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a lot about travel boxes

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We have big travel boxes, small travel boxes, pre-manufactured ones and wooden ones ~ and of course our wooden ones are made-to-measure for any type of animal.

Whichever box you're going to use, ours or from some other supplier or even one you've used before, you really need to ensure that it meets current IATA standards or it might not be accepted by the airline.

 

DKC is:

Find animal shippers worldwide here and here.

And if all the information below just isn't enough for you (you virtuoso, you!), then you might want to peek at this too:

 
 

IATA Standard Travel Boxes

Yes, an important reason to use an IATA standard travel box is to ensure that it will be accepted by the airline, but also, perhaps obviously, in order to make sure your pet travels safely. A good box will mean that your pet has enough space inside but not too much space, and that it will be a strong enough box to withstand the rigours of shipping. What makes a strong box? Well, there are many things that go into it but you can start understanding by looking at the images below, and of course you're welcome to contact us for more detail if you feel unsure.

 

DKC Wooden Travel Boxes

These are not just throwaway boxes; extremely well-built and strong, we often see return customers still using boxes we built for them years earlier. Also, since they're made-to-measure and therefore fit your pet more precisely than a pre-manufactured box will, the cost of your pet's air waybill (i.e. the flight ticket) will almost always be significantly lower using a wooden box than it will be with a pre-manufactured one because air waybills are primarily charged on size, not weight. Since there are only a small variety of sizes available with pre-manufactured boxes, this means that your pet will usually be in a larger one than is usually necessary.

The downside? (Yes, there is a downside.) These boxes, although very durable, may not last quite as long as a high-quality pre-manufactured box and, because wooden boxes are not collapsible, they're also more difficult to store.

 

Pre-Manufactured Travel Boxes

SkyKennels or VariKennels are the best of this breed, but there are others too. The image to the right shows just one example of a very good polypropylene box, which comes in several sizes. The advantages of this kind of box over a wooden one include very great durability if cared for properly, as well as ease of storage because they can be disassembled.

The downside, however, is that except for cat-sized boxes which are always good value, the larger of these types of travel box are more expensive to purchase than a comparably-sized wooden box and almost always result in a costlier air waybill, often significantly so.

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Tough decision? Well maybe not sooooo tough. In the end, it's most important to know that both types of box, if high-quality, are equally safe, comfortable and capable for your pet's travels. Ultimately, the choice comes down to your personal preference and your perception of the impact of the choice of box on the final cost of the entire shipment.

We can help you get through this particular maze.

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Wooden Travel Boxes for the Entire Family!

Well, maybe not the ENTIRE family!

We also manufacture wooden made-to-measure boxes for birds, like the one to the right, or any other box you might need for any type of animal, because we know that where the family goes, the mouse, hamster, guinea pig, snake, ferret and pet rock must go too!

 
 
 

Not-so-IATA Standard Travel Boxes

There are A LOT of different travel boxes out there, both wooden and plastic, and maybe you already own one. This particular box (to the right) is usually used for light transport, perhaps to bring your pet to the vet. While it's probably fine for such purposes (though not definitely, so be careful), there are several reasons (at least!) why it would not be good for air transport, including insecure hinges and fasteners which make both the door and the box itself very susceptible to unexpectedly prying open under moderate pressure, as well as weak and often brittle plastic.

Do be careful!

