I was hesitant to fly my dog via United's Petsafe program, based on research and reviews from other users. While the process to prepare the dog for travel is a bit annoying, once I arrived at the cargo area of Logan Airport in Boston, my dog was processed and handled with ease. When I was on the plane, I could even see the Petsafe van arrive, where they kept her inside with air conditioning until the last bags had been loaded on the plane. When we arrived in Houston, I saw the van arrive right after we taxiied to the gate and she was unloaded and put into the Petsafe van quickly. When I went to pick her up from Cargo, she was in good spirits and they helped me to cut the zip ties so she could get out of the kennel (seems silly to add, but I did have trouble with this flying on another airline previously and was unable to get my anxious dog out of the kennel for some time after retrieving her). Based on other reviews, I was sure to acquire the recommended Petmate kennel and kennel cup as to avoid any trouble with appropriate kennels, as I'd read others had a problem with this in the past. I also obtained the health certificate from Petsmart's Banfield Hospital , a large chain, to avoid any troubles with the certificate from a small vet hospital as I'd seen a few others had previously. The reviews here really helped me prepare and draw attention to areas that can be tricky with the service. If you follow all the steps, you shouldn't have too much trouble. You have to send in the documents at least 5 days before your flight for approval, so if there is any problem, they will let you know and you have time to resubmit. If you need any help, or have questions, they are very helpful and informative. I will probably fly with United's program again if needed. ***Be sure that if you have a mixed breed dog, you get the vet to write one of the breeds they think the dog could be on the certificate, as initially my certificate was rejected because she had not included anything more than that the dog was mixed breed. read more

I have never actually used PetSafe but the reason of my rating comes from almost being scammed by someone who might possibly work for this company. His name is Francisco Morales and he claims to be selling a puppy because he needs the money for his sick daughter. (Disgusting) he sent a picture of a receipt from PetSafe that looked extremely legit and could have fooled me. I found him on Facebook and his name might be Francisco Morales although I don't know if he came up with a fake name. His real name might be Jean Luis. The shipping address used in the receipt is from a restaurant in NM which I called but apparently he doesn't work there. If he is an employee at United PetSafe he should be fired for taking advantage of the company to lure people into paying him $400!!!! read more

United PetSafe - Scam Receipt. The address used is from a restaurant in New Mexico - Pet Transportation Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Pro is that my pets were healthy when they arrived and I have no reason to believe they were mishandled, there was water in their trays and a few treats in their crates. Cons: the entire system. I booked the flights as I was moving to California and my boyfriend was to drop them off at Newark. I asked if I could pay when I reserved and they said no only at drop off. My boyfriend arrived 2.5 hours early as requested and the credit card system was down, they refused to accept another form of payment and would not put the cats on a flight without a payment. My boyfriend waited for hours at the airport as we already got the health certs and all. They were booked for a flight 4.5 hours later than the original with an additional 4 hour layover. This severely extended the cats travel time entirely unnecessarily. read more

I'd like to start by saying my review is based on my experience alone. I've read some of the horrible reviews, and my sympathy goes out to those that didn't have a pleasant experience. After reading the reviews, I planned my dog's trip very carefully, trying to avoid a lot of the issues others had by doing the following: 1) I booked a direct flight. My 6 yr old, 70 lb boxer/leopard dog flew from Newark to San Diego, no lay overs, no connecting flights. 2) I read the cage criteria carefully and clarified any questions I had with a representative over the phone. I purchased my large cage from Amazon for $87 and I had no issues using it. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003E6YYYK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) 3) I booked an early morning flight, researching both late evening and early morning flights, in the event my dog was left on the tarmac for any expended period of time. I wanted to alleviate any possible issues of her having direct sun exposure. I am thankful for everyone's previous reviews, because this allowed me to be well prepared. My dog had a safe, good experience. When she got to San Diego, she was in good spirits and didn't seem overly stressed from what she just experienced. The reason I only gave 4 stars is because when we got to the Pick Pack area to drop her off, the air was not on (luckily we were there in the early morning so it wasn't to hot). The agents were SUPER friendly, they did proceed to give my dog ice. They tried to put our minds at ease, as we were stressed leaving her. Our over all experience was good. I hope this review helps, as the past reviews helped us plan a successful trip for our dog. read more

I wanted to give this 5 stars, but I want to bring attention to the poor guy manning the cargo desk at Dulles airport by himself. I arrived at 3:00 PM for a 5:10 PM flight but my dog didn't get processed until after 4 PM because this dude was working alone. Luckily it all worked out, but I think any patience and customer service skills he may have had were lost in the sheer stress of how busy it was. That said, my dog survived! I had read so many horror stories about United PetSafe - and I really think some of the issues are the expectations of pet owners. I was worried about my dog's safety on this flight, but I booked a non-stop ticket so that there wouldn't be any issues with layovers. When I got on my plane, I told the flight attendant that this was my first time flying my dog as cargo and that I was anxious. About 10 minutes later the pilot came to my seat, said he had been down below and that my black lab was doing fine and seemed happy. When I got to my destination (PDX), the cargo office was closed, but I could see through the window that my dog was already there waiting for me. The guy working the area let me in and I was able to take my doggo home and he seems none worse for the wear. His water dish had obviously been refilled. Would I do it again? Sure, if I had to. If you are planning to put your beloved on a plane, do your research, read the reviews good and bad, and plan ahead and if you can avoid a layover do so, and if you can be on the same flight as your pet, do that as well. read more

This is like the worst service ever. We spent $450 on having our 10 week young kitten shipped with Petsafe- Flight delayed 3-4 times - no notifications calls on changes - - contact united cargo at 1pm ?? No answer busy busy - call united newark at 6:00 pm to 6;45 , phone was busy or off hook whole time - - 6:55 received text confirmation that flight 4383 left airport with kitten Drove 40 miles to Charlotte Douglas airport! No kitten !!! No calls! Horrible Horrible Fail! - Called customer service at Newark, kitten pushed onto Morning flight as driver missed plane! Anyhow, Worst Bunch of AIRCLOWNS I've MET! Steer clear! read more

