Acclimation Letter
An acclimation letter signed and dated by a licensed veterinarian may be required if ground temperatures at origin, connection and destination cities will be between 20°F and 44°F. If any temperatures are to be greater than 85°F, or less than 20°F air travel will not be possible for the puppy.
Your Puppy's Travel Plans
If you think that flying your puppy is your best option, we will be happy to work out the details with you via email to provide the best experience for your puppy and for people involved as well!
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