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
"Kim at Happy Tails Travel is an absolute miracle worked. My 125 lb wolfhound more than exceeds normal size regulations, but she found me a kennel AND an airline that could fly him from Maui to Alaska - something that no other pet relocation service was able to offer."
Make sure to read the rest of Weylyn's testimonial and our others here!
Snub-Nose Breeds & Summer Restrictions
Snub-nosed breeds, also known as short-nosed, or “brachycephalic,” are breeds of pets that are more prone to respiratory problems, even under normal circumstances. The risk of respiratory problems increases during air travel.
Brachycephalic pets are more prone to breathing problems because they still have to pack the same anatomical structures in their short noses as other breeds do in their longer snouts. Just because their snouts are smaller doesn’t mean they are missing parts! Their nasal passages are just more compact, creating more difficulty when breathing normally.
Airlines may have restrictions or regulations in place for the safe transport of snub-nosed breeds. This is for the safety and well-being of the animals. These restrictions and regulations take different forms depending upon the airline.
On certain airlines, some snub-nosed animals can travel at any time of the year, but they are required to have a larger crate than they would normally be sized for. This gives them more room to move around and be comfortable during transit.
Another form these regulations may take are temperature restrictions. Certain airlines require that pets only travel when the temperature is under 75 degrees Fahrenheit. There can even be additional restrictions on pet travel for particular breeds. Certain breeds, like bulldogs, are on embargo throughout the entire year, and has severe restrictions with pet safe airline programs. Other breeds, such as Pugs and Boston Terriers, cannot travel during the hottest months of the summer, typically May through September.
Below is a list of breeds that are considered snub-nosed by at least one airline:
DOGS
Affenpinscher
American Bully
American Cocker Spaniel
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Bulldog
Bichon Frise
Boston Terrier
Boxer
Brussels Griffin
Bull Terrier
Cane Corso
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua
Chinese Pug
Chow Chow
Dogo Argentino
Douge de Bordeaux
Dutch Pug
English Bulldog
English Toy Spaniel
French Bulldog
Japanese Chin
Japanese Pug
King Charles Spaniel
Lhasa Apso
Maltese
Mastiffs (All Short-Nose Breeds)
Newfoundland
Pekinese
Pit Bull
Presa Canario
Pug
Shar Pei
Shih Tzu
Tibetan Spaniel
Yorkshire Terrier
CATS
British Shorthair
Burmese
Exoctic Shorthair
Himalayan
Persian
Scottish Fold
If you’re unsure if your pet qualifies as a snub nose breed, you can submit a pet travel form and a Pet Travel Specialist will contact you shortly! We can go over the details of your travel plans, and inform you on airline rules and regulations regarding your pet’s breed. We can offer ground transportation within the contiguous U.S. if your pet is unable to fly!