If United Petsafe is your only option to take your animals on vacation, please, for the love of God, get a pet sitter instead. If you're reading this please take into account that there are only 1 star experiences and 5 star experiences on this yelp page. It's pretty obvious that the people who put 5 stars were paid to do so, or are employees of United. Or maybe they clicked the wrong Petsafe page... and by doing so are not referring to United Petsafe in Newark NJ. My boyfriend and I recently flew from SFO to EWR with our Doberman. We were told at SFO that our dog would be fed, walked and bathed during the flight. This was very important because our flight was delayed and he would be in the crate for 14 hours. When we arrived to pick him up, his food was still taped to the top of his crate. When we asked why his food was still there, they said that they must've forgotten to feed him. I then asked if this was normal and they said, "No this never happens." However in the corner of the room there were multiple zip lock bags of dog food from previous people. (Pictures to prove it). This is clearly a common occurrence. Other than the fact that they almost KILLED my dog by starving him... it gets worse. On the flight back, we dropped him off at the United Petsafe at EWR. I've never experienced front desk people more rude, unempathetic or incompetent than Monica and Regina at United Petsafe in Newark. We walked in to a room full of frantic pet parents who had been waiting for their pets for hours. Concerned parents would politely ask where their pets were and the front desk attendants would rudely answer in the most unhelpful ways possible. Then as the pet parents would walk away, Monica and Regina would make rude comments and literally talk shit about the people out loud for everyone to hear... including the people they were talking shit about. Finally, after waiting almost an hour for them to check in the ONE dog in front of us, we get to the front desk... Monica looks at my dog and says, "You're dog can't fit in that crate." Meanwhile, it's clear that he can fit in the crate, and he just flew from SFO to EWR a week prior in the same crate. (I have pictures of my dog standing next to the crate to prove that he has more than half of the crate above his head.) Confused... I wondered why she would say such a ridiculous thing, and then she followed with, "You're gonna have to buy our crate for $250.00." Obviously this is a scam by United considering the biggest crate IMAGINABLE that money can buy is half of that price. Oh by the way... the new crate was 3 times the size of my dog. We knew there was no sense arguing with these people so we paid it. As I turned around to stick my card back in my wallet, another United attendant says to Regina, "Regina put your middle finger down." It was clear that Regina had given us the finger behind our backs. I was so flabbergasted I couldn't even speak. I stood there in complete silence as Monica began making MORE rude comments right in front of my face, almost to justify Regina getting caught giving us the finger. We stood there at the end and asked what we were supposed to do with our dogs previous crate. She told me I could donate it to United. HOW CONVENIENT! Thank you United for charging me an astronomical amount of money to fly my dog, and then not feed him, walk him or bathe him like I paid for. And then scamming me into buying a $250.00 crate three times the size of my dog. read more

United PetSafe - When u think United Petsafe feeds your dog in flight but they actually take the food off the crate and throw it in a corner. - Pet Transportation Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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My rescue Dog from China . he had a 1.25 litter bottle attached to his kennel. After he arrived in San Francisico and on his connecting flight to Houston his water bottle and holder went missing. The only way to remove bottle holder is to open kennel door. There should never be any reason to open the kennel door unless it for an emergency. Also after arriving in Houaton, we waited an hour before he was brought to the petsafe office. The petsafe driver said oh he's been setting there awhile..we thought he was going on a flight until we checked his paper work!!. This is totally unexceptable in my opinion. read more

United PetSafe - Water bottle and holder missing - Pet Transportation Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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I read a lot of reviews about United Petsafe and I have to say my experience was much easier and better than expected. I was flying 2 large Rhodesian Ridgebacks in giant crates direct from Newark to Denver. Stephanie at Petsafe was very helpful from the moment I arrived. They attached all the food, leashes, stickers and were quick and efficient. My dogs were waiting for me in Denver and they were nice enough to let the dogs run around a bit before we had to take them out of the facility. It's never easy thinking of having your dogs in a cargo hold but my recommendation would be to plan a direct flight in decent weather (if possible). read more

I am super impressed and happy with my experience with United Petsafe. I recently moved from Phoenix, AZ to Syracuse, NY and had to have my dog shipped due to size. I was super nervous and skeptical. After doing a lot of research with every airline, United was the most convenient, cheapest, and easiest to work with. My dog is also super anxious so I was hoping to not have him more anxious when he arrived. When we went to pick him up they called me right away and i walked up to see a staff member hanging with my dog talking with him to help him feel safe which meant a lot. He was a little nervous as any dog would be but once he saw me he was fine and has been. The staff was wonderful in both Phoenix and Rochester and even on the phone. Thanks again for the good experience and I hope this review helps another person who is nervous to send their little one! read more

SO SLOWWWWWWW In 1.5 hours, they checked in A bird. 1. There were about 5 other people that were waiting to get their animals checked in, and one couple actually missed their flight. Plus, coming from Hawaii and picking up my cat and realizing there was no water in her dish was really quite appalling. PetSafe?! I think not. read more

We chose to spend more money by using United over American Airline thinking it would take better care of our Scottie with their temperature controlled cargo area. I arrived at the airport 3 hours early for a non-stop flight from Boston to LAX. I stayed an hour with my baby so she would not have to stay in the kennel longer as the 6 hour flight was going to be long enough. By the time I got home 3 hours later with rainy traffic, I thought she is in the air on her way to Cali. I ate dinner, and started to pack as I am leaving in the morning but did not want her to be on a connecting flight so I sent her ahead. I checked my email between packing only to discover that United left our dog on the ramp in the rain. Our dog was never loaded on the plane and 6 hours later they put her on a plane to Newark where she will stay the night. This is just so unbelievable. PetSafe my _ss! PetDanger is what United should be called. read more

The incredibles have nothing over Duke who works at United Petsafe counter in San Diego! I am forever grateful to this kind and efficient employee who made sure that Tango got safely on his flight even though arriving with too small of a crate at the cargo gate. BEWARE of United's online central telling you not to worry about something because they gave me bad information regarding the feasibility of the crate in relation to his size!!! Not only did Duke find a crate that was the correct size but was entirely chill and calming to me even after my meltdown! Duke, you are the king! Ask for a raise, you saved United from a scathing review!!! read more

