Flying with a Rabbit

ItalianFashion

ItalianFashion

Member
Apr 17, 2007
4,851
3
#1
I am going back to the states again soon for a few months and I was going to bring my Rabbit Luigi. Has anyone here ever had to fly with their bunny? Did you have to sedate the rabbit? Did you have problems with customs? I am getting a health certificate before I go and when I come back but the vet and the airline are not sure if this is all the rabbit needs to get back into Italy. I am worried if he will be ok and worried about bringing him back to Italy.

The flight is around 10 hours from Venice to NY and then I have to take another 2 hour flight after 1 1/2 hour layover.

He has never been in a cage so that will stress him. I dont think they will let you take him out on the plane. I can try but don't know if it will work. I am trying to get him used to the carrier by putting him in it for short periods but he gets really mad! I wish I had someone here I could trust to babysit him but thats a lot to ask . Any tips would be appreciated!
 
#2
I have flown across the US with a rabbit during about a 4.5 hour flight. It is definitely stresses them out. You are doing the right thing by slowly getting him used to the kennel. That will ease the flight experience. You can always ask your vet for sedation but best case senario would be to fly without it.

I know when I flew I had to get a health certificate from my vet stating that he was healthy and able to fly. Since you are coming out of the country they will probably require you to place him in quarentine (sp?). Those can be quite a long time. It may not even be worth it to bring him out as you may need to fly home before his time is up.
 
#4
LisaG719 said:
I have flown across the US with a rabbit during about a 4.5 hour flight. It is definitely stresses them out. You are doing the right thing by slowly getting him used to the kennel. That will ease the flight experience. You can always ask your vet for sedation but best case senario would be to fly without it.

I know when I flew I had to get a health certificate from my vet stating that he was healthy and able to fly. Since you are coming out of the country they will probably require you to place him in quarentine (sp?). Those can be quite a long time. It may not even be worth it to bring him out as you may need to fly home before his time is up.
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I know for sure I need a health certificate to the us. My vet is going to get that for me. I only think I have to get a quarantine if I come back through London which I am not. The vet and I talked for a while today and she said that she found something on the italian website that said rabbits or hares cannot be brought back here but then she said on another website (maybe the usda website not sure ) that I have to have a health certificate stating that the origin farm he was bought from in the has not had a case of mytaximosis sp? in the last 6 months. But he was bought here not in the us so she in not sure exactly what they need. She is putting a call in to an Italian person they work with here to see if she can find out more . She has not ever had someon flying with a rabbit so she is not sure. I have no choice but to bring him because I have no one here to watch him .
 
#7
Try to put some treats in the cage while practising. So he will associate the cage with happy things. And maybe leave him in overnight in your bedroom, so he knows you're around and he can get used to the cage in a save environment...
I know they have little pills for dogs for traveling and fireworks, to calm them down, maybe they have them for rabbits too?
Good luck!
 
#8
Hi Italianfashion :smile: My bunny will be flying across the country (from NY to San Diego, CA) next weekend. A pet relocation company will be transporting him and our 2 dogs to our new home. I know how you feel..I'm so worried about him! I'm having to get a health certificate as well. I'm sure for international it must/will be more difficult :sad:. I hope you get all the correct information soon so You know that your bunny will be safe/taken care of. Are there kennels or places you can trust to board your Bunny while you're away so he/she won't have to go into quarantine? Please keep us updated! I'm a worried Bunny Mama, too! I love my Danny :love:! I feel for you! Let us know what you find out. Hope all works out! :heart:
 
#9
^^ I forgot to add that my vet doesn't recommend sedating rabbits unless absolutely necessary. Also, I'm trying to acclimate my Danny bunny to his flight carrier, too so he's not entirely freaked out during his trip...
 
#11
Ok guys here is what I did. I have flown several times back and forth with him and he was just fine and the Delta people love him! The first flight he was in a soft sider carrier we left late and I had to spend the night with him at LGA!!! No more flights out to nc. Well after that I took him out one day in that soft carrier and he chewed his way out in 2 minutes.!!! So he had to start flying in hardsided cabin kennel. He hates that thing becuase I cant pet him in it and hard to get in and out of space under the seat. On one flight back to US they gave him a salad in a bowl and she asked if I could let him out to run around but I was like I dont think so.... Another flight I had to keep him under the seat most of the time in his hard cabin kennel carrier but took him to back of the plane near bathroom to feed him.. They ticket for one way for him used to be 50.00 but now it is 75.00 and you have to make sure the flight has room since the plane can only have 2 animals on board and one in first class.


