This is Michael Bairefoot. I am flying to Reno and Boston with four doves. I have read the articles that Delta has on its website. Has anyone else here flown with doves? If so, how much trouble was it at the check in counter. Thanks for the help in advance.

Michael,
If I were you, I'd contact Dan Sperry or Tony Clark directly.

Michael,

You can mail up to six doves overnite at the Post Office for less than $25. They will be at the destination by 3PM tomorrow. I've been doing this since the 70s and never lost a dove or had one come late. They are used to shipping lab animals and they seem to be really careful with them.

Unfortunately, other props are safer sent other ways. They can even lose costumes!

Good Luck!

Bob
Magic By Sander

Bob's right. I send all my doves priority overnight through the post office. I've only had one situation where it took 3 days because of a postal error but the birds were fine. It's the cheapest and easiest way to ship.

Domestically, USPS is the best. You cannot ship parakeets though. The airlines just suck when it comes to transporting animals.

If you prefer to have the animals on the plane, you can always ship them air freight. This requires making an appointment, then going to the airport about 4 hours prior to your flight (depending on the size of the airport). You then check the birds in there, get back in your car, and head over to the terminal. The air freight office is usually within minutes from the airport. In fact, it's normally part of the airport, but just a separate wing.

Hope this helps!

Dave

Wow, I never knew the priority mail trick. I will keep in mind when I work with a guy that uses a bird again. It will save me worrying about transporting it.

Richard

Thanks fellows. You have been a great help.

Bairefoot

Michael, I took 9 doves with me to Vegas flying Delta and did not encounter a problem at all. I basically reserved a spot in the cabin for animals (you do not necessarily have to tell them what usually) I put the doves in a carrier and the carrier in a pet duffle bag ( has mesh sides)...going through security you have to tell them you have animals and can't take them thru the x ray machine. They will take the carrier around and swab it for explosives. Then on the plane I put them under my seat and definintely tell as few people as necessary you have animals. It helps save hassle and extra money. But it is a good idea to reserve a spot in the cabin because that is usually pretty limited and it's good to have it should you encounter a problem at all. I got most of my info from Dan Sperry. Over the years he has answered tons of questions I had and helped me with my act etc. because he has gone thru pretty much any situation I can think of. So for more info definitely ask Dan. He is the man. (no ryhme intended)
Take care,
Tim

Just a note on the mail service. The post office is very understanding when it comes to animals. As I mentioned, I had one case that took 3 days to find a misdirected shipment but the postal tracing people worked the issue 24/7 until they found the birds. I got a phone call every few hours with an update and they even asked for instructions to give them food and water once they were located.

I always included plenty of food and a water source when I ship just in case but it was nice to know how concerned they were as well as being willing to help doves.

Dave is giving credit where credit is due. Certainly the Post Office has to think of me as public enemy #1 because I expect a lot of them and too infrequently return with the gratitude I should.

Recently, they worked hard for me tracking a package that got sidetracked in US Customs. They stayed with it until we had an answer and my props. And they delivered them to my door. That is great service! We should be both grateful and proud.

Bob
Magic By Sander

Just a thought, could a moistened sponge be placed in the box that the birds could get moisture out of if needed? There might be problems with the bird trying to ingest the sponge. But just a though.

Richard

Richard, a sponge in a small feeder cup attached inside the box works well and so does papertowels. They seem to be able to peck at it and get enough water to last them.

Use bread that's saturated as well. It can be used like the sponge idea to keep them hydrated as well as keep them full for a longer time if needed. It also doesn't spill around like seed can.

Right Dave. Shimada has transported his doves all over the world using a wet sponge or paper towels in a feeder dish to keep them hydrated. However, Sperris' idea of wet bread serves two purposes - hydrated and fed doves. It's a great idea!

I have been traveling with birds for over 10 years and have never heard of the USPS idea. It's not even in print in any of the books that I read on traveling with animals. Here are some of the questions that I have. First off can you ship them in thier airline approved carrier with perches and a food dish instead of a cardboard box? The other question is how many doves can you put in one carrier or receptacle, and what kind of dimensions are we talking about?

I have always traveled with them either on the plane or through air cargo. I know that when I do this I need current health cirtificates. Are they needed for domestic travel through the USPS? Do they check to see if the states being used have bans on birds due to New Castles, or West Nile? Do they need to know the temperature of the area being shipped to or from to determine if the birds can withstand it while on the loading dock?

If anyone has the answer to these questions it would be greatly appriciated. As I mentioned this is the first time that I have ever heard anything like this in my many years of travel with the animals in and out of the country.

Thanks,
Puck

Puck, when I raised doves for sale, I always shipped them through the mail, priority overnight. The regulation says up to 6 birds and there is supposedly an age restriction however, I have never been asked either of these questions. The shipping container does not have to be an approved box. I've shipped 6 birds in a box used to hold copy paper so it was approximately 12" x 12" x 18". I didn't put perches in the box but did put wood chips on the bottom. The container for water was just a simple plastic seed container and I sprinkled some seed on the floor.

Poke holes in the box and write live animals on all sides, tape the box shut and you're all set to go. The post office can tell you how long it will take to deliver whether next morning or next afternoon.

There are no documents required and they don't ask about diseases like west nile or new castle. I don't know about shipping them in an airline approved carrier but they might.

Again, I've never tried to ship them internationally, only within the US.