Bringing Your Pets to Sigonella

Believe it or not, you can bring your animals with you on the MAC flight to Italy. Most times they will have to go in the cargo area, but rest assured the area is pressurized and temperature controlled just like the cabin so your pet will be comfortable on their long journey. It is important to purchase a large hard shelled carrier if you don't already have one, one for each pet traveling. Right now there is a limit of two animals per family. We brought our two cats with us and I purchased two large hard shell carriers from the NEX for about $39.00 a piece, way cheaper than you would find at a pet store where they run for about $120 or more a piece. These carriers are specially designed for transporting your pet safely and within regulations. I highly recommend getting a carrier big enough for your pet to stretch out and lay down in, and especially one in which they can turn around comfortably. No one wants to be cooped up in a space they can't move around in for 7 hours or more, neither does your pet. We lined our carriers with plush towels before putting our animals in so that they would have a soft surface to lay on. Of course, our cats were abnormally well behaved and did not go to the bathroom the whole trip. You might not be so lucky, so lining your carriers with an absorbent pad and bringing extra with you may be a good idea. I saw several traveler's doing this.

There is an excess baggage fee for taking your animals on the flight. We paid about $90 a cat, but it is definitely worth it having your furry friends with you in a strange new place. If your pet is over 100 pounds, unfortunately, you can't take it with you on the MAC flight. So plan ahead to find a friend or family member or a new home to care for any pets you can't take with you ahead of time. Be sure to inform your personnel department, who schedules your flight to Italy, that you will be traveling with a pet or pets. Dogs and cats are the only animals permitted to travel and space is limited and must be reserved ahead of time with your flight. If flying commercially, it's important to contact the airline on which you'll be traveling to Italy for its specific requirements for pet travel. Call ahead to avoid unexpected surprises.

There is no quarantine period in Italy so you can retrieve your pets as soon as you get off the plane here in Sicily. You will also be permitted to see them and play with them when you land in route in Rota, Spain for about an hour or so. At this point you can change their carrier liners or towels and give them water and food if you choose. For you dog owners, this is a good potty break point.

The vaccinations you are required to have before your animals travel to Italy can be given to your animals at the Vet located on base. Even if you take your animals to a civilian Vet, I highly recommend going on base for their overseas needs because the civilian vets do not have up to date information on requirements, the proper forms, and often they do not know what you need and what you don't need. It will take away a lot of your frustration if you just go on base. TRUST ME! You have to have your rabies vaccines up to date but they must have been administered no more than 12 months before travel and no less than 30 days before travel. Plan accordingly.

Also, you will need a certificate of flight ready status on each animal (health certificate) and a final screening before flight. I highly recommend scheduling one appointment within the last ten days before you fly to get both taken care of at the same time. We didn't know this ahead of time and ended up having to take the cats back twice right before we left. This proved a highly stressful situation that you'll want to avoid. The vet on post will have all the necessary forms that you will need for your trip. The health certificate is good for only 30 days from the date of examination and must be certified by an official veterinary service. Make several copies of this form when complete. One should be taped to the outside of the travel kennel, another taped well inside the kennel, and a third kept with the animal's health record.

The Vet here on base is pretty good. We have taken both our pets there and the Vet is very friendly and good with the animals. For those who own dogs, Leishmaniasis, a parasite which can be deadly to animals, does exist in Sicily. It only affects dogs, not cats. Special collars are available at the Vet's office to prevent infection. Do not let your dogs run outside until you've purchased one of these. If your dog contracts this parasite they will not be able to return with you to the states upon the conclusion of your tour. For cat owners, there is an airborne virus here that can be contracted by your cats if they come face to face with another outdoor cat here that already has this respiratory condition. I highly recommend paying the money for the additional shot if your cats are outdoor animals, or even if they aren't, even though it is not required. Once you are here the shot is not available as it has not been approved for use in the European Union yet. If your cats contract the virus they will not be able to go home with you when you go back to the states. This virus does not affect dogs.

All pets have to be registered with the veterinary clinic within five days of their arrival. You just have to bring their files to the Vet clinic and fill out some forms. For any further information contact the Veterinary Clinic at (DSN) 314-624-4258 or comm: 011-39-095-56-4258.