If you have any other option please use them. I flew with my dog in cargo on a United flight. They made bringing my rescue dog home from Costa Rica a nightmare beginning to end. The booking process was terrible. No one answered their phone number United provided to me. I had to get contact info from a friend and email the contact several times to get any sort of response. I was only given travel info like confirmation number and check in time 2 days before my flight. Thankfully our vet knew the procedure or we would have been lost, despite paying a hefty fee United gave no guidance. Due to heat restrictions, I booked a Friday night red eye and was told that even though we landed, at 5 am we wouldn't be able to pick up our dog until customs opened at 8 am. Well guess what? Upon landing we learned that on weekends customs opens at noon which meant 7 hours of Waiting. We weren't allowed to walk, feed, or see our dog and were told he would have both of these things done by one of their staff. The fact that he was urine soaked when we got him alludes to the fact that our house trained dog was not walked for quite some time. The fee we paid to United to ship our dog was more than 2 first class tickets combined yet we were treated so poorly. Had they told us correct info about when customs opened we could have booked another flight. Had they let us sit with him and take him to the relief area ourselves we wouldn't have been so worried. Had they actually walked and watered him with they said they would I wouldn't be so angry. My neighbor also brought her dog back and was on our flight. Her dog came out of his crate limping then his legs buckled underneath him and he laid on the airport floor trembling. She was told it was just a leg cramp with very little concern by any staff. So much for paying over $600 to have a dog safely transported. read more

We flew our Malipoo from Redding California to Wichita Kansas as cargo in the dead of winter. We were able to be on the same plane with our dog the first half of the flight but the second half we had to take separate planes because we only had a 30 minutes layover. They take a lot long than 30 minutes to unload and reload a dog from plane to plane and this is because the dog is transported one at a time in a nice heated van. When we got into Wichita KS it was another 3 hours before we were reunited and so I thought he would be wet and cold ( a mothers worst nightmares). But our little Boomer was not only warm and dry, they had put in a first class blanket with him on top of all the blankets he already had. He was fuzzy and dry and happy. read more

My experience at UnitedPets was great. How could I forget the day Rokko was sent to me! My Breeder arranged to have my 8 week old cockapoo pup shipped to me from his home town in Georgia. Once I entered I was greeted by a friendly employee. The wait was long to be honest. The flight was delayed and there was only one employee checking in and out pets. She was friendly but you can tell she was overwelmed. Rokko arrived safe and sound in his carrier. The staff and I gave him a warm welcome! read more

United PetSafe - Rokko's Intro! - Pet Transportation Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

We had to fly our dog over from Manchester, UK to Houston, USA at quite short notice after the people we arranged to care for her had a sudden change of plans. The initial reason I didn't want to fly her with us was because I wasn't sure it was a humane thing to do - she is quite a nervous dog at the best of times and doesn't like being in a crate. When we didn't have a choice, we began making arrangements and I made the mistake of reading all the horror stories about PetSafe (don't do it!! Though if you are reading this, probably too late!). We booked with United via Newark (as cargo). Everything went completely smoothly and the staff at the PetSafe desks were always courteous and patient and did not seem to mind me ringing several times to ask questions or check on her progress. My only complaint would be that it was not possible to speak to anyone at Newark who had actually seen our dog. I was very worried about how she had handled the first, long flight and just wanted to speak to someone who could assure me they had seen her and could tell me she was ok. I kept getting passed around a number of extensions, often being cut off, and eventually had to just accept the Petsafe desk employee's assurance that there were no problems. She arrived in Houston bouncy and happy and settled in straight away, it took us longer to de-stress than the dog! As we were waiting in the Houston Petsafe office, it was great to see how good the staff were with the animals being checked in and received - you could tell they were "animal people". read more

Like some of the reviews here...I'd mark 0 if there was one... The United Petsafe group is the most incompetent hot mess I have ever encountered, and that is saying something. Health cert, check, pictures, check, online input, check, online review of rules, check, calls to ensure we are following the rules, check. Trip 1, need advance notice (was provided), don't have you in our system (forget screen shots on your phone...) Trip 2 confirmed, showed up... but oh, so sorry crate too big. Trip 3 (and a one way 4 HOUR DRIVE) , your crate too small, need larger crate AND we don't send the 700's ... have to drive to another airport to make that happen....Trip 3 info came from a United employee "I don't know why they didn't tell you". Don't bother getting a supervisor..... no juice to make a decision. read more

