HELP! Anyone from Toronto planning to come to (or closeby) Montreal the weekend of February 23rd?

SakiSaki
edited February 2013 in General
I will be the very proud mommy of a Shikoku pup from Katja and Westjet just told us that they do not ship from Comox' BC airport to Montreal because there's no direct flight (it would take 19hrs + 1 day). The closest they can get is Toronto which is a 6hrs drive from where I am.

So I though taking the chance to ask you guys just in case if anyone is planning to come to Montreal February 23rd. Ottawa would be an other option.

Comments

  • NekopanNekopan
    I don't think we have many east coast Canadian members, but I will try to ask around.
  • tjbart17tjbart17
    You should plan your trip. You can always drive there, spend the night, and then drive back. There are lots of hotels that will take dogs. You can find them at sites like dogfriendly.com or even expedia.

    Congratulations on your new pup!
  • MapleTwinkieMapleTwinkie
    Comox is a toughie.

    I'm sure WestJet can connect at Pearson and put the pup on a direct to Montreal from there?? I don't think that'd take 19+ hours tho...wtf?
  • PoetikDragonPoetikDragon
    Six hours is nothing. That doesn't even get me out of my state.
  • Hinata23Hinata23
    I would rather drive there, pick up my pup, spend time with it than have it broad another plane for my sack. It'll be a perfect time for bonding and socializing!
  • SakiSaki
    edited February 2013
    @MapleTwinkie: From Comox, BC the connecting flight is not the same day, that's why it takes 19hrs and not 6 like a direct flight would.

    I thought having my brother-in-law that lives 2hrs from the airport pick up the puppy and join him the Saturday at his house, but he will be out of the country at that time for work. And as for renting a hotel there, I cannot afford a day off work + the night at the hotel; I will bust my budget. And don't worry, I do have the necessary money to take care of my new pup, but I'm not rich either.

    Worst case, I will go to Toronto, but I want to keep my options open ... which I don't have much right now.

    The other solution would be to pay extra to have the breeder go to the other airport (Vancouver) which is very far from her home (3hrs I think) and often the flight departure is so early that she has to stay overnight in a hotel nearby the airport. It's not fun for her to have to do that even if her expenses are covered.

    So this is the reason for this post and try to find someone to avoid her and myself all this trouble, before we get to plan B.
  • aykayk
    Make it an adventure and sleep in the car. :)
  • SakiSaki
    Yeah right ayk, at this temperature (-15) you have to be nut to sleep in your car. :P
  • sjp051993sjp051993
    12 hours round trip is doable. I have done it before. I have driven 12 hours to st. Louis and back in the same day, 10 hours down and back to Atlanta. It is tiring no doubt, but it had to be done. Both times were for dogs.
  • ceziegcezieg
    I'm not in the area, but wanted to offer some advice on the pick up. From the other Shikoku owners here it seems they're definitely on the aloof/timid side like Shibas are when it comes to people they're not familiar with. So from the pup's side it would be very worth it to pick him/her up yourself, that way they can become accustomed to your smell for the drive back while feeling safe in their crate. I think that would reduce a lot of the stress vs compounding the stress by being around yet another stranger + strange home to then be handed off to you + strange home :) So by the time you both get home the pup would be like "Oh this smells like the nice person that I just spent 6 hours with, and that person was giving me some treats, so maybe this place means good stuff too". I know having had Ren familiar with my smell for a few hours before getting home definitely helped. Good luck!
  • SakiSaki
    @cezieg: I plan to send the breeder a blanket with my "smell" on it .

    Yes I know it's doable to drive for so long, but it will be too much for me.
  • jeffnkazukojeffnkazuko
    @saki Montreal to Toronto and back is a tough drive, stropping at the airport makes it tougher and adding winter to the mix makes it a bad idea. I am a pretty good driver but no way would I attempt a 12 hour drive (I guess I have been out of North America too long).

    We are picking up a van in Vancouver and driving it to Calgary but will stop along the way for a night. I can't believe how expensive motels in Canada have become!! Worse than Japan and about double of the States. My only advice is if you have to do the drive to look for a cheaper motel outside Toronto and spend the night before driving back.

    Good luck and I am looking forward to hearing more about your new pup.

  • lindsaytlindsayt
    Schedule the pick up for a day when you can drive. I assume you have days off in Canada...
  • SakiSaki
    Schedule the pick up for a day when you can drive. I assume you have days off in Canada...
    The problem is, they don't ship on weekends.
  • SakiSaki
    Finally I think she will have to drive all the way to Vancouver.
  • MapleTwinkieMapleTwinkie
    Do you have to pick him up that weekend? Can you choose another weekend which works better for you?