Here is what you have to do from italy to us and back


ts sort of detailed but here you go....What I do is while I am in italy I have to go get a health certificate 10 days before flying I then go to italian sanitation department then go to the post office and get money order slip for 18.96 euro to give to them and get export documents. They look at the health certificate and if he has had his shot for mtytixamosis sp? He needs this every year in europe. Animals die from it from being bitten by mosquitos .. and he is healthy they have no problem. They then fill out export document .. I then show Delta my health certificate upon checkin and pay a fee 0f 75.00. I have his ticket booked in advance with mine because only 2 pets are allowed per cabin. Then when I get into us I have to declare him on the form they give you on the plane. They make me take him through customs and they look at his paperwork at the airport jfk or atl.

When I come back to italy I go to an aphis accredited vet and they can do an international health certificate. It states he is healthy and has not been in a place that has had a case of mytixamosis within 50 miles. I then have to get this endorsed by the USDA office in my state so he can be imported to italy. You usually have to make an appointment with them a few weeks in advance. They are very busy. This and the health certificate must be done within 10 days before your flight. This took me months to figure out how to do this with my pet so Im happy to help you out. I also posted the websites for this info on the post in this forum to another lady its titled traveling overseas. You can look at the link for the requirements to bring your animal to whatever country you are traveling to.



bellapsyd said:
how did it go? i have to fly with my bunnies soon
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#12
Hello,
I know that I am 4 years late about this question, but I want to go from USA to Europe (Paris or Geneva) with my Rabbit. Your Flight with delta sounds like a dream but I called them today and they say that they don't accept rabbit in Cabin.:rain:
I don't know what to do.
It's like I have to give up my rabbit in the USA...
How did you have the permission Italian Fashion?
Thanks for your help.
 
#13
ItalianFashion said:
Ok guys here is what I did. I have flown several times back and forth with him and he was just fine and the Delta people love him! The first flight he was in a soft sider carrier we left late and I had to spend the night with him at LGA!!! No more flights out to nc. Well after that I took him out one day in that soft carrier and he chewed his way out in 2 minutes.!!! So he had to start flying in hardsided cabin kennel. He hates that thing becuase I cant pet him in it and hard to get in and out of space under the seat. On one flight back to US they gave him a salad in a bowl and she asked if I could let him out to run around but I was like I dont think so.... Another flight I had to keep him under the seat most of the time in his hard cabin kennel carrier but took him to back of the plane near bathroom to feed him.. They ticket for one way for him used to be 50.00 but now it is 75.00 and you have to make sure the flight has room since the plane can only have 2 animals on board and one in first class.


Here is what you have to do from italy to us and back


ts sort of detailed but here you go....What I do is while I am in italy I have to go get a health certificate 10 days before flying I then go to italian sanitation department then go to the post office and get money order slip for 18.96 euro to give to them and get export documents. They look at the health certificate and if he has had his shot for mtytixamosis sp? He needs this every year in europe. Animals die from it from being bitten by mosquitos .. and he is healthy they have no problem. They then fill out export document .. I then show Delta my health certificate upon checkin and pay a fee 0f 75.00. I have his ticket booked in advance with mine because only 2 pets are allowed per cabin. Then when I get into us I have to declare him on the form they give you on the plane. They make me take him through customs and they look at his paperwork at the airport jfk or atl.

When I come back to italy I go to an aphis accredited vet and they can do an international health certificate. It states he is healthy and has not been in a place that has had a case of mytixamosis within 50 miles. I then have to get this endorsed by the USDA office in my state so he can be imported to italy. You usually have to make an appointment with them a few weeks in advance. They are very busy. This and the health certificate must be done within 10 days before your flight. This took me months to figure out how to do this with my pet so Im happy to help you out. I also posted the websites for this info on the post in this forum to another lady its titled traveling overseas. You can look at the link for the requirements to bring your animal to whatever country you are traveling to.
Click to expand...

Hello,
I know that I am 4 years late about this question, but I want to go from USA to Europe (Paris or Geneva) with my Rabbit. Your Flight with delta sounds like a dream but I called them today and they say that they don't accept rabbit in Cabin.:rain:
I don't know what to do.
It's like I have to give up my rabbit in the USA...
How did you have the permission Italian Fashion?
Thanks for your help.
 
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