My husband and I traveled yesterday with our two dogs, a Pitbull and a Bull Terrier from Austin to Seattle. When we called united airlines for booking our trip, they said there was NO WAY to make the trip in one way, we had to do a stop in houston to "check the dogs and give them a break". I thought that was a nonsense but I had no choice but agree. The morning of the trip, Austin was pretty cold (40°) and I saw through the window how they took my dogs in a baggage carrier, not in a air-conditioned van as they said, to the plane. Next, they put into the plane the pitbull, and another small crate, and then for whatever reason they decided to let outside one of my dogs, the bull terrier, to start putting in the baggage instead. They left my dog there for at least 20". It was freacking cold. What if instead of winter was summer and a 100°??? Once in Houston, I saw the Petsafe staff carry my dogs inside the van, and 15" later I called to the cargo facility, and guess what, the guy at the phone told me "they haven't arrived yet". I was surprised. I saw them leaving 15" minutes ago, are they so far away? Anyway, I told the guy I would call in 30". While I was sitting looking through the window, I saw the van going and coming several times. And when I called again to check up on them, surprise, the dogs were not there. The guy at the phone looked unacknowledged, and he couldn't explain to me where were my dogs and how they were. "Aah... Uuhmm... I believe... I guess they have to pick up another dogs from other planes... And as the loading is scheduled in 30" they are gonna wait to loading them up again directly from the van..." this was all his guess. I mean... He had no idea where the dogs where, and couldn't tell me if the dogs where ok. He didn't even make the effort to say "hey, give me your phone number, I am going to contact the guy at the van and I am going to call you back to tell you how your dogs are". Nothing. Just "yes, they must be ok". Great costumer service Petsafe. You make me do a stop in Houston to put inside the dogs in a van and make them go up and down through the entire airport? I mean... 2 hours inside a van. Did they checked them out? I'm sure they did not. And then my frustration and anger just started to increase. After an hour or so, when our flight was ready to start the boarding process, I saw the van arriving. There was only two crates, my two dogs. So if they went to pick up other dogs as the guy at the phone said, where they were? Next, they took off my dogs of the van. First, the bull terrier, succesfully. Next, the pitbull, and when they grabbed the crate and took him out of the van, one of the guys "accidentally" dropped the cage to the floor. I do not know how someone can drop accidentally a crate like that (special metal crate full of holes and two handles) but that really pissed me off. Specially because my pitbull is very sensitive and scary, and if all the plane ordeal wasn't enough, there comes that jerk dropping the cage to the floor. I had the worst flight thinking about my dogs for 4 hours. Thankfully it was an easy flight with just a very few turbulence. When we finally got to Seattle, we ran to the cargo facility, and there there was a woman who seemed to be too busy filling a form to pay attention to us. She even didn't looked at us. "I need your ID" She said rudely. And so my husband did but she didn't take it, she continued filling the form and typing the keyboard. After around 5" waiting, she went to grab a paper for us to sign, and my husband refused to sign until seeing our dogs, and then she said "I can't give you your dogs until you sign". My husband signed, not before telling her loudly that she should learn some manners and this was the worst costumer service we ever experienced. Luckily at least our dogs arrived safe but not in good condition, the pitbull was completely frightened, shaking, cuddled in a corner, he didn't even react when he saw us. When I touched him he was freezing. He didn't stop shaking until I put him inside the car by my feet with the heat on. I know some dogs can get stressed out but seriously, paying 450$ for each dog to travel as a suitcase and be treated as a suitcase... It doesn't worth it. They don't even have a veterinarian service in case of any issue (bloating, heat stroke, hypothermia, etc) or any other issue a dog could have. You are paying basically for nothing. If I would have known that my dogs and I would have been treated like this I rather cross the country in my car with them instead. Shame on all of you, United PetSafe. For all of those who don't have a choice but flying with your dog, DON'T DO IT WITH PETSAFE. What a joke the name they choose "safe". The only thing "safe" they want is their money. read more

United PetSafe - My dog being left in a baggage carrier 20" in a 40° morning as they load the baggage first.Air-conditioned van? Where? - Pet Transportation Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

I'm rating United's Honolulu Petsafe Program 1 star only because it's not possible to rate it as 0 stars on yelp. I showed up three hours and fifteen minutes prior to my dogs flight from Honolulu to Denver. I assembled their crates in the lot outside, put my dogs in, and brought them into the facility to drop them off. The workers inside watched me put the crates together, get my dogs in them, and bring them in. Two days prior to this, I received my petsafe package that had an attachment that needed to be filled out acknowledging that I was accepting responsibility for my dogs health and welfare on the trip and a requirement for a health certificate signed by a veterinarian within 10 days of their trip. My dogs had their exam three days before the flight and received a US Department of Agriculture form stating they were in good health, had a current rabies vaccine, and were microchipped. My vet also signed a form letter saying that my dogs were safe to travel and in good health. I brought all my documents in hand and checked in with the worker at the counter. When I gave the workers at the counter the health certificate, they told me that it was not the proper certificate. Their solution was that I would have to pay their on-site veterinarian to re-examine my dogs at my own cost. They never showed me the form they were looking for; I suspect it probably had the exact same information on my form, just formatted differently. Paying a vet who knows how much to tell me that my healthy dogs were still healthy, after I'd already done that, was out of the question. They also informed me that the crates that I purchased, the Petmate Compass model, which is linked to directly from United's own Petsafe website, were not approved and that I would also have to buy two new 40 inch crates from them. There was a black and white photocopy of a few crates with them crossed out that the workers kept referring me to. This document is nowhere on United's website. The workers said the crate might break if something fell or was stacked on it and that was why it was an unacceptable crate, but all the website says is that it must be made of rigid plastic and resist bending under firm pressure. There's no metric in terms of pounds per square inch of pressure, weight loads, etc just that the crate must "Be constructed of rigid plastic, wood or metal sturdy enough to resist bending when firm pressure is applied." The crates we had met each of the criteria listed on the website, but the workers refused to put my dogs on the flight in them. I told the girl there that the crates we brought were bought off a link directly on the website, but she insisted they were still not approved for flight. Since I'm military and moving, I didn't really have much choice so I had to pay for the new crates. Each crate cost 160 dollars, significantly more than they would at a pet store out in town. I called my vet and had them call United. I argued that they needed to accept the health form and they eventually relented and accepted the USDA Health Certificate, but I still had to purchase 320 dollars worth of crates to replace my perfectly acceptable crates (that I also had spent about 260 dollars on and flown my dogs in before). The entire process was incredibly frustrating, costly, inefficient, slow, and disorganized. It didn't seem like anyone there knew what needed to get done. The employees at Petsafe weren't empowered to make common sense decisions and weren't even familiar with what the Petsafe website and pre-flight packet said I needed to bring. There was no sense of urgency and no attempts to explain what they were actually looking for on the health form, just that my USDA form 'wasn't the right one.' When my wife called united's customer service to see what the problem was (I was texting her as this was all going on), she was repeatedly told a supervisor in Honolulu's cargo area was speaking to me. That was a flat-out lie, as even when I asked to talk to a supervisor, no one with any juice to get the process moving would come out and talk to me. If United wants a specific form, it needs to be included in the booking correspondence. If they want to restrict crates to certain models, that needs to be clearly delineated on their website. There's too much room for gray area and interpretation that does nothing but ruin a customer service experience when someone is already going through a stressful event and has already, at significant cost to themselves, tried to meet their subjective requirements. United needs its customers. Eventually, with enough bad experiences, people will decide that it's worth it to fly someone else, even if it is more expensive. I will never ship my dogs again with United. The only positive outcome is that my dogs made it onto the flight and to our destination alive and in reasonably good health. If that's your metric for success, there is a ton of room for improvement. read more

