We do ship our puppies on climate controlled aircraft, provided the shipping route is fairly direct. Our puppies are shipped in new airline approved carriers and a packet of food is included with the carrier for feeding while in transit.
We have flown puppies all over Canada and the US, including the east coat of the continent. Our puppies are found in Boston, New York, California, Washington, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and, of course, BC! We are very careful to choose flights with minimal layovers and often will fly them on red-eye flights so they sleep in the airplane and arrive first thing in the morning. Airlines are careful with their precious cargo and puppies over eight weeks are safely flown across the country.
We ship out of Nanaimo, Victoria or Comox BC (on the Island) or out of Washington’s Seattle/Tacoma lnternational Airport and have had very positive experiences with using West jet, Air Canada, Delta and Alaska Air. Some airlines handle animal transport through their cargo facilities and others offer counter to counter service also.
Puppies that are to fly within Canada can fly when they are 8 weeks old and weigh 6 pounds. Prices vary depending on whether the puppy is flying within Canada or internationally but flight within Canada is around $275 plus crate and any travel expenses.
Puppies that are to fly from Seattle to the lower 48 must be 6 pounds in weight and 8 weeks or older (an 8 week puppy that weighs less than 6 pounds will need to wait until it is bigger). An additional $350 USD is charged per flight and covers crate, customs, the cost of the flight anywhere in the lower 48 and travel to/from Seattle.
When the litter is born and you are notified that there is a puppy for you, we will set one shipping date for all puppies traveling to the US. lf you cannot meet your puppy on that date, please make arrangements with us for somebody to meet your puppy (lD must be shown to collect the puppy, so it is important you let us know who will meet your puppy so the correct name is on the shipping documents!) or decline that puppy and wait for another litter that suits you better for timing. We are not trying to be difficult with this, but trips to Seattle to ship puppies take two days of travel time for us and we cannot take the time from our other puppies and our family to make multiple trips to accommodate multiple families!
lf more than one puppy is being shipped in the same crate, there will only be one shipping fee charged. Flight regulations allow for two puppies under the age of six months and less than 20 pounds each to be shipped together in a single airline crate at no additional charge.
Puppies seem to handle the flights quite well, often sleeping through most of the journey. They do require a bathroom break and food/water as soon as they have been claimed from the airline.
Your puppy will be freshly groomed and bathed prior to shipping, but it is likely that they will need a bath when they arrive! We send our puppies with collars already on and recommend that you bring a leash with you. Please DO NOT let your puppy down to potty or stretch its’ legs near the cargo facility where you pick up your puppy… all manner of animals are pottied there and your puppy can pick up viral, bacterial or parasite problems that could seriously harm your puppy. Instead, take it home or take it a few miles away and then potty your baby with a leash on; your puppy will be much safer!