# Travelling by air



## kcoops

Hello everyone, so I'm planning on visiting home this summer or winter holidays and with no one I really know around here to entrust Hades with until I get back I've been trying to figure out how to take him with me. With the two main airlines I'd be travelling on (West Jet/Air Canada) I was wondering if any of you were allowed to travel with your hedgehogs on those planes and if so were the hedgehogs allowed to come with you and just be in a carrier case or were the placed in the baggage area? Online it either says dog/cat or rabbits and guinea pigs but nothing about hedgehogs from what I have found. I really don't want to leave him and sadly going by car is impossible since it's cross country. Another thing is would it be too stressful for him? Hades is a pretty laid back little guy who sleeps most of the day away so he could just sleep the whole time but if not is there anything to help calm him if he does start freaking? Sorry if theses questions seem silly. Thank you all


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## FinnickHog

From what I've seen, hedgehogs aren't allowed to be in the cabin. You can try contacting WestJet directly as they're the most likely to allow it as a one time thing, but it's still a pretty slim chance.

WestJet inquiries number: 1-888-937-8538

I'm guessing you'll be routed in a few circles before you find any concrete information.

Having him fly in the cargo hold is absolutely an option though. Read "Kennel Information for Checked Pets" here: http://www.westjet.com/guest/en/travel/special-arrangements/pets.shtml Hedgehogs are listed as accepted for cross-country flights. If you book a daytime flight your boy should sleep through the whole thing.

A few things to note:
1) to book a flight with WestJet when a pet is involved you have to go through WestJet directly. You can't use Expedia or any of those booking sites. You can do it online or use the number above.
2) if you fly in the winter ask for a flight with a heated cargo, as it can get much too cold down there for hedgehogs. Most of WestJet's planes have a heated cargo area, this just ensures there's space in it for your guy.

I haven't mentioned Air Canada because I don't trust them with animals. They like to drop small dogs down the baggage chute.

If you decide to put him in cargo, let us know and we can help you get ready to pack him when it's closer to flight time!


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## nikki

West Jet and Air Canada don't allow hedgehogs in the cabin. They only allow small dogs and cats. I have looked into this before and found this out. It doesn't seem to make sense since a hedgehog is smaller and quieter than a dog or cat but that is the regulation. I have traveled with a dog in the cabin and in cargo with Air Canada and they were great about it. The dog was a bigger dog so I can't say how it would go with a hedgehog. You have to also take into account that they won't allow animals in the cargo hold during the hottest times of the year or the coldest.


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## kcoops

Thank you for the information! It doesn't make sense for a hedgehog not to be able to go in the cabin, they're really quiet I'm sure no one would notice they're there but oh well. But all of this is something I'll have to think about when I'm planning my trip! I'll for sure be asking for help when the time comes to make sure I have Hades all packed up right with everything he needs for the flight if they let me bring him in the cargo.
But I'll be looking into West Jet for sure, especially if Air Canada does that to little dogs  Don't need Hades injured, traumatized or killed by them doing something that horrible!


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## alma&dex

Hey folks, just wanted to weigh in as someone who has traveled with a hedgehog in cabin before... 

While my experience was not with either of these airlines (Copa Airlines out of Panama, central america & American/Seaborne in the U.S. Virgin Islands), it really isn't all that difficult to fly with a hedgehog. People don't have allergies to hedgies the way that some people do with dogs/cats, so traveling with them in cabin, to my knowledge, can't really harm anyone. 

I got the OK from Copa Airlines as I said hedgehogs are "like" a small rabbit (comparable in size, obviously not really in much else) and they OK'd me to fly from Chicago to Panama City, Panama)... on the way to the U.S. Virgin Islands, when I was moving away from Panama, I just told the people at the counters that it was a small puppy, sleeping in all the fleece blankets, paid the "puppy" fee (puppies under 6 weeks of age or 8? don't need vaccinations etc, so it's not like you need extra paperwork), and then was sent right on through. 

In addition, if your animal is a certified/documented Emotional Support Animal, you can't be charged to fly with it - and hedgehogs are one of the species that can be considered Emotional Support Animals, by the way... and I don't think they can make any kind of breed requirements specific to an Emotional Support Animal.... just saying... 

Now, if you're flying during either summer or winter, you want to make sure that your hedgie will stay warm enough on the plane - ie. lots of fleece in your carrier (i'd recommend a hard sided "cat" carrier personally, these are a bit of a squeeze on some smaller planes but they do fit under the seat), to make sure your hedgie will be warm enough... but also not so much that they'll be super duper over heated in the event that you're in any warm weather (aka you want to ensure that they stay at a reasonably constant temperature range and airplanes, airports, etc. can be very cold)... 

Finally, depending on where you're flying - you mentioned AirCanda, you may need to complete import/export documentation ahead of time through the USDA, Fish & Wildlife Services, depending on where you're flying to/from, etc. so keep this in mind... They are still "exotics" and the USDA and Fish & Wildlife Service will treat them as such... 