We flew our two cats from Atlanta to Honolulu using PetSafe since we were unable to carry them on due to quarantine restrictions. We were nervous after reading reviews, but took it with a grain of salt since United flies over 100K+ animals each year with very very few having issues but of course you only ever hear horror stories. Keep in mind airlines suggest older animals & certain breeds may not be fit to fly. After doing research we decided that PetSafe was the best option for us and our move to Hawaii, so we wanted to write a review of our positive experience. The employees at the petsafe drop off location in Atlanta were very friendly and helpful with answering any questions. The animals are put in a pressurized, air temperature controlled cargo area meant for pets on certain planes. They had an hour layover in San Fransisco. PetSafe tracks your pets every movement and gives you updates on their website, this eases a lot of worries. Both flights went as planned and both cats arrived together still with food and water. Honolulu airport got them over to the animal processing center within 20 minutes, since they did their 120 day waiting period in Georgia we were able to take home our kitties the same day they arrived. For Hawaii: read both the Hawaii Quarantine regulations AND the airline specific regulations, all the instructions are clear and a lot of these reviews are people who are angry that they didn't do thoroughly read instructions and that the airport employees have to follow regulation. The cats were understandably anxious on arrival after a very long day, but they were back to themselves within no time. Petsafe is more expensive than other options, but I would say it is worth the peace of mind. People are upset that its multiple hundred dollars to send their pets overseas or internationally, but I don't think a $300 ticket from Georgia to Hawaii is unreasonable considering the pets are getting more special treatment as animals and not cargo. Everything went as planned! We're glad we used this service. read more

We had a great experience getting our cats from Charlotte, NC to Denver, CO. It was obvious they were taken care of and within a very short time were acclimated to their new home. Everyone we dealt with was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. read more

We have flown four pets with petsafe now. The first experience was smooth and easy, no problems booking the flight and no issues at the airport either, it was great. BUT then the second time has been a total disaster. I did the online booking and didn't receive any information within the three business days they said I would, so I emailed them and waited another day, still no response. I ended up calling and booking the flight for two pets: one dog and one cat. Well two days later I got my email confirmation and it only had one pet booked two days before we leave! So I call back and the lady has to rebook everything and make sure there's still room for my two pets. The morning of the flight my husband got there two hours before the flight departs just like he was supposed to. Apparently, they booked us for flying two cats instead of one cat and one dog. The lady at the counter had never done cargo before, and it took her almost TWO HOURS to get everything straightened out. Im amazed my pets even made it on the flight. Thank you, United pet safe, for creating more chaos in our already chaotic military move. I know that each employee we dealt with likely did the best job they knew how to, and I don't blame them at all, I think that Unuted needs to figure out how to make the booking process easier and possibly train their employees better. read more

I commend United for putting a hold on this service until they can work out the issues. I was one of the successful ones. I purchased a puppy from a breeder in Oklahoma and I live in Southern California. The breeder told me the date that the puppy would be shipped and I also had an estimated time of arrival. On the morning of delivery, I received the itinerary. I was able to contact PetSafe at every stop to ensure that my puppy was okay. His final stop was Ontario, CA and we were overjoyed to see him when he arrived. He had water and food and we were told that he had been exercised at his previous stop and was in good spirits for the flight. read more

Three stars because they have gotten my pets to their destination safely. However, their new system of emailing documents back and forth is quite over the top and your left hanging, wondering if your pet is going to be able to fly until the last minute. Emails are not getting returned, and it's honestly even more paperwork at an already busy time. read more

Okay. So, I have read so many of the reviews on here and my heart deeply goes out to those folks who have lost their pets or their pets were mishandled. I cannot imagine the pain and suffering felt at the hands of an airline that was entrusted to safely transport our fur babies. With that said, I am merely writing this review because I think it's important for people to also know the good. I booked a flight for my two kitties from EWR to Ontario, California with an hour layover in Denver. This was the second time I was transporting my cats across country and the first time they were completely mishandled and left to die (they were transported via vehicle), so wanting to avoid that trauma, I decided to fly them this time around. After booking their flight, I read reviews the night before they were scheduled to fly and immediately suffered from an anxiety attack. I cried reading the reviews of others and couldn't sleep thinking of the possibility that my cats would encounter some kind of mishap during their flight and that I would never see them again. With limited options, I had to put my faith in United. The morning of their flight, I arrived at the terminal with one of my cats. The other went into hiding at home and I could not find him. I had my boyfriend stay at home and try to get the cat prepared while I took the other one to the airport. Upon arrival, I was greeted by an incredibly friendly employee. I explained my situation to her and she was very compassionate and accommodating. She mentioned that there was still time and that if my boyfriend was able to get our second cat at the airport in the next 30 minutes, she would take him on too. She made me feel comfortable. Luckily, we were able to get my second cat to the airport in time and she made sure they were all safely secured in their carriers and she provided ice cubes to be placed in their bowls for water. I taped food to the top of their carriers, but after reading reviews, I had a feeling they would not be used. My fur babies went off and I prayed. I called United constantly for updates. I monitored the flight status via the United app. When I saw their final flight landed, I called United to confirm they were safe and a rep was able to get in touch with Ontario airport to confirm their safe arrival. A friend of mine picked them up for me and, as expected, their food was not touched, but they were safe. Startled and scared, but not harmed in any way. What a relief. I feel very sad for those people who have had terrible experiences and I would be lying if I said I could use United again for my pets without hesitation, but I felt it was important to list a good experience for those worried pet parents out there who may be feeling the anxiety I felt. My pets arrived safely and I am grateful. read more

