Fly with a dog to Mexico? Well, it wouldn’t have been my first choice, but as I start a long stay in Mazatlan, Mexico, my friend, Anne, is bringing her 12lb Havanese dog, Desi. If you’re wanting to travel with a dog, here’s our list of essential dog travel tips.
Anne chose the Havanese breed because they are small enough to go on the plane with you, they are quiet, non-shedding, and hypo-allergenic. So off we went, three of us flying through Dallas to Mazatlan. My husband was very skeptical. I was hopeful. Anne was nervous but excited.
Before the trip, Anne checked and double checked the requirements to enable a dog to enter Mexico. The preparation included:
- A Rabies vaccine. It’s required.
- An International Health Certificate. This certificate clears the dog of endo- and ecto- parasites. To obtain the certificate, take your dog to the veterinarian within 10 days of traveling. The vet will conduct a physical examination and will give the dog an anti-parasite med like Revolution. The vet then completes the certificate for you.
- Once you have the certificate, it must be certified by your government inspection agency. In Canada, it’s the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). In the U.S. it’s the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA site offers comprehensive information about taking pets to various countries and the page also links to topics like: How to Obtain an International Health Certificate, a Pre-travel Checklist, Frequently Asked Questions and a Fees list.
Then it’s necessary to ensure your dog adheres to flight requirements:
- When making your flight reservation, tell them you’ll have an animal. Only a limited number of animals are permitted on each flight.
- The dog needs to be in an airline certified in-cabin pet carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. This article shows examples of these carriers.
Other flight considerations:
- Research the pet rest areas in the airports that you’re traveling through. Most of these pet rest areas are outside of security, but some are inside security. We traveled through Dallas, and DFW offers both inside and outside security dog areas.
- Take a small water bowl for the dog and offer him water occasionally during the flight.
- I’ve been on flights where a puppy is being transported from a breeder’s home to their new home. In that case, it’s good to line the crate with dog elimination pads. If the dog uses the pad, just take him in the crate to the washroom and change the pad.
Desi in-flight. Stowed under seat
Anne tested two dog carriers before heading out. The one she chose was wider and lower in height. His carrier fit snugly underneath the seat in front of her. Airlines require that during take off and landing dogs be zipped into their carriers. Then during the flight, you can sometimes unzip the carrier so the dog can pop his head out. Usually they are tethered to the pen, so no chance of the dog jumping out.
Some flight crews are stringent about a dog being zipped in its carrier during the entire flight. Some flight crews are more willing to ‘turn a blind eye’ to the small infraction. We were lucky, Desi was unzipped during most of the two flights. When Anne left her seat in flight, he became a little nervous, but he didn’t bark or howl. The success of the trip was proven when we landed in Mazatlan. The man sitting in front of Anne noticed the dog and said, ‘Wow, he’s so quiet. I never realized there was a dog under my seat during the flight.’
Entering Mexico:
- On the customs form to enter Mexico, you must indicate ‘yes’ to the question “Do you have animals traveling with you?”
- After going through customs, take the dog’s paperwork to the Animal Control Station.
- The Control Station copies your passport and asks for a copy of the dog’s certificate.
Desi traveling through the airport
As it turned out, Desi was the easy part of our flight. The more challenging part was our short connection time in Dallas which meant our checked luggage didn’t make it to Mazatlan. Desi has a wheat allergy and thankfully Anne had a small amount of his food in her carry-on bag though most of it was in her checked luggage. Our luggage arrived 24 hours later complete with dog supplies.
Desi adapted well to our pet-friendly rental house. At first, we left him alone for short periods of time when we went out. Then, we slowly lengthened the time he was left alone. With four of us traveling together, there’s often someone who stays back at the house and that person gets to have one-to-one Desi time.
Anne takes the dog for walks on the beach every morning. In the north end of Mazatlan, where we are, dogs are allowed to run free on the beach and he really enjoys that. She bought him a life jacket and used it the first few days. After a couple of incidents when he realized the waves could be very strong, he gained good respect for the water. He dashes in and out of it but has learned to stay in the shallow water. We’re cautious when meeting new dogs to ensure they’re as friendly as he is. We also make sure he doesn’t drink the salty ocean water.
Desi has also been on a city bus for the first time. We walked him right onto the bus on-leash. We are constantly watching for broken glass on the sidewalks. Some of the places we walk have more glass than others. We also watch to make sure he doesn’t drink water from puddles. Anne carries a dog water bottle with her most times. At the rental house, we have a long tie-out that he’s on so he doesn’t slip away while we’re not watching.
Desi is loving his Mexican holiday and I have to confess, it’s a pleasure having a dog with us for three weeks. Once Anne and Desi leave, we’ll all miss having that little guy around.
Opptee: One App. All Travel.
