Sadie goes to Japan.

Well, we all go to Japan, but the first one that people ask about is usually Sadie.  Getting Sadie to Japan has been quite a process, but we are lucky that we were able to do all of it in the United States. 

We started about a year ago with getting her microchipped.  After that we had to do a couple of rounds of Rabies shots, blood tests, health exams, and prior approval procedures.  We will have a few more exams when we land in Japan, but if all goes as planned there will be no quarantine required.  We finished everything up here in the States yesterday with her 10-day health exam.  This is the last exam before flying to make sure that she is safe to travel.  And now all we have left is the actual flight…

For me this is the worst part.  We have to hand her over three hours before the flight and entrust her to the airlines.  We are flying commercial, so they are used to flying with pets, but that doesn’t help to ease my nerves.  We have tried to prepare her by getting her used to the crate, having her drink out of the food and water bowls that are attached to the crate, and trying out Benadryl.  I have been told that she will be in an area of the plane that is the same temperature and pressure as our cabin.  Let’s hope that this is the truth and not something that they say to annoying dog-parents like me who call 20 times before the flight to make sure everything is set (and who physically walk the crate into the airport to get it approved by an airline representative!)

To be honest, the thing that I am most scared about is the noise.  As you have seen in the past, Sadie is not a huge fan of loud noises.  I think that the takeoff and landing would qualify as a loud noise.  But this falls into the category of something that I cannot change, so I am trying not to worry about it too much.

So come Monday morning, Sadie and I will both be medicated (Sadie with Benedryl, me with a Bloody Mary) in an attempt to keep us calm for the duration of our 12-hour flight to Japan until we are reunited.      

And here is what Sadie’s crate looks like in hopes that her cute face will persuade them to take extra special care of our beloved pup (well, this pic and the cash that I will be slipping them as they cart her away.)

She looks totally comfortable, right?!