I have to give them a star?? NEVER NEVER NEVER DO THIS TO YOUR PET. My golden was my very best friend and UNITED AIRLINES TOOK HIS LIFE. His hour layover turned into 20 hours because they didn't even bother checking to see if his cage would fit on his connecting flight. AND THEY LIED WHEN WE ASKED. He didn't eat. Had urine all over him when he finally landed. The agent said they might have given him drugs or something, but he didn't know, when my pup was completely out of it. By the time we rushed him to emergency it was too late. They lost him after 10 min of CPR. But the vet said it was too late hours ago. He passed his health exam 24 hours before his flight with flying colors. Wanna know the best part? United is assuming NO RESPONSIBILITY. I can't believe a company that calls themselves petsafe can get away with this. Never do this to your pet, please. Tell your friends. Tell everyone who loves their dog. read more

DON'T DO IT. Flew my cats using this service and it was an absolute nightmare. Even if you follow the rules that united gives you..the gate agents will tell you something else. Horrible horrible horrible. read more

Our dog was picked up at Newark airport on Saturday. Although we received notice that the dog was 'received' the woman at PetSafe said it would 'probably take about an hour' for the dog to be brought to the Pet safe area. She never checked the back and although we saw a few people through the glass in the door no one came out. My husband approached another of their workers who happened to be walking by and he immediately found the dog right by their door! Who knows how long he was sitting there. Maybe a 'no games on cell phone' policy would help these people do their jobs. read more

Our 4 month old puppy was sent to us in Seattle by a breeder in Los Angeles -- and she routed her on United through Denver, though I begged her not to because it was going to take SO long and thereby be so traumatic. She assured me she does it all the time and that all would be well. Apparently, there is no direct United flight from Ontario, CA to Seattle, WA. The total duration of travel for my little pup from drop-off to pick-up was 10 hours! That was the first problem, but that part wasn't United's fault. What WAS their fault however, was that my puppy was never fed. The breeder had left very clear instructions on the top of the crate along with a bag of kibble to offer my pup food halfway through her travel day. The bag of kibble was never opened and both cups on the crate door were filled with ice floating in an inch of water. My puppy had never had any experience with ice and she was so scared by the travel ordeal in the first place, that sticking her nose into a cup filled with clattering ice cubes was never going to happen. So she went without food AND water for 10 hours! I had even called United's PetSafe to make sure she was being looked after and got a robotic response from someone who I had a hard time understanding -- I have no idea what kind of accent he had. He basically read me the tracking info I could see online. There was no human touch whatsoever. When my husband, daughter and I arrived at the SeaTac United Cargo desk, the attitude of the workers was so appalling, we were in utter shock. We walked in all cheerful and excited to meet our new puppy, and we were met with absolute gloom and snottiness. I realized I'd forgotten to bring the puppy harness to take pup out of the crate so she could go pee once we received her, so I asked pleasantly enough if there was any chance they had some twine or string or something in the cargo warehouse I could use to knot up a makeshift harness. I kid you not - the guy behind the desk looked at me like he wanted to kill me and cut me off with "no" mid-sentence. Then he just stared at me with this kind of bone-deep hatred - it was creepy! The other worker was so annoyed that people kept arriving since it meant she had to buzz them in and that was interrupting her pizza break (they'd had a pizza delivered in the back). At one point, she said out loud, "Oh my god, are you kidding me?!" because the third person in as many minutes was outside the door, trying to figure out how to get in. After that, for the 20 minutes we sat and waited in that dismal lobby at 8pm-ish Friday night, my husband took on the role of doorman and pressed the green button on the door jam every time someone needed in. It was better than seeing the woman's constant irritation while the guy who stared me down sighed and grunted in absolute disdain sitting at his computer. These people are NOT happy! And when the jerk finally brought us our puppy, he said absolutely nothing except to call out our last name and say, "sign here," then disappeared to come around outside with the crate. Not a single word after that. He cut the ties that were holding the crate doors closed and turned and left. I've come across my share of ill-tempered workers, but this was insane. Especially because we hadn't done anything to even remotely piss anyone off. They were pissed before we even walked in! I would give United Cargo a big fat zero, but I have to give it 2 stars only because our sweet little pup arrived in one piece and she seems to be fine. But, I will never use United Cargo again to ship a precious life. They're just abysmal. read more

I can't get an answer from anyone. I am flying from usa to Mexico and I will be traveling with my puppy in-cabin. my question is, do I only need a health certificate or do I still need the Form 7001 which they use for cargo? my puppy is going to travel incabin not by cargo. please help. Thanks read more

I was so nervous about transporting my girls from DFW to Kwajalein in the Marshal Islands. The foster mom found the people at DFW cargo professional and compassionate. Using Island Pet Movers made the move [almost] painless, the foster mom and I were still anxious, but the cats did great. Thank you for reuniting our family. read more

It was the morning go November 6th, 2014. After months of paperwork and prep the day finally came where my 95 pound dog (and his giant carrier) and myself were to fly non-stop Newark to Honolulu. As my friend and I were unloading the carrier with the dog inside the young lady inside the United PetSafe saw us and came outside with a large 'flat-bed trolley' to help us get the crate inside. Once we got inside we were the only ones checking in a pet at the time. Nice. There was a tall Black gentleman and a young Hispanic female with glasses (sorry to pull the race card but I didn't get their names but I'm trying to describe who helped me that day) getting me set-up. They were incredibly nice and friendly. Something I was very grateful for considering how stressed and scared I was about this huge trip for us and so many months of planning to make sure I covered all my corners. I've never flown with an animal before and before this day I hadn't flown on any airplane since 1997! They provided my carrier with those stickers that say "LIVE ANIMALS" and "THIS WAY UP" that Amazon sells for like $10+, so there was no need to buy them previously. The paperwork went smoothly. Paid for my dogs trip in cargo. They even gave me an opportunity to give him one final walk before leaving him in their hands at a designated area at the airport. Afterward I was on my way to checking myself in, feeling SOOOO much more relieved. Fast-forward 12 hours I picked up my dog at the Animal Quarantine station in Honolulu (basic procedure when shipping a pet out here) and he was alive and well. Maybe I had a lucky good experience, maybe the only people that leave reviews are those that actually have bad experiences. Whatever the case my be I can only talk about my experience. If United PetSafe is something you're considering I'd recommend an early morning flight, when there will most likely be less people flying, trying to check in their animals. The releasable cable zip ties that the website says you need to provide they had at the PetSafe (because no hardware store I found had the releasable type.) I would also make a homemade paper describing your pets name, your/their flight number, your seat number, where the flight is flying from and to, your contact info including address the carrier needs to end up at at it's destination and your phone number. Just write on the sheet any info you think should be there for someone to see should the carrier end up on the wrong plane or destination God forbid. Also know that the United PetSafe loading area is on the LOWER level. Do not pull up to Terminal C on the upper level. Also on the lower level where the PetSafe is (basically first building of Terminal C on the right side) your dog does not need to already be in his carrier. So you don't have to try and unload a 50 pound carrier with a 90 pound dog in it like I did. Because remember they let you walk the dog before you leave him with them so the dog would be out of the carrier out here anyway. I would use United's PetSafe again. Hopefully I will have the same uneventful experience. The two people that helped me that morning should be praised by the company for doing their jobs very well. Peace of mind during such a stressful time is something that I welcomed dearly. They provided that. I was pleasantly surprised with how it went down. Thanks guys. read more