To give you an idea, the folks in the U.S. Virgin Islands must have thought I was bringing a wart hog or something and not a hedgehog because they required little Dexter man be tested for (examples) crimean congo hemoragic fever, avian flu, rabies, etc etc. people are sometimes ignorant of what hedgehogs are all about (or what size they are!! haha) and it can make things a bit difficult. 

Honestly, before I started moving around from place to place, I left my hedgie with my breeder, who cared for him like any other boarding facility but at a much more modest rate, and I knew he was being loved and cared for... just some thoughts. Sorry if any of this is repetition...

Oh, and one more thing... traveling cargo with any kind of domesticated animal does come with risks... I do know some people whose animal got "lost" through sending it cargo and if you're thinking of traveling in summertime, there are limits in terms of temperature, etc. (usually a max of 85 degrees for the time you will be in each place - ie if you have layovers, etc.) because particularly smaller animals don't handle higher temperatures well... this limit applies to dogs and cats as well, making summertime travel very difficult with animals in cargo...


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## Lilysmommy

It's not okay at all to register a hedgehog or any other animal as an ESA or therapy animal if it's not actually one. There are many problems with this, mainly that you're hurting the people that actually need to have animals classified as either of these things. It's not something you use just to get around the rules that you don't like. Do not do this or encourage others to do so.


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## alma&dex

Lilysmommy... I'm not suggesting anyone register any kind of animal as an ESA if it's not one. I'm just providing another option if it applies to this person. I am not encouraging anyone to do this if it isn't something that applies to them. I am speaking as someone who does qualify for an ESA and who has their animals registered as such because I do have disabilities that qualify me for an ESA per my mental healthcare provider. Some people don't know that ESA's are even an option. I didn't for a long time, although I had animals who did help me with my traumas and other issues. Since disabilities, PTSD, acute anxiety, etc. are pretty taboo to talk about, I mention ESAs so that people know they exist. You can't just fly with an animal and claim that it's an ESA - you have to have a documented disability and proof that it affects your life and have a mental health professional diagnose you and recommend you keep animals to assist with your documented disability/diagnosis. 

Didn't realize that we weren't supposed to talk frankly and honestly in these forums. I'll bear that in mind going forward that I shouldn't be honest about my experiences with my hedgehog or other animals. Thanks.

Ps. Not in any comment I made did I suggest that the original poster register their animal as an ESA I said, and I quote "if your animal IS AN ESA YOU CAN'T BE CHARGED TO FLY WITH IT" pretty sure that doesn't say "hey everyone without a documented disability, please go screw those of us who legitimately benefit from this legislature over and try to register all your animals as ESAs"


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## Lilysmommy

I misinterpreted by the way you worded things. I'm sorry I jumped the gun - we have had a lot of people try to suggest doing exactly that, so that was my first thought.


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## twobytwopets

Also, it's very easy to confuse an emotional support animal and a service animal. So it's easy to hear emotional support animal and think it has the same legal access as a service animal. 
Lillysmommy is right, we have seen people suggesting getting their animal as an emotional support animal for all sorts of things, including things that an ESA doesn't have access to. As well as using hedgehogs as such just to get around housing situations. So it's easy to read your comment and think "is this person suggesting this" or "will this lead to the more extreme end"


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## alma&dex

No worries, and it's unfortunate a lot of people suggest that who shouldn't be - I really do find it incredibly important to share knowledge about ESA's though as someone who didn't know that was an option for me. You're very right that no one should apply or consider it who doesn't qualify and doing it to simply get away with things is pretty caustic and inconsiderate of those who do truly benefit from these laws. 

Sorry for any lack of clarity on my part in the original post, I'll try to be clearer in the future. Perhaps there should be a thread started specifically about this, if there isn't one already? 

ESAs and service animals are very different and can be confusing at first look - service animals, in the basic terms, help their owner with a specific task whereas ESAs provide emotional support (this can mean a lot of things) for their owners specific to their diagnosis/es. NOT the same legal access as a service animal. I'm always stunned when people thinks this means they should take their animal (dogs particularly) into restaurants, etc. If it's not a service animal, it shouldn't be there! And ESAs aren't service animals.... 

Twobytwopets - what do you mean re: using hedgehogs as such just to get around housing situations? 

I should also perhaps note for anyone who read my earlier comment that all the air travel I have done with my hedgie was BEFORE he was registered as an ESA for me - meaning it takes some major work to get clearance but it is possible sometimes....depends on the airline, who you talk to, if they allow other small mammals there could be special permission granted or some kind of workaround - if you are granted permission this way MAKE SURE you write down the supervisors names that you spoke with - what office are they located in, etc. etc. and that you have all pertinent documents for travel (interstate travel sometimes requires documents, and international travel DEFINITELY requires documents, quarantine sometimes, etc.)


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## twobytwopets

The housing situation, is along these lines....
I can't find a place that will allow my pet
Oh you should get it registered as an ESA


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## alma&dex

Oh ew. And really... that sounds to me like lazy hedgie parenting/ownership. I've rented for years and just always communicated with my landlord and absolutely never had an issue. This means educating the landlord sometimes or paying a deposit you're sure to get back with a hedgie (but well worth it of course!). Silly hoomans.


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