So I had several people this spring who wanted me to ship kids, but I don't ship at this time so i'm wondering what goes into shipping. How does it all work? What are the costs? I really have no clue where to start. What about health certificates, etc.? I am really wanting to ship next year so any advice or guidance would be most appreciated!
KW Farms
-As you mentioned you would need to get a health certificate. Goat must be shipped within 10 days of getting the health certificate or you have to get a new one.
-Check online what flights are available and read all the rules and regulations for the airline you are planning to use.
-Have a kennel the correct size for the goat(s) shipping kennels need to be large enough that the goat can stand up with it's head up and be able to turn around easily. A water dish or cup needs to be attached to the door of the kennel. The dishes that often come with the kennels are usually too shallow for a goat to drink from. Can just get a plastic cup and punch two holes along the back and attach with a plastic zip tie.
-Make sure the bedding has some good absorbent material. Shavings or sawdust under a little hay works well. We have received several kids that were just bedded on hay and they were soaked in urine when they arrived. With a little sawdust in the crate they are always dry and clean.
-Check the weather reports. They cannot ship an animal if the temperature will be above 85 degrees at any stop along the flight.
-Call the airline to make a reservation within 24 hours of shipping.
-Make sure you have the goat there in the amount of time the airline requires. It is usually two hours before if shipping out of cargo or 1 hour before if you ship out of the passenger terminal.
-Depending on the method of shipping you may have to pay on your end. If your shipper chooses to use a VIP service or the cargo office on the other end will be closed at the time the goat arrives you will have to pay on your end. Otherwise you can send COD and they can pay on their end.
-Then you just hope it gets there! Can track the flights online and keep in touch with the person receiving the goat to make sure it arrives okay.
Shannon
Poppy Patch Farm
-Check online what flights are available and read all the rules and regulations for the airline you are planning to use.
-Have a kennel the correct size for the goat(s) shipping kennels need to be large enough that the goat can stand up with it's head up and be able to turn around easily. A water dish or cup needs to be attached to the door of the kennel. The dishes that often come with the kennels are usually too shallow for a goat to drink from. Can just get a plastic cup and punch two holes along the back and attach with a plastic zip tie.
-Make sure the bedding has some good absorbent material. Shavings or sawdust under a little hay works well. We have received several kids that were just bedded on hay and they were soaked in urine when they arrived. With a little sawdust in the crate they are always dry and clean.
-Check the weather reports. They cannot ship an animal if the temperature will be above 85 degrees at any stop along the flight.
-Call the airline to make a reservation within 24 hours of shipping.
-Make sure you have the goat there in the amount of time the airline requires. It is usually two hours before if shipping out of cargo or 1 hour before if you ship out of the passenger terminal.
-Depending on the method of shipping you may have to pay on your end. If your shipper chooses to use a VIP service or the cargo office on the other end will be closed at the time the goat arrives you will have to pay on your end. Otherwise you can send COD and they can pay on their end.
-Then you just hope it gets there! Can track the flights online and keep in touch with the person receiving the goat to make sure it arrives okay.
Shannon
Poppy Patch Farm
Good advice PoppyPatch.
I would also add to make the flights as direct as possible to avoid missed flights or other snafus. And to try to get morning flights if possible because then there are more chances of making flights later in the day if a flight is missed.
The airline we used also required a non slip surface under the absorbant material - so we put rubbery shelf liner in the dog kennels, then hay (absorbtion and food), had little cups for water zip tied on the door. We also clipped the door closed so that there were no accidental openings. Also used bolts with locking nuts to attach the kennel together to avoid any mishaps (the airline we used won't allow the little plastic things that come with the kennel). But with all that said - even tho the airline had a bunch or rules - i never got the impression anyone cared or checked when we checked the goats in.
I only shipped goats once (see other threads) so don't have a lot of experience but the goats were probably calmer about than we were. It seemed that they did fine with an 8 hour flight (the whole day farm to farm was about 12 hours). I would not want them to go longer than that because even tho the airline says they would water the goats you don't want them opening the door and you don't even know if they will anyway.
I would also add to make the flights as direct as possible to avoid missed flights or other snafus. And to try to get morning flights if possible because then there are more chances of making flights later in the day if a flight is missed.
The airline we used also required a non slip surface under the absorbant material - so we put rubbery shelf liner in the dog kennels, then hay (absorbtion and food), had little cups for water zip tied on the door. We also clipped the door closed so that there were no accidental openings. Also used bolts with locking nuts to attach the kennel together to avoid any mishaps (the airline we used won't allow the little plastic things that come with the kennel). But with all that said - even tho the airline had a bunch or rules - i never got the impression anyone cared or checked when we checked the goats in.
I only shipped goats once (see other threads) so don't have a lot of experience but the goats were probably calmer about than we were. It seemed that they did fine with an 8 hour flight (the whole day farm to farm was about 12 hours). I would not want them to go longer than that because even tho the airline says they would water the goats you don't want them opening the door and you don't even know if they will anyway.
Yes I get the impression they don't follow most of their rules very closely either.... We received a kid once in a kennel so small he could not even stand up inside. They were upset about it on the receiving end.
Also you should have some feed the goat is used to eating in the kennel. We usually tie a small bunch of hay to one side with string.
Make sure the name of the person who is picking the goats up at the airport is the same name on the shipping info. They will check the ID of whomever is picking the goat up and it must match or they will not give them the goat.
You must also have their name, address and phone number when you book the reservation.
They will also ask for the dimensions of the kennel so I would have that written down when you call.
Some states may also require TB or Brucellosis testing from any suspect state. WA is not a suspect state at this time so you are safe there. If you are from a suspect state you will want to allow a few extra days with the health certificate to allow tests to be done and then read. On the receiving end goats from a suspect state may have to be quarantined for up to several months and retested and results sent to your state vet. We had to go through this process bringing goats into CA from MI a few years ago.
Shannon
Poppy Patch Farm
Also you should have some feed the goat is used to eating in the kennel. We usually tie a small bunch of hay to one side with string.
Make sure the name of the person who is picking the goats up at the airport is the same name on the shipping info. They will check the ID of whomever is picking the goat up and it must match or they will not give them the goat.
You must also have their name, address and phone number when you book the reservation.
They will also ask for the dimensions of the kennel so I would have that written down when you call.
Some states may also require TB or Brucellosis testing from any suspect state. WA is not a suspect state at this time so you are safe there. If you are from a suspect state you will want to allow a few extra days with the health certificate to allow tests to be done and then read. On the receiving end goats from a suspect state may have to be quarantined for up to several months and retested and results sent to your state vet. We had to go through this process bringing goats into CA from MI a few years ago.
Shannon
Poppy Patch Farm
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