I think the people who give the PetSafe program positive reviews got lucky -- and should be very thankful for their good fortune. To other people considering placing their beloved pets in the care of United Airlines, beware! I adopted a cat from Best Friends Sanctuary last summer and he suffered acute brain swelling following his trip from Las Vegas to Washington, DC, on United. He was in intensive care for three days, and I was encouraged to put him to sleep. I didn't give up on him. Fortunately, he survived following some very expensive treatment, but he has permanent neurological issues -- and I had thousands of dollars in vet bills. After sending a complaint to United, I initially received a form letter that responded to a complaint about a flight delay. Huh? That speaks volumes about the airline. Over the next two months, I kept going up the management chain - from customer service to the VP of public relations -- and continued to be ignored. Only when I went all the way to the president of the airline did I get a response. After a so-called investigation, the airline denied any liability. The consulting vet had the audacity to say that the cat's FIV+ status was a probable cause of his neurological issues. That is absurd -- and an insult to my intelligence. A compromised immune system would not lead to brain swelling from a flight. Clearly something happened while the cat was in the airline's care--a pressurization problem in cargo, exposure to a toxin, or heat stroke while on the tarmac in Las Vegas. The airline also tried to put the blame on Best Friends, implying that the sanctuary knowingly sent me a sick animal. That claim is shameful. The staff members were totally devoted to the cat, and the sanctuary's vet never would have cleared him for travel if he hadn't been well. The most shocking thing about the experience was the rude tone of the letter that dismissed my claim. The lawyers could use some PR guidance! But it's obvious that the airline cares more about its profits than on doing the right thing. Like Lorraine S., I want a new category so I can rate PetSafe with minus stars. I entrusted the care of my cat to United Airlines and he almost died. If you must put your animal in cargo, find another airline. If you have a small animal, try to take him/her in the cabin with you. A few years ago, I had a positive experience on Virgin America Airlines. I placed a cat (in a regulation carrier) under my seat and he did well during a long flight across the country. I am writing this review to try to spare other loving pet owners from the nightmare I went through. I hate to think of how my cat suffered during the flight. United's response was unconscionable. read more

I had the worst experience with United PetSafe. If you can use a different service I urge you to make a wiser decision than I did. First off, I did ALL my research on what was needed for my dog to move to the UK. I followed all the regulations and timelines. It was not until I arrived 3 hours ahead of scheduled flight time to be greeted by a rude front desk receptionist. It all started with a form I was missing. However no where does it say in any of my confirmation emails, or on the site that a generic health certificate is required by PetSafe, mind you I had the required health certificate endorsed by the USDA and the certified rabies certificate. Of course they would not allow my dog on until I got this super generic certificate which had the EXACT same information that was on the endorsed health certificate. The rude front desk help wasted about 20 mins of my time by being on a FaceTime and trying to also turn on a computer to find a close by vet that could get me a health certificate. He then told me I'd have to be back in 30 mins if my dog wanted to get on the flight. He was of no help, rude and inconsiderate. I was able to get my father to meet halfway on the highway to drop of a certificate being that it is rush hour in Chicago. I finally get there about 5 mins late and he almost would not allow us on the flight. They then made me buy another kennel on the spot even though mine was airline regulated. Just a bunch of Bull and not a lot of help leading up to the time of and its too late when you have no choices. My dog finally was locked up and ready to leave at about 7pm. Her flight then gets delayed an hour, another hour, and another hour. I am finally woken up at 1am by my husband in England saying the flight is cancelled due to maintenance. My dog has been in a cage and kennel for HOURS. Yes they have a "dog run" its about the size of a parking space for a SUV, and during all the time I was there dealing with their horrible service I saw a couple people take the dogs out to relieve themselves but they went straight back in. After dealing with customer service on the phone who could not even get a hold of anyone at the O'hare desk all they could say is your dog has been let out. Not confirming that, just what they decided to tell me. Finally my dog was rescheduled to get on the flight the next day at 350pm. Well that flight was delayed until 545pm. My dog was caged and kenneled for almost 24 hours. And the delay the next day, because of crew availability. This company caused a major inconvenience since we had to kennel my dog in London until my husband could pick her up. They offered me ZERO compensation for stuff that was NOT my fault. I'm not sure about anyone else but if you paid $1750 to ship your dog you expect it to be what you paid for. United Petsafe had no problem taking my money for horrible service. Please do NOT use them. It was so stressful and so inconvenient! This company is the worst!!!! I will 100% find another company who cares about their customers and their pets. read more

