Jasper the World Traveling Dog

A simple plan or we thought….

Oh Jasper the world traveling dog! With the visas squared away we booked our tickets using miles for October 9. Two weeks to wrap up our life in Tacoma. I call British Airways to add Jasper to our ticket. I thought he might be in the cabin with us or they would guide me on how to get him on the cargo side, still on the same flight. We learn that British Airways partners with IAG cargo to transport animals to England. And, is the only airline transporting animals during the pandemic.

Not so simple plan…

All other airlines require you to use a private pet transport company. The only IAG office on the west coast accepting animals during this time is in Los Angele. Great, not only need to travel to LA to get Jasper to England he will not be on our flight!

The IAG customer service representatives are working remotely from home and the method of correspondence is via email. They do not accept phone calls or provide you with a phone number. Therefore a quick 5 minute phone call took over two hours of back and forth emails in which I learned that Jasper’s processing time is 8-10 hours after arrival. We must now schedule our flight 8-10 hours after his since upon arrival we go into quarantine and cannot leave to pick up Jasper. We also learn he MUST travel cargo and cannot ride in the cabin on an international flight. Only service animals allowed to travel in the cabin. And Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC) only accepts animals during the week. Our original departure date is now out the window.

The first change in our flight reservations: October 9th flight to Oct 14th. We request to book for Jasper to leave on the 13^th from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) arriving on the 14^th, crickets. The HARC is fully booked on Oct 14^th. Second change to our reservations: October 14^th to October 16.  Jasper is now scheduled to leave out of LAX on a direct flight to Heathrow London Oct 15^th allowing for the 8-10 hour processing time.

EEA Health Certificate

EEA Health Certificate: The EEA (European Economic Area) pet certificate aka “doggy passport” for Jasper required another juggling act of dates and appointment. First the EEA certificate needs to be completed by a FDA veterinarian (vet). Then it needs to be mail overnight to the FDA for their stamp, a literal stamp, of approval making it legit and sent back to us all within 10 days of traveling. To top it off Jasper needs to take a tape worm medicine in front of the FDA vet within 5 days of arriving which needs to be documented on the certificate. The catch…the only FDA vet at our veterinary’s office works part time on Tuesday/Wednesday.

October 7th she fills the health certificate it get sent electronically to FDA for their stamp of approval. Time is now ticking we have to be in England by the 17^th or at least Jasper does.

October 13 Jasper’s vet appointment for tape worm medicine. Still no update from FDA with the certificate which now needs to be amended stating Jasper received his medication. This is two days before Jasper departure date from Los Angeles.

The night of October 13 we receive a UPS notification that our package, the doggy passport, will arrive the following day by 9pm. The passport still needs to be amended by the vet. The vet kindly gave us her personal cell phone number and stated we could go to her house if the paperwork did not arrive prior to vet offices closing at 5pm. Since the following day I am scheduled to fly out at 6am to drop off Jasper in Los Angeles for his flight.

Chasing the UPS Truck

October 14^th I took action. I called UPS to get the package delivered prior to the vet office closing for the day. The UPS phone representative indirectly state I could look for the truck by driving around my neighborhood, saying “well you could drive around and look for it if you wanted.” desperate I took it literally. Frazzled he wanted to take his words back but I was already turning my phone off. I started driving around the neighborhood using the UPS app that tracks the location of your package. I stopped and asked three UPS trucks driving till I found the sacred driver with my package. He asked what was so important that I was driving around looking for it. I told him an abbreviate version and by coincidence he said had lived in England for six months after the army. He loved it there. A small happenstance but one that made me feel I was on the right path even if it meant driving around stopping random UPS trucks.

Los Angeles

On October 15 one day before we are scheduled to leave to England I head to LAX with Sil a dear friend. She is a flight attendant and offered her buddy pass, her company and her to make sure things went smoothly, I gratefully said yes. We departed Seattle on the first flight of the day leaving behind misty cold fall weather and landing on a hot 93 degree LA day.

We walked around LAX dripping in sweat still wearing our layers from the Pacific Northwest looking the for the Uber parking lot and the shuttle to take us there, a mysterious invisible shuttle that is nowhere to be found. After an hour and multiple unsuccessful Uber requests I gave up and rented a car for the day. We took a random LAX bus to a bus stop where a van waited to take us the rental car office, a bit sketchy. In my haste I rented the car for the following day, not that day. The rental company kindly corrected my error. The hidden angels around us that give me hope.

After a quick jaunt to the dusty pee saturated off leach dog park near we LAX we attempted to drop of Jasper but the IAG cargo office but they stated we could not drop him off till 4pm. It as noon, we decided to get lunch and take a breather at the beach.

The Crate

We arrive at the IAG cargo offices promptly at 4pm. Sil and I planning to catch a 5:40pm flight back to Seattle. I filled out the paperwork, simple. I am about to send off Jasper when the attendant starts measuring the crate, then Jasper, then the crate over and over again. He notifies me that the crate is too small and Jasper cannot be accepted. He will be denied entry at Heathrow with his current crate.

The Meltdown

This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Remember, I am simultaneously dealing with a bilateral eye infection. I start SOBBING, loud ugly crying, mad as hell at Gary for incorrectly measuring the crate and Jasper. The male care attendant fidgets visibly uncomfortable say “let me see if I have another one” and scatters away. 15 minutes later he comes back with a wooden crate big enough for Jasper. Jasper hesitant to go in but I entice him some treats and guide him in.

My eyes still weeping now for Jasper, being forced to travel in an unfamiliar crate. The care attendant tells me he needs to find go out the cost of the crate asking me to wait in the lobby. I let Sil know about the delay. Now unsure if will make our flight I start to plan for the possibility of spending. Still weeping, I walk to lobby carrying the unused crate. I am slowly letting go of all the stress, the grief of leaving my home, and bitter sweetness of it all. Allowing the emotions drain out of me. The universe gave me those twenty minutes to gather myself. The attendant updated me stating they were waiting to hear from Heathrow to find out the cost of the crate. Another ten minute after that they come back with the new total that includes the wooden crate. I pay. We return the rental car. Take the shuttle back to the airport. Grateful that is no lines at TSA. We walk on the flight, the last two people on the last flight to Seattle.