Much sympathy and condolences to Katie Walker.
 
It was with sadness and horror that I read of what happened to poor little
Ian... Katie, if your veterinarian can prove conclusively that a
depressurization of the baggage compartment could have caused Ian's death,
you might consider a lawsuit, or at the least, some picketing of the
offending airline.  Let us know if any of us can help with a letter-writing
campaign.
 
In hopes that this information might help others, I'll describe my recent
(thank God!  - positive experience with flying with fuzzies).
 
This was a trip from Providence, RI to Orlando, FL and back. I spoke with a
travel agent who I highly recommend if you live anywhere in eastern
Massachusetts: Atlas Travel International. Call 800-362 8626 and ask for
Sally Hathaway in leisure dept., as she was a great help to me.
 
Deal was: the airline we found that allowed fuzzies was Delta.  You had to
have a regulation-size under-the-seat pet carrier.  They allowed as many
fuzzies as you cared to carry in the carrier.  I took two little girls:
Jessica and Rowena.  The travel agent arranged it all ahead of time.  I had
bought the carrier a few years before.  The cost to take both fuzzies IN THE
PASSENGER compartment was $60.  It would have been $50 to put them in
baggage, and there was NO WAY IN HELL I was going to allow that.  You have
to take your fuzzie to their vet and get a 'health certificate' within 30
days of the travel date.  I got mine about 2 days before departure, since I
was going to be away for 3 weeks!  ALSO MUST HAVE your ferret's rabies and
distemper certificates with you at all times!!!
 
My vet had some wonderful advice: instead of blankies, put the ferrets in a
nest of lots and lots of torn-into-strips newspapers.  These seemed kind of
bleak to me, but I tried it anyway, and it turned out to be the BEST advice.
Here's the deal: tear up the newspapers and fluff them a lot.  Put in a bit
MORE than you'd think would fit.  Then, also carry along a few paper towels
and a large, gallon size ziplock bag.  This I put in my purse.  Then, if the
tiny one has to pee or poop... of course, little Jessie did this JUST as we
were crossing the threshold to board the plane!!!  NO PROBLEM!  Very
discretely, I got to my seat, pulled out a paper towel (and a little
packet-hand-wipe thing), reached into the cage and gathered up the poopie
paper towels and the wet ones, and slipped them right into the ziplock.
Result: neat as a pin cage, instantly!!  Also, before we left, I'd given the
newspaper nesting a LIGHT SPRITZ with the 'Ferret Off' deodorizer stuff.
That way, when I arrived at the ticket counter a full hour early (following
scrupulously all of the requirements so as to have no objections), I
confidently placed the entire carrier up on the counter and said clearly and
calmly: these are my ferrets, Jessica and Rowena, and this is a regulation
carrier for under the airline seat, and here are their health certificates
and their vaccination papers, all in order.  I had heard from another FML'er
of being rejected at the ticket counter on account of 'odor' of the animals.
Hence the 'spritz' and making sure all was clean before approaching the
counter.  It worked.  And if it hadn't I was fully prepared to not move from
the spot until they'd okayed my ferrets traveling IN THE PASSENGER
compartment with me.  Other option: simply not go.
 
Also, I carried with me a few little treats and an eyedropper in my purse.
In the concourse at the airport, we stopped at a water fountain, and I was
able to feed the tiny ones water from the eyedropper, which they accepted
readily.  Again, on the flight, I asked for a small cup of cool water, and
fed the fuzzies the water from the eyedropper.
 
Overall: we were a big hit!  At every full stop: waiting in line at the
ticket counter, at the gate, on the plane, for baggage on arrival: EVERYONE
was absolutely CHARMED by the little girls: I did ferret awareness all the
way: kids, parents, curious fellow travelers: everyone had questions and we
had a wonderful time answering.  People could look, but not touch the
ferrets.
 
So, that was my experience, and it is my hope that the description has been
of any help to anyone...
 
Much love, hugs and kisses to all little ferties!
 
-- Jan Fleury
[Posted in FML issue 2110]