Transportation Information
We understand that some families may need to rely on a transportation service because they are unable to pick up their puppy due to the distance or their schedule. We would like to provide you with some accurate and honest information about what happens during transport and what the concerns may be.
By law, puppies must be at least eight weeks of age before joining their new families.
They must be fully examined by a veterinarian and be found healthy, free of internal and external parasites, dewormed, vaccinated and a health certificate issued with the microchip number listed. This health certificate is good for 30 days for sale within the state of Florida but an additional health certificate may be required if the puppy is being transported over state lines depending on the mode of transportation and their requirements.
We always begin positive crate introduction at 7 weeks to ensure the puppy feels safe and secure in their “house” during the transportation process to reduce stress. This does not mean that the puppy is fully crate trained. Additional training must be completed.
Even when the stress level is low, a puppy can still develop loose stool. A visit to your veterinarian is always recommended as soon as possible after the puppy arrives and treatment with a mild antibiotic may be required to help the puppy fight off any stress induced loose stool. We provide more information about why this happens to puppies, where it comes from, how to prevent it and more in our articles that are provided to our new puppy owners.
The more places the puppy is exposed to, the more people that handle the puppy and the longer the transportation time, the higher risk of stress and exposure to disease and parasites.
Types of Transportation -
Flight Nanny/Airline Carry On : Carry On means that the puppy would be flying in the cabin with a person. This could be a family member that flies in to collect their new puppy or, often times, a Flight Nanny is employed. The puppy must be kept in a small fabric kennel, called a Sherpa Bag, and would need to remain in the Sherpa Bag and placed under the seat in front of the passenger during the flight. Often, once the flight is in the air, the puppy can be brought out of the Sherpa Bag to interact with their transporter. Beagle puppies can usually fit in a Sherpa Bag until they are 9-10 weeks old. Registered service or support animals are allowed to fly in the cabin at any age and size.
Accompanied/Airline as Cargo : Accompanied means that there is a person taking the same flight as the puppy. This could be a family member that flies in to collect their new puppy or, often times, a Flight Nanny is employed. The puppy is placed in an airline approved plastic crate that must meet specific size requirements to allow the Beagle plenty of room to move around. The crate is checked in before the flight and secured in a climate-controlled area below the plane specifically for animals. The airline is usually responsible for checking the puppy during layovers and ensuring that it is loaded onto the next flight. Federal regulations are very strict concerning temperature and occasional embargos/cancellations can impact travel so careful planning is required.
Unaccompanied/Airline Cargo : Unaccompanied means that the puppy will be checked in and fly in the same manner as when they are accompanied. The puppy is placed in an airline approved plastic crate that must meet specific size requirements to allow the Beagle plenty of room to move around. The crate is checked in before the flight and secured in a climate-controlled area below the plane specifically for animals. The airline is usually responsible for checking the puppy during layovers and ensuring that it is loaded onto the next flight. Federal regulations are very strict concerning temperature and occasional embargos/cancellations can impact travel so careful planning is required. The new owner, or a prearranged representative, is responsible for collecting their puppy when it arrives at its final destination. This option is only available through specific airlines who are going back to pre-Covid practices.
Ground Transportation : Ground transportation services are usually door to door. This means the transporter will pick your puppy up at Lane Rae Beagles and transport it directly to your home. Most ground transporters are required to be USDA certified, but most are not, so caution should be taken. The puppy is transported in a spacious crate and secured inside their climate-controlled vehicle. Stops are made occasionally to exercise, feed and water the puppy and updates can be sent along the way. We recommend ground transportation for puppies who would be within a 500-mile radius of zip code 32618 but exceptions can be made.