The story of a flight partner:
It is very early, still dark, my suitcase is packed. I leave Thassos today, as always with a heavy heart, but ... for the first time I will escort a small dog.
I'm excited for the first time I will be flight partner and guide a small puppy on his way to his new home.
I'm a little unsure though, because I do not know how the little one will behave in the plane and what I can do about it.
I carry my suitcase to the street and a few minutes later, the volunteers of ACT arrive, with the little puppy in a transport bag at the back seat with them. They are very kind and for the first time in my life I sit in the front seat of an English car, on the 'wrong' side.
We reach the ferry port and I start to relax more, because the two British animal charity workers, who have been living longer on Thassos, are very nice and explain everything to me and the little puppy sleeps peacefully.
We arrive on the mainland and a short time later at the airport. We park the car and the small dog is gently removed from the transport bag to make sure he has not wet himself. He did indeed, so it is cleaned and they put a new diaper pad in the bag. I am very touched by the loving care with which the dog is handled by the ACT people.
Together we go to the check-in desk and the procedures are smoothly. The lady at the counter looks at the passport of the dog and asks for some patience so she can copy the passport.
Then the time has come, the people of ACT hand over the pass and the little puppy to me, in whom I have already fallen in love. Also passing the security is without any delay. First I have handed over my hand luggage, since I have to take the dog out of the transport bag so that the bag can pass the scan. A short time later I sit with my temporary dog in the waiting area. Everything goes well, the little one curiously looks around him and some fellow passengers ask if it is my dog and where I come from. I kindly answer all questions, tell them about ACT and I enjoy to tell them the story of the little puppy and that in this way he can travel to his new family.
I take my seat in the plane and by the time we reached cruising altitude, I become aware that my worries were completely unjustified. The dog is quiet and sleeps most of the flight to Cologne.
A few hours later I hand over the dog to his new owner and I feel a little sad. In that short time I already have him in my heart.
And so my "first time" passed very quickly, and it was a beautiful first time. I knew it was not the last dog that I would help and would escort to a new life.
What did I have to do?
Absolutely nothing ... except to take the dog and hand it over again, everything else was perfectly organized. The dog that you help on its way to his new home has been medically examined, vaccinated and micro chipped and has a passport in accordance with the EU Regulation. The volunteers of ACT explain the entire procedure and guide the dog to the check in.
Since I usually fly with Germanwings, only small animals up to 8 kg (including transport bag) are allowed in the cabin. But that as well is prearranged, the transport bag is supplied and of course the cost of transporting the animal is paid by ACT or can be paid as a donation by yourself, what I happily do if I can.
On one of my later flights I flew with Air Berlin and could expand my experiences as a flight escort and brought a large pet carrier with three puppies. On the website of the airline company I had previously informed myself, as this time I had booked the animals transport myself. Again, everything was discussed precisely, every question answered and the animals accompanied until the check in, and everything was paid or will be paid when the transport is booked by the flight escort. Again they made sure that the animals do not lie on a wet floor or pad and if necessary everything will be cleaned and changed before check-in.
In case of big transport boxes that go into the heated cargo, the animals are taken out shortly so that the box can be scanned and then they are transported to the hold. Again there are certain conditions to be met by box and weight.
As a large transport box is special baggage, it is separately delivered after landing. At Dusseldorf airport I waited for my suitcase and next to the belt was the passage of special luggage, where a short time later, the box with the three puppies were brought by the airport staff. The staff was so kind to help lift the heavy box with its valuable content on a luggage trolly. After that it's only a few meters to the arrivals hall where the new owner or fosters are waiting impatiently for the dog(s) to arrive.
Later I flew at Thessaloniki because Germanwings and Air Berlin don't fly at Kavala during the winter. Again I notified ACT that I was available as flight escort and the beautiful puppy that I could take this time, was brought by an ACT volunteer to Thessaloniki. We met at the ferry and met up later at the check-in counter in Thessaloniki. Again, everything went smoothly and the dog now lives happily in the Netherlands.
Altogether, these were very nice experiences for me that I often think back of and I would do it again and again when ACT needs me.
Before I forget ... obviously ACT is pleased when the opportunity occurs that someone can bring back empty transport boxes or bags to Thassos. And that would even be less effort, but not as nice as when one can escort a small or large dog to a happy life.
