Older bunny trans-continental travel advice

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This topic has 1sd reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by jerseygirl.

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- 04/21/2017 at 6:16 PM
  pyrosyr
  Participant
  1 posts
  Hello all,
  
  I stumbled across this forum and I wanted to ask for your opinions on air travel with an older bunny.
  
  My Holland Lop/Netherlands Dwarf mix will be 7 years old in September. I got him in the US and when I moved back across the ocean I took him with me. He was 6 months old at that time and he made it through as checked baggage in 3 flights over 20 hours with no problems. I used Delta Airlines at that time.
  
  Years later I moved back to the US and I had to leave him with my family back in my country. I really want to bring him to the US with me this next fall. On the other hand, it will take just as much traveling as it did before, 3 flights over 20-24 hours. And this time, from my understanding, Delta will not accept him as checked baggage – only cargo. There is no other airline that I can use in my case.
  
  I’m scared to my bones that something might happen to him if I send him through cargo service. He’s much older now and it breaks my heart to think he might not make it through the trip. I know he’s well taken care of back at home, but I raised him since he was 6-7 weeks old and he recognizes me and interacts with me differently compared to other family members. And I miss him.
  
  I guess my question is, is 7 years too old for a long, trans-continental travel? Would you take that risk?
- 04/24/2017 at 12:42 AM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22345 posts
  Oh, tough one. A hard decision for you. I can certainly understand you wanting him with you, especially now in this later part of his life. Would you be moving again also though? Or you plan to stay in the US long term now? My concern would be if you did bring him out now, but then had to move, you would be looking at him traveling that distance when he’s even older – or having to leave him with someone in the US. That scenario would be even more difficult for you…
  
  I really am torn as too which choice I would make if I was you. In one way, I want to say it sounds like he is content with your family. But your bond with him sounds special also… I have a rabbit I had from 4 weeks of age and he’s bonded with me pretty much. I would find it difficult to be away from him. He would probably cope, but I wouldn’t!
  
  I think the bun being in Cargo would be the deal-breaker for me.
  
  I think if I decided to leave the bun with family, I would see about getting him a companion to bond with if my family were open to that. Then I would adopt another rabbit (or 2 ) in the US as companions for myself.
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