Freedom Flights: How Pups Get Home
So you´ve fallen in love with one of ADLA´s satos. We get it; they´re pretty adorable. Don´t let the fact that you live outside of Puerto Rico stop you from adopting. Did you know that ADLA can ship our dogs across the United States to get them to their new home?
Flight Angels
If your new best friend is pint-sized, they can be flown to you by a Flight Angel. Flight Angels are compassionate volunteers who add a dog to their reservation when they fly from Puerto Rico to the contiguous United States. Thanks to Flight Angels, Puerto Rican satos who would likely never be adopted if they stayed on the island are flown to their forever home or one of our partner shelters. By simply swapping their normal carry-on bag to a pet carrier, Flight Angels play a vital role in changing a sato’s life.
The first step to getting a sato off the island is ensuring that they are caught up on their vaccinations. ADLA dogs all have the necessary vaccines and paperwork for adoption in the United States. In addition, depending on the airline, the minimum age for a pup to fly in-cabin is either 8 or 10 weeks. The maximum weight permitted is often 20 pounds, though Spirit allows up to 40 pounds. ADLA makes sure that dogs are matched with the right Flight Angel on the right airline.
The fee to add a dog to a flight reservation ranges from $95 to $125. Some airlines even allow two dogs per carrier if need be, so a Flight Angel can transport more than one sato. On the part of ADLA, carrier dimensions matter as well. Maximum carrier dimensions can be as large as 18 by 14 by 9 inches, depending on the airline.
If you are interested in volunteering as a Flight Angel, fill out their online form to be matched with a dog or cat from various animal rescues in Puerto Rico. You can also reach out to ADLA at info@amigosdelosanimalespr.org to let us know about your upcoming flight plans.
Flying in Cargo
Some satos who are adopted on the mainland are too large to fly in-cabin, in which case they must travel in cargo. In these cases, ADLA waives our adoption fee, which includes spay/neuter, flea, tick, and heartworm prevention medication, vaccines, and the SNAP 4DX test. In addition, we cover the cost of the health certificate required for bringing the dog to the United States.
The adopter only pays for the shipping crate and cargo flight. For most dogs, this works out to approximately $450-$500 in total. ADLA can ship dogs anywhere in the continental United States. However, if we are shipping to the West Coast, the dog may need to stay overnight in a hotel, which could add to the cost of adoption. While we are unable to ship to Hawaii or Alaska, if you live outside the United States, we may still be able to send a dog to you. Just ask!
Welcoming Your New Best Friend Home
No matter how your new dog flies, you can rest assured that they will get to you safe and sound. We will take care of all of the necessary paperwork; you just need to pick them up at the airport with two forms of id.
So what are you waiting for? Right now, ADLA has several dogs waiting patiently for a new home. Fill out an adoption form and let us help you find your perfect match.
