transporting a large dog

Hello Seth,

There are several discussions about transporting dogs/pets on this message board... if you look right above your post on this page you will see Search - click on it and then search for dogs, pets, and read the threads - there are some on moving with pets, doggy life in the islands, beaches dogs can go to or not go to... read through those for lots of informaiton.

Onika - don't recall if you dog was this big, I do remember you staying something about a special shape carrier??? --- do you have any advice??

--Islander

Hey Seth,
Wow, 80 lbs! This might be a situation where shipping through Four Star Air Cargo would be appropriate. check them out at fourstaraircargo.com. I have no personal experience with them, but have seen positive comments on this board and others.

My dog was approx. 55-60 lbs. and she was able to go cargo on ATA from Mia-SJU (I don't recall any weight restrictions but we did pay a nominal fee). The tricky part was getting her from SJU to STT, b/c the carrier exceeded the allowable dimensions on Cape Air. Fortunately, we had a funny shaped carrier that fit perfectly on the plane
( see it here: http://www.petsmart.com/dog/shopping/carriers%5F%5F%5Fcrates/hard%5Fcarriers/products/product%5F13408.shtml)
and some nice Cape Air reps. who broke the rules so that we could get her on the plane.
This option would not work for you if your dog is a tall or long 80-lber (like a Dane or Mastiff) b/c the largest carrier would be too small for your pooch to sit comfortably.

I know you would probably want to be able to travel with your dog, but Four Star sounds like the best option given your dog's size. I simply can't think of any other way. Good luck and let us know what they say, if and when you contact them.

Thanks Onika
Great tip. I will be contacting them very shortly. Four Star may be my best option as my girlfriend will be down a couple weeks before me staying with her aunt scouting out apartments and would be able to pick him up if my flight arangements do not coincide.
He is acutually a golden/lab/chesapeake mix and not really that tall or long and not fat just kinda big. He loves people, other dogs and swimming and I know from the posts that the dog situation down there is a little different than minnesota but I am hoping there are decent places for him to swim and interact with other dogs on STX.

Thanks again
Seth

I just got back from a business trip over to STX and I have to say that, at least with respect to Christiansted, people are way more dog-friendly than on STT. My hotel was right on the boardwalk and I sat at the boardwalk bar a few times. In a total of two hours cumulative time, I saw at least ten dogs being walked or just hanging out with their owners at the bar! We've taken Sydney down to Drake's Passage bar a few times, but it's no fun 'cause everyone is scared to death of her! You guys are going to have a great time...I'm jealous.