Happy Tails Alerts

New LIVE Chat!

We are excited to launch our new live chat feature on our website! Have questions about our services? Wondering what the best method of transport is for your pet? Simply click the tab on the bottom right-hand side of our webpage to message us!

Responses will be received as quickly as possible during business hours (7 am - 4 pm MST Mon - Fri). After hours, the chat feature will leave us a message and we will respond the next working day.

Featured Testimonial

"I am writing to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for the outstanding services provided by Happy Tails Travel during the transportation of our beloved Sparky to his new home.

From our initial contact with Happy Tails Travel, Lizzie, our Pet Travel Specialist, demonstrated unparalleled professionalism and dedication. Lizzie's expertise and commitment were evident throughout the entire process, providing us with the confidence that Sparky was in the best possible hands. Her attention to detail, clear communication, and genuine care for animals made the entire experience seamless and stress-free."

Make sure to read the rest of Sparky's testimonial and our others here!

Holiday Pet Relocation

By: Bridget Monrad, R.N. | Dec 28, 2015


   Often times we see a decrease in pet relocation over the holidays as many people are on vacation instead of moving.  However, some families do not have a choice and have to relocate by the start of the year; this is especially true for military families when orders do not always take holidays into consideration.  While it is always important to plan your furry family member’s travel in advance, the holidays make this fact even more vital as the holidays bring up more obstacles than other times during the year.

   Weekend and holiday travel is much more restricted for pet travel.  While there are many flights to accommodate an increase in human passengers, the cargo facilities which are in charge of handling your pets have limited hours.  This means that there are not as many flight options for your pets as they must travel when there is a pet professional with the airline to assist them and make sure they are safe and sound throughout their journey.  Often times there are no cargo hours at all on the actual holiday, therefore many pets are unable to travel during these times.  If your pet is traveling internationally you must also consider holidays in all countries your pet may travel through.  Many countries celebrate different holidays, many which fall one right after the other.  Therefore, this will could delay your pet’s travel as we must ensure that the cargo and customs clearance facilities are open and able to help your pet. 

   In addition to limited cargo hours, you need to think about the time it will take your pet professional to plan and coordinate your pet’s air travel by air with care.  Typically we request at least 10 business days for domestic travel and 30 business days for international travel.  We do not count holidays as business days, and therefore we need more advance notice to plan your furry family member’s move.  For example if Christmas falls on a Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas, then New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day all fall within the 10 day time frame.  Therefore instead of 10 business days, you should plan at least 2 weeks out to ensure your pet can meet their desired travel date without incurring additional charges for a rush service. 

                Another common theme we notice during the holidays is the desire for roundtrip transportation for pets.  We understand your desire to keep your furry family member with you during the holidays, but you must also think about what is best for them.  If you are only traveling for a week or two, often times it is more stress than it is good to take your pet along with you.  While your pets are safe and in good hands while flying, the experience is still stressful on many pets and they need appropriate time to rest and recuperate before traveling again.  Also, pet tickets are not based on the destination like human flights are, and instead are based on your pet’s weight in its crate.  While we provide a discounted service fee for roundtrip transportation, your pet’s airfare will be based on its weight in its crate both ways; there are no discounted roundtrip tickets.  Make sure your pet does not binge on yummy food during his or her vacation or the ticket will be even more expensive coming back!  One other factor when considering roundtrip transportation is the origin and destination.  Many pets are restricted based on outdoor temperatures.  Therefore you must not only think about the weather when going somewhere, but rather what will the weather look like when you come back?  You want to make sure your pet can safely travel back home with you after the holidays!

   If you have to relocate during the holidays or are interested in taking your pet on vacation with you, please contact us and fill out a Pet Travel Form! We’d be happy to help you and think about the logistics of your furry family member’s holiday travel! For more information, please visit our website at www.happytailstravel.com or give us a call at 1-800-323-1718 or 520-299-3315.  We are always ready and happy to discuss how we can help you to provide a smooth move for any member of your pet family.