When traveling with a pet there is always that sense of dread when you leave your beloved animal with the cargo people. United has recently revamped the entire way they deal with pets and have called it their "PetSafe" program. Upon arriving in Newark I found their clearly marked PetSafe desk at the lower level in Terminal C. As you go down the ramp it is almost immediately on your right - you can't miss it. Once inside it was very clean and the guy behind the desk was helpful, if not the most friendly guy I've ever met. A few minutes later all of the labels were on the container, the paperwork had been filled out and I was on my way to the security line. I was nervous, but confident that Elliott (our cat) was going to make it just fine in spite of his neurosis. **Background: Our cat is a freak show and gets himself worked up when put in a cage and taken anywhere in a car. Not just the typical "oh please effing kill me" cat howls - I'm talking dilated eyes, rapid heart rate, foaming. He looks like he's rabid.** About halfway through the security line I received a phone call from the PetSafe desk saying they are worried about my cat. I explained "that's what he does" but they insisted I come back. This is when the PetSafe program lived up to its name and I was most impressed. As I got back to the PetSafe office I noticed that Elliott was out of his cage and being held and stroked by a young lady. She introduced herself and said that it was her job to make sure that every animal that goes through her door is evaluated for health and safety. She explained that she was concerned about Elliott's symptoms (read above). After a few minutes of talking and the crazy Siamese starting to calm down she said that she would continue to monitor him for a few hours and if he calmed down she'd put him on the next flight. That sounded fair enough to me so I quickly headed back to security and caught my flight to SFO. Fast forward half a day and I picked up my healthy cat from the cargo area at SFO. They brought him in a temperature controlled van and he was only in the main cargo area for less than 10 minutes. Overall a top-notch operation and the care and consideration United Airlines has put into this program is remarkable. Well done. To the young lady in Newark: You made my day. Keep up the great work! read more

Having heard horror stories of flying pets, I had great apprehension flying my 135 pound, large Great Dane from Boston to San Francisco. We bought the special Petmate 700 series air kennel for extra large dogs and go her familiar with it over the two weeks prior to to flight. Admittedly, in was usually with the top off and she slept in the lower bed portion. On flight day we arrived at the air cargo drop off point where the manager determined the dog was too big for the giant kennel and no matter how I pleaded, they felt that the dog could not easily stand and turn around. (She's 34 inches to the shoulder and the top of the kennel is 35 1/2. ) Thus had to find a new crate. (Beyond suggest "Craigslist" 1 one before flight time, they had no suggestions beyond seeing if any other air cargo carrier had an extra. Left the United cargo and after hitting 5 or 6 other lines, the Delta people found an extra at Virgin Atlantic which was acceptable. ) Re booked the flight to a later 757 flight (plane had to be a wide body as the specs for the large dog kennels won't fit on the 737's) watched as they brought her over last in a special van and whereat 6 employees loaded the new larger kennel on the conveyor and went up to load it into the plane. After 15 minutes I suddenly saw the kennel going down the conveyor!! Called the stewardess immediately (and this is where United gets five stars), and said my dog just got off the plane, i too must get off. (Kennel was 46' high and the hinges on the 757 door made the opening 42" when 30" wide. A high, narrower kennel would have gone between the hinges.) Absolutely no problem!!!! Brought the jetway back, opened the door and an agent met me and took me to the baggage office where for the next hour plus they worked every option to figure out how to get us to SFO. Finally determined that the door on the Airbus 319 was larger and thus went to Chicago with a hour layover and then a 777 to SFO. At every point they had her in the heated vans and some one was with the dog, she had water and a little food in her dishes when we arrived in SF and was as calm as could be. (Me, I was a wreck!) The United air cargo people were probably right about her being too big. On loading she was last on, coming from a van (not the carts with canvas sides), she was first off, back into anther van and most import, when I asked the terminal counter people to check, they went out and positively confirmed loading, off loading, etc. My heart goes out to the people who have suffered in transporting their pets but wanted to pass along a positive trip as well. read more

Picked up my 2 month old puppy from united petsafe in Newark and couldn't be happier with the experience. Office area was a little busy but that's alright, they definitely took good care of the little guy and made the experience easier for all of us. read more

f you love your dog, do not use United - at least Newark NJ Smart Pak place. As suggested, I checked my dog in 2 hours before the departure around 1:30pm PST. The check in was courteous and efficient in SEATAC. The departure was delayed by one hour due to the delay in arrival of a pilot about 4:55pm PST. We arrived at Liberty at 0:49am EST. According to my photo record, we got our dog at 1:53am EST. Her trip was 9 hours and 30 min. Why did we have to wait for 1 hour and 4 minutes? We could retrieve our luggage immediately. I even sent my husband to pick her up as I was sure she would be there before us. And the female staff who wheeled her in from outside was beyond rude. I called for my dog, and she was very distressed. And the woman just wheeled her away without acknowledged me. When I got her, she was shocked and did not apprehend any of us. I really was very upset about United's service. I am so sacred that I might have lost her because of my poor choice of the airline. I paid for the petsafe program, which was more than a ticket for my 17-yera old son, because I trusted the service. Delay happens, but why did it take over one hour to retrieve my dog? She might have been the last one in the aircraft. And I really resent the female employee who completely ignored me and took my distress dog away. My dog travelled as a luggage on Alaska Air from NJ to SEATAC. By the time I came to the bag claim, she was already there waiting for me. And I paid 1/4 of the United Petsafe. It proves to show that paying a lot of money does not means that you get a better service. Shame on you United. I posted it on United Facebook, and I was asked to put the details in the private message so that they could investigate. A week passed, nothing has been done. Worst experience, and I will never subject my dogs and my friends' dogs to this treatment. If you love your dog, do not use United - at least Newark NJ Smart Pak place. read more

I would NEVER trust my pets with the people that work here!!! They switched the labels on the crates and I ended up with somebody else's dog... when i brought the dog in to tell them that this wasn't my dog, Monica- the lady that works at the front desk, literally said that it wasn't her problem and that i couldn't leave the other persons dog there. Complete lack of compassion, she didn't even care or wouldn't help me find out where my dog was. Thank god the supervisor came out and explained where my dog was and took the other persons dog to transport the next morning. My dog ended up on 3 flights, i waited at the airport until nearly 4am ( my dog originally was supposed to be there at 3PM in the afternoon) After nearly 15 hours of traveling, i finally got my puppy.... when i pet him, his fur was coming off. It took several weeks for his fur to come back. MONICA should not be working with animals or people!!! Even the workers there joked about how she has an attitude and doesnt like people. HOW DO YOU PUT A PERSON IN CHARGE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HANDLING PETS WHEN THEY HATE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS??????? read more