IPATA’s Long Range Planning Group (LRPG) is meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Friday and today. As a founding USA member of IPATA from its beginnings in Chicago in the blizzard of February, 1979, the non-profit trade association of independent pet and animal shippers has grown from 6 starting members to 325 global members. The LRPG is looking at IPATA’s mission statement, vision statement and goals as it seeks to recruit responsible pet & animal shippers to its uniquely diverse membership.

You’ve called the airlines to book your summer air travel to your favorite destination and have been told there is an embargo on pets traveling with you between 15 May & 15 September.  You’re looking for help, assistance, & alternatives.

With American, Delta and United not accepting pets for travel with ticketed passengers on the given dates, you’re frustrated and want solutions.

The phones are ringing off the hook, the website inquires are daunting and Air Animal is not your answer to leisure travel with your pet.

Air Animal is a pet moving service for relocating families using the scheduled passenger airlines air cargo products, both nationwide and worldwide.

Air Animal takes responsibility to move your pet as unaccompanied air cargo.  We provide origin pickup and destination delivery as well as managing the air cargo portion of the pet move.

For additional information, contact Air Animal Pet Movers (the relocating pets’ best friend since 1977) to learn more about we do.

The Wall Street Journal carried a story this morning on the status of pets in transit in the UK and the EU.  It covered the care they are receiving in London, Frankfurt, and elsewhere while the airlines deal with the issues of volcanic ash in the atmosphere.  Our own Dr. Walter Woolf was quoted as an pet shipping industry expert.

ATA, the Animal Transportation Association, held its “Fitness for Transport” webinar on Wednesday, 31 March 2010.

The webinar featured panelists, Martin Appelt, DVM, of CFIA/Canada, Gerard Meijer, the Curator of the Netherlands National Zoo, and Dr Walter Woolf of Air Animal Pet Movers, Tampa, Florida.

Dr Appelt presented issues relating to Livestock fitness; Dr Meijer presented issues relating to Exotic & Zoo fitness; and Dr Woolf presented issues relating to small animal fitness.

The webinar was attended by approximately 100, representing global participants.

The ATA webinar on “Fitness for Transport” will be available on ATA’s website within the next several weeks.

I had the occasion last week to return to my roots in Rhode Island.  I was there to attend the Arpin Van Lines New England Regional Sales Meeting in Warwick, Rhode Island at the Crown Plaza at the Crossings.