    Another suggestion would be to post up an ad on kijiji. I know people who hitch rides with each other and post up the info on the site. Perhaps you might be able to find someone going back to Montreal that weekend.

    Also instead of driving, how about taking the train?
  • ZinjaZinja
    ::cough cough:: zamboni ::cough cough::
  • shibamistressshibamistress
    Maybe someone will be able to help you on this, though if it were me, I'd just drive too.

    When I got my Akita, it was three days each way just to get to the breeder (and a couple of those days were 12 hour days) But I prefer not to fly the dogs if possible, so we chose to do that. But on the other trips, yeah, it was at least a 6 hour drive.

    I guess it just doesn't seem like that much, since so many of us have had long drives, etc. I budgeted the cost of the trip into the purchase price when I got the Akita....we knew we'd have to make that drive.

    But maybe you'll be able to find someone to help. Otherwise, I'd try to do it on another day that will work better for you.
  • Kuma123Kuma123
    Congratulations on the new pup.

    If it were me, I would just drive it myself straight through..... no hotel costs, etc. 12 hours round trip should be easy enough. But I have driven close to 30 hours round trip for a dog... straight through. My husband and I split the driving. Come to think of it, all of the trips for my dogs were 14 hours or more LOL

    Wouldn't it be cheaper for you to go get the pup yourself instead of paying the breeder to trek to a different airport? It seems to me paying for her hotel, fuel, and such would be considerably more expensive for you then you driving there yourself and straight back. Pack a cooler of food and snacks and make a day of it.
  • Hinata23Hinata23
    Yeah, I would fly to B.C and pick up the pup. That way you can save on dog shipping, motel, and gas money. You can take the pup on the plane as a carry on. Katja would have to fly out of B.C to get to Vancouver or take a ferry... Having the pup be in so much transport in that weather suck... This is why airlines here don't transport dog/animals in extreme winter weather.



  • NekopanNekopan
    Vancouver is actually a relatively short trip from Comox/Courtenay. If it is really that much trouble to get to Toronto, I would just pay extra to have her go there.

    Due to Air Canada and WestJet restrictions, the pup wouldn't be able to go in the cabin anyway. I think Air Canada may still have an embargo on shipping live animals right now, which may be making this a little more tricky than it should be.
  • MapleTwinkieMapleTwinkie
    edited February 2013
    @Nekopan Embargo on shipping live animals?

    Just searched A/C site - I don't think it applies to you: http://www.aircanada.com/cargo/en/solutions/ac_live/ac_live_restrictions.html
  • NekopanNekopan
    edited February 2013
    @Nekopan Embargo on shipping live animals?

    Just searched A/C site - I don't think it applies to you: http://www.aircanada.com/cargo/en/solutions/ac_live/ac_live_restrictions.html
    Yep, I had problems with this part last year:
    November 1 to March 31
    Because smaller aircraft types cannot offer adequate comfort during colder winter months, live animals cannot be accepted on the following aircraft between the dates indicated at left:

    CRJ 100/200 (CRJ)
    CRJ 705 (CRA)
    Embraer 175 (E75)
    Embraer 190 (E90)
    Although I'm sure any planes going to large cities are going to be the larger aircrafts, it can be a problem going to the smaller airports.
  • MapleTwinkieMapleTwinkie
    edited February 2013
    @Nekopan Ahhh, yah you're right. It could apply, she should double check. Probably the best way to avoid this is to fly from YVR to YUL on a big heated plane, that way she doesn't have to come to Toronto and the only inconvenience would be for the breeder who has to drive to Vancouver.

  • SakiSaki
    So finally I proposed her to bring the pup to Nanaimo airport which is half way from Vancouver airport and where she lives. The plane will bring the pup to Vancouver airport and from there I found a direct flight to Montreal. I got worried because this kind of aircraft have a notice that it is not recommended for shipping puppies or kitten. So I called and they told me that they carry puppies all the time in this plane, that I shouldn't worry; all is fine.

    I'm relieved and happy that we both found something to accomodate each other.

    It had to be this weekend, we had no other choice. Flying to BC would have cost me over $1000 round-trip.

    I'm so excited ... I can't wait to go get my little girl Saturday, February 23rd at 8am. Whoououooouoo!!!!!
  • Hinata23Hinata23
    Yay! Glad it worked out :)
  • MapleTwinkieMapleTwinkie
    Congrats!! Glad it all worked out.!!
  • shibamistressshibamistress
    Glad to hear it!
  • WrylyBrindleWrylyBrindle
    I love a happy ending- or I guess..beginning! Best wishes with your new pup
Sign In or Register to comment.

© Vanilla Keystone Theme 2024