It is very early, still dark, my suitcase is packed. I leave Thassos today, as always with a heavy heart, but ... for the first time I will escort a small dog.
I'm excited for the first time I will be flight partner and guide a small puppy on his way to his new home.
I'm a little unsure though, because I do not know how the little one will behave in the plane and what I can do about it.
I carry my suitcase to the street and a few minutes later, the volunteers of ACT arrive, with the little puppy in a transport bag at the back seat with them. They are very kind and for the first time in my life I sit in the front seat of an English car, on the 'wrong' side.
We reach the ferry port and I start to relax more, because the two British animal charity workers, who have been living longer on Thassos, are very nice and explain everything to me and the little puppy sleeps peacefully.
We arrive on the mainland and a short time later at the airport. We park the car and the small dog is gently removed from the transport bag to make sure he has not wet himself. He did indeed, so it is cleaned and they put a new diaper pad in the bag. I am very touched by the loving care with which the dog is handled by the ACT people.
Together we go to the check-in desk and the procedures are smoothly. The lady at the counter looks at the passport of the dog and asks for some patience so she can copy the passport.
Then the time has come, the people of ACT hand over the pass and the little puppy to me, in whom I have already fallen in love. Also passing the security is without any delay. First I have handed over my hand luggage, since I have to take the dog out of the transport bag so that the bag can pass the scan. A short time later I sit with my temporary dog in the waiting area. Everything goes well, the little one curiously looks around him and some fellow passengers ask if it is my dog and where I come from. I kindly answer all questions, tell them about ACT and I enjoy to tell them the story of the little puppy and that in this way he can travel to his new family.
I take my seat in the plane and by the time we reached cruising altitude, I become aware that my worries were completely unjustified. The dog is quiet and sleeps most of the flight to Cologne.
A few hours later I hand over the dog to his new owner and I feel a little sad. In that short time I already have him in my heart.
And so my "first time" passed very quickly, and it was a beautiful first time. I knew it was not the last dog that I would help and would escort to a new life.
What did I have to do?
Absolutely nothing ... except to take the dog and hand it over again, everything else was perfectly organized. The dog that you help on its way to his new home has been medically examined, vaccinated and micro chipped and has a passport in accordance with the EU Regulation. The volunteers of ACT explain the entire procedure and guide the dog to the check in.
Since I usually fly with Germanwings, only small animals up to 8 kg (including transport bag) are allowed in the cabin. But that as well is prearranged, the transport bag is supplied and of course the cost of transporting the animal is paid by ACT or can be paid as a donation by yourself, what I happily do if I can.
On one of my later flights I flew with Air Berlin and could expand my experiences as a flight escort and brought a large pet carrier with three puppies. On the website of the airline company I had previously informed myself, as this time I had booked the animals transport myself. Again, everything was discussed precisely, every question answered and the animals accompanied until the check in, and everything was paid or will be paid when the transport is booked by the flight escort. Again they made sure that the animals do not lie on a wet floor or pad and if necessary everything will be cleaned and changed before check-in.
In case of big transport boxes that go into the heated cargo, the animals are taken out shortly so that the box can be scanned and then they are transported to the hold. Again there are certain conditions to be met by box and weight.
As a large transport box is special baggage, it is separately delivered after landing. At Dusseldorf airport I waited for my suitcase and next to the belt was the passage of special luggage, where a short time later, the box with the three puppies were brought by the airport staff. The staff was so kind to help lift the heavy box with its valuable content on a luggage trolly. After that it's only a few meters to the arrivals hall where the new owner or fosters are waiting impatiently for the dog(s) to arrive.
Later I flew at Thessaloniki because Germanwings and Air Berlin don't fly at Kavala during the winter. Again I notified ACT that I was available as flight escort and the beautiful puppy that I could take this time, was brought by an ACT volunteer to Thessaloniki. We met at the ferry and met up later at the check-in counter in Thessaloniki. Again, everything went smoothly and the dog now lives happily in the Netherlands.
Altogether, these were very nice experiences for me that I often think back of and I would do it again and again when ACT needs me.
Before I forget ... obviously ACT is pleased when the opportunity occurs that someone can bring back empty transport boxes or bags to Thassos. And that would even be less effort, but not as nice as when one can escort a small or large dog to a happy life.
