Today it is raining, so our beach trip has been postponed - Thank God! We love the beach, and some of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the Virgin Islands are on St.Croix's shores. In fact, the end scene from the movie "Shawshank Redemption" was not shot in Mexico as the film depicts, it was actually filmed at Sandy Point here on the West side of the island. It's crystal clear blue waters and calm currents make it home to a large turtle nesting area. We aren't allowed to go there, because dogs can disrupt the nests or eat the turtle eggs that lie relatively unprotected in the sand. WE wouldn't dream of doing that, but rules are rules.
There is a beach at our house, but we almost never go there because we are afraid of the water. Stephanie takes us out on our "walk-walks," and sometimes we'll head down to the beach and just sit staring out at beautiful Buck Island (pictured above from our vantage point). It is quite a task to get us down there, we like to pull on our leashes, but once we are actually on the sand, we find it quite relaxing.
We've been asked some specifics about our travel back and forth from the mainland. We are finding that many people are curious about this process and have sent us emails asking for more information. We will try our best to give you what we think will interest you, but let's face it, we're dogs. Throw us a bone people - we can be reached at stephstevens1@aol.com. But seriously, we are excited that there has already been such a great response. We've already picked outfits for our first red carpet event (we've already hired the producer- wonder who?).
SO...How Did We Get Here?
It is so easy and painless to get here, that we wish more people would come visit us! St. Croix (STX) is located approximately 90 miles east of Puerto Rico, which has a large international airport (SJU). PR is 1100 miles southeast of Miami (MIA), and New York (which has 3 airports) measures at 1650 miles. What does that mean in "how long are we going to have to sit on the airplane" terms? It's 3 hours from New York to Puerto Rico. From PR you take a propeller plane to STX, and that takes 30 minutes or so in airtime. That's nothing! It takes longer to go from New York to the Hampton's in the summer than it takes to get here! We love the commute and find it very fast and easy.
If you're concerned about your pets, don't be, but we understand the anxiety associated with letting go of your animals for a few hours and trusting others to their safety. It's scary to let us go, but we are fine, and the airport staff is really nice to us. We 're going to give you some helpful tips that can help get your pets to St. Croix safely. Perhaps that will alleviate some of your trepidation with the process.
Although Santi is small enough to travel in an approved carrier in the cabin, let's just say, I am a bit more robust. We are put into an airline approved large carrier together. When we check in, the attendant is given a Proof of Health Document which states that the dogs have been vaccinated. Depending on the time of year, you may need an additional document which will stipulate at which temperatures your animal is safe to fly. Each airline has their own protocol when it comes to appropriate documentation needed for pet travel. Make sure you check online and print out the requirements stipulated on the website. Sometimes the exact guidelines don't filter down to airport personnel, because they change so frequently. If you have an issue at the airport you are going to want to make sure that you have both the letter from the vet with proof of vaccination, and a separate one that details the temperature safe to fly, plus a print out of the company's website. This particular document would make it difficult for an employee to dispute at check in. We cannot stress this enough - Be sure to always check your airlines website - they will have a full listing of what's required. Read it and learn it, because if you do not have the exact documentation, your pets will not get on the plane, and most carriers do NOT offer refunds. There is very little wiggle room here.
Once we've checked in and are cleared at the ticket counter, we are sent to another area so that our carrier can be inspected by TSA. Not going to lie, this is not our favorite part. Not because it is painful or disruptive, but we are part terrier (we think) and when people we don't know approach our cage, we WILL bark, and LOUDLY! I don't think our owners like this part either. They seem embarrassed, but it's a necessary procedure and doesn't take any longer than 5 minutes or so. It is at this point that we leave you, and our adventure below the cabin begins.
For our part, we are great. We are comfortable in our cages. We have sheepskin rugs as a base, wear t-shirts that keep us warm, and each of us has a favorite toy. We have heard there are some people that give prescription drugs to their animals, but our owners do not. You know your animals better than we do, so use your discretion, and of course always talk to your vet about your options.
Once you get on the plane talk to your flight attendant. Remind her that you are traveling with animals, and ask for them to check with the pilot to ensure your pet is onboard. This does two things: one - it gives you piece of mind that you are not going to arrive at your destination without your pets, and two - it informs the pilot that he/she can monitor the temperature and pressure in the cargo hold of the plane, which will make your pet feel more comfortable. Please remember that the boarding process can be chaotic, so give the attendant some time to do this. If you find that they are closing the cabin doors and you still haven't heard back, then it is appropriate to ring the call bell and ask for a progress report. Our owners are lucky. They can hear us barking when we board the plane. We like to give a nice loud shout out so that they know we're thinking about 'em.
Most of you will have a connection in either Miami or in Puerto Rico. This is where we like the fact that there is extensive labeling on our cages. We have stickers on the exterior of our cages that are clearly visible to anyone who comes in contact with us. These are: Live Animals, We are Very Friendly, and Hello our names are ... There is also the standard baggage claim sticker that has a bar code, a corresponding number, and the names of our owners. We recommend you jot that number down, it couldn't hurt. When we start barking people have looked at our stickers and called us by name. This will generally quiet us, and it makes those that are transporting us more at ease. Any helpful information you give to others is a plus! We can't actually speak the words: "we are friendly and not going to hurt anyone", so the stickers do it for us.
Recently we were delayed in Puerto Rico. It's hot there, and our owners spoke with the gate agent about our situation. Because it was too hot for anyone to wait on the plane, it was obviously too hot for us. We have fur. It's warm. The gate agent allowed her to view where we were being kept. We were in the shade and these nice airline guys gave us water. If you have questions about the status of your pet that are within reason, ask. Be proactive, but be considerate please. If you lose your cool, people are not going to want to help you. It should go without saying, but you know the phrase: "you catch more bees with honey." The same is true here.
Once you have boarded the second flight repeat what you did on the first. Talk to the flight attendant to ensure your pets have made it onboard. You should consider weight restrictions when traveling on smaller aircraft. Sometimes animals are placed on a later flight because of an overweight situation. Inquiring about their status is imperative here. Our owners have dealt with this before and they were able to resolve the issue while on the plane, and we were delivered to the cargo hold. There are times when you cannot resolve this issue onboard. Again use your discretion, but our advice would be to get off the flight, find your animals and trouble shoot from there. This scenario has happened only once in the 6 years we have been commuting from the states to the islands. Follow your instincts and remember to be polite. Islanders will always greet you with a "good morning, good afternoon, or good-night." Do the same, and this can make all the difference.
Once you get to your final destination, your pets will always be unloaded first. We LOVE traveling around that luggage belt. Our tails are always wagging about a mile a minute, and of course, it's always nice to come home. We want you to come visit us, everyone here wants you to come visit, so please do. It's a beautiful island, this home of ours. After all it is called America's Paradise - it says so right on the license plate...we think.
Now book a flight - BIG KISSES!
Santi and Soleil
