Flight companions

Unfortunately, many of the dogs whom we have got back into good shape and vaccinated still have to be sent to Germany as it is very difficult to find GOOD homes for our protégés here in Mallorca. They are flown to Germany where they are keenly awaited by their new owners. This creates problems insofar as they are not allowed to board the plane unaccompanied. They need a flight companion who will take charge of the animal at Palma airport. All that is required to check in a dog or a cat is a ticket and we will, of course, take care of this. At the destination airport you will be met by someone from our organisation or by the new owner. You are not required to do anything personally or to meet any of the costs.
This is one other way in which you can help us to facilitate the transfer of our protégés to a new and carefree future.
If you have any questions or reservations please feel free to contact us.

Many thanks for your help.

And this is exactly how it works

There is, of course, nothing that you have to do yourself. Once you have e-mailed us your flight details (booking number, flight number, departure and arrival times, destination airport and airline), we can register the dog according to weight limits: up to 5kg they can accompany you in the flight cabin, over 5kg they have to go as freight.

We would normally pay the extra cost directly by credit card where this is possible. Some airlines require payment at the check-in desk and this will be taken care of by the person who brings the dog to the airport. He or she will also bring a fax printout confirming that the dog has been booked onto the flight.
Our ‘dog transfer courier’ will be waiting for you at your check-in desk one and a half hours before your departure with a dog either in a freight box if it weighs over 5kg or in a travelling bag if it weighs less. In the case of a small dog in a travelling bag, it will be handed to you after you have checked in and you will take it on board. If it is a larger dog, you will have fulfilled your responsibility here in Mallorca after you have checked in and the courier will present the dog in its container at the excess luggage desk. At your destination you will need to take receipt of it (dog boxes are normally wheeled out of a door next to the luggage belts), place it on a trolley in its box and take it through customs.

In both cases the courier will hand you the duly completed vaccination documentation for the dog at the check-in. This will show that the dog was vaccinated against rabies at least one month before departure, that his passport has been stamped with a health certification no earlier than 24 hours before plus a stamp to show that the dog has been wormed and a chip issued in the name of our association.
We will probably give the dog a small dose of travel medication so that it does not get over-excited.
All we would ask you to do, therefore, is to register yourself as the owner in the vaccination certificate in the event that this is checked by the airline since they always want the owner to accompany the dog in person. Nonetheless, responsibility will rest with us as the chip is issued in our name and comes under our public liability insurance.
At your destination airport you will be met on the other side of customs by someone who knows what sort of dog to expect and will therefore recognise and approach you.

In the event that we ourselves cannot send any of our protégés owing to lack of placements we would nonetheless like to pass your kind offer on to one of our sister organisations who share our objectives and operate in a similar fashion in case they can take you up on it.

Perhaps this charming letter from one of our flight companions will help allay any misgivings:

Hello Silke,

As you know, I’ve been back for a few days now so I thought I should contact you again to let you know how things went.

The flight arrangements went very smoothly with no problems at all. In fact everything was much simpler than we expected.

As you have probably already heard, we took a second dog with us that Heidi wanted to place with a family in Stuttgart. We were naturally delighted that we were able to help transport not one dog but two at the same time to their new owners.

So thanks once again for getting back to us so quickly after our initial enquiry and for organising everything so superbly.

It was a super experience for us too and when the owners met their new dogs at the airport with such expectation and joy it was a really moving occasion that I will certainly never forget.

Anyway, if I come to Mallorca again I shall be sure to get in touch right away.

Unfortunately, I am left with some unhappy memories of how the Spaniards treat their animals and there are some aspects of their behaviour that I find absolutely incomprehensible. During our short stay we saw some terribly neglected dogs kept on short leads and several emaciated and worn out horses pulling carriages full of tourists round Palma. Just thinking what life is like for them is enough to make you weep. But I’m sure you’re only too familiar with this sort of story from personal experience.

Finally I just wanted to say that I hope we stay in contact. Please do not hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do for you here in Germany. Whatever it may be I am only too pleased to help. Just send me an e-mail or give me a call. I would be so pleased.

Till then my very best wishes, many thanks and all the best for FIRST AID ANIMALES!

Steffi

P.S. Say hello to all the animals for me.

4th April 2005

Or this one..........

Dear Silke,

Last year when I was in Mallorca with a friend on a short holiday we knew from the start that we were going to help fly out some dogs that had been reserved for us and had undergone a thorough medical check-up. I just wanted to report that everything went perfectly at the Palma airport check-in since all the dogs’ paperwork was in order. Air Berlin were really friendly and all the dogs arrived safely at the other end. I was so pleased that we were instrumental in helping a few doggies start a new and happier life and would therefore urge other people to get involved and do their bit.

When you see how dogs are treated in Spain, how neglected they are and that they are regarded as some sort of disposable good, it is impossible to look the other way. There are plenty of people here in Germany who would gladly adopt a rescue animal: after all, quite apart from all the mongrels there are some fabulous pedigree dogs that would otherwise be staring death in the face.

Best wishes

Karin

3rd May 2005

FIRST AID ANIMALES MALLORCA,

Jaime I, Nr. 76, 7200 Felanitx, Mallorca, Tel.:(0034) 618725166