 
Food and water for my pet's journey?
Answer
<h5>Food and water for my pet's journey?</h5> <div class="faq_ans_img"><img loading="lazy" src="https://d12fifzdy7ujh4.cloudfront.net/images/faqs/faq_11.jpg"></div> <div class="faq_ans_text"><p>First of all, to be clear, and VERY importantly, there must <em>always</em> be water available before, during and after the journey. This said, don't overly concern yourself if your pet is not drinking huge amounts before you take her to the airport just because you've given it to her. Let your pet behave normally, drink as she wants, and relax. The key here is that water <em>must always be <strong>available</strong></em> (which is why all travel boxes have a water bowl in them).</p> <p>As to food, however, while there certainly are exceptions, it's actually best that most animals (including dogs and cats) travel on an empty (or close-to-empty) stomach. We understand that you worry your pet will be hungry, especially if it's a long-haul journey, but we ask that you trust this bit of very important advice:</p> <ul> <li>Do not feed your dog or cat for at the very least 4 hours before you drop them off at the airport for departure, and preferably longer. At DKC, we generally aim for about 8-10 hours.<br><br></li> </ul> <p>Unlike human beings who need (or <em>feel</em> they need) to eat regularly, many types of animal, including dogs and cats and others (though, again, there are exceptions to this), are very capable of and even comfortable with going without food for a good 24 hours. Of course we agree that this is not what you want to do every day but in an air-travel situation, we promise you that all your pets and animals will be just fine. In fact, they will be better than if you do feed them because of the:</p> <ul> <li>Reduced likelihood of nausea/vomiting in case they have any kind of reaction to the movement of their crate or as a result of anxiety (though it should be said that vomiting under any circumstances is quite rare).</li> <li>Dramatically reduced risk of toileting (urine and faeces) in their travel box, which means they stay cleaner and more comfortable overall.<br><br></li> </ul> <p>Sound scary? Try not to worry too much. This approach really does work very well indeed.</p></div>
Food and water for my pet's journey?
First of all, to be clear, and VERY...
Can DKC manage both the import and export sides of my pet's or other animal's relocation?
Answer
<h5>Can DKC manage both the import and export sides of my pet's or other animal's relocation?</h5> <div class="faq_ans_img"><img loading="lazy" src="https://d12fifzdy7ujh4.cloudfront.net/images/faqs/faq_3.jpg"></div> <div class="faq_ans_text"><p>Definitely yes! For sure! Yup!</p> <p>Well... maybe. Read on.</p> <p>There are two parts to any relocations process: 1) the export; 2) the import; and they need to be seen as distinct processes because, in fact, they are (although both sides coordinate with each other). We can definitely assist you with the import side if you're coming <em>into</em> the UAE, and we can definitely assist you with the export side if you're <em>leaving</em> the UAE. And that's because we, obviously, are <em>in</em> the UAE.</p> <p>Right, now that's clear.</p> <p>However, there (almost!) always needs to be someone (you, a friend or another relocations agent) handling things on the "other" side of a relocation. If you're importing into the UAE, someone will definitely have to handle things in your country of origin. If you're exporting from the UAE, someone in your destination country will have to handle things upon the arrival of your pet if your pet is being exported as "manifest cargo". (What is "manifest cargo" and "accompanied/excess baggage? Read our <a href="/docs/Pet_Flight_Options.pdf" target="_blank">Pet Flight Options</a>). There must always be a physical presence on both sides for the handing of it all when travelling as manifest cargo and when additional import requirements demand this.</p> <p>And so, you can of course engage us to handle the UAE-based stuff (please do!), but in the other country, you will have to have yourself, a friend or another agent handle that side of things. If you're going to use another agent, that's when we can step in to help with <em>both</em> sides of the shipment - although the other agent will be doing the physical work required at the other end, you may wish to deal with only one company for the management and payment of the whole process. In which case, we can manage that for you. There will of course be an additional management fee, but you might be happier having to deal with only one company.</p> <p>And by the way, if you do want to find another agent on your own, in your non-UAE location, check out <a href="https://www.ipata.org/ipata-pet-shippers-air-and-ground" target="_blank">IPATA.org</a>, where you'll be able to search for pet/animal shippers all over the world.</p> <p>But why did we exclaim "almost!" a couple of paragraphs up? Well, in departing the UAE, there are many countries around the world that permit the entry/arrival of pets travelling with you as "accompanied/excess baggage" rather than as "manifest cargo" for Customs clearance following arrival. This is not to say that additional assistance in the destination country is <em>never</em> required simply because your pet has travelled accompanied/excess baggage, but there are indeed many countries for which the entry requirements do <em>not</em> require this type of additional assistance (e.g. import permit, on-arrival quarantine, etc.). In other words, more research!!</p> <p>Complicated, this import/export thing, eh?  </p></div>
Can DKC manage both the import and export sides of my pet's or other animal's relocation?
Definitely yes! For sure! Yup! Well... maybe. Read on. There are two parts to any...
Sedation: Should I or shouldn't I?
Answer
<h5>Sedation: Should I or shouldn't I?</h5> <div class="faq_ans_img"><img loading="lazy" src="https://d12fifzdy7ujh4.cloudfront.net/images/faqs/faq_pet_photo_12.jpg"></div> <div class="faq_ans_text"><p>In almost all cases, absolutely <strong><span class="underline">not</span></strong>.<br><br>We very strongly recommend against tranquilizing or sedating animals for flight, as does just about every professional shipper worldwide ~ in fact, the vast majority of airlines will not even accept an animal if it has been so treated.<br><br>The main problem is that tranquilizers and sedatives affect the respiratory and circulatory systems by slowing them down quite a bit. While this is almost never a problem in normal circumstances, at altitude and in aircraft air-pressure, it can lead to physiological distress.<br><br>We are not saying that it is never done, and of course we are not saying it always leads to problems, but because there is a widely recognised increase in health risk, even if minimal, the usual approach is to avoid it unless absolutely necessary.<br><br>When is it absolutely necessary? Well, basically you need to ask: Will the stress which my pet will feel be so extremely serious that he will probably experience health problems or even physical injury while in transit, such that the risk of medication is actually less than the risk of anxiety?<br><br>Some people are so worried about their pets and other animals that this question becomes difficult for them to answer, but our experience is that in 99.9% of the cases, it is the human being who is suffering the most anxiety, albeit from understandable worry. You'd be amazed to see just how casual so many travelling animals are once they've arrived at the other end of the journey.</p> <p>And if you <em>are</em> seriously considering medication, look to <em>anxiolytics </em> instead of sedatives ~ these act differently on the pet's system and are probably safer, though we are still strongly recommending against the use of any medication at all, if at all possible. This said, there are herbal and homeopathic remedies that some feel are helpful alternatives and are usually readily available at pet shops and other locations in the form of sprays, tablets and even food.<br><br>Give it all some thought, speak to your vet, and please be cautious.</p></div>
Sedation: Should I or shouldn't I?
In almost all cases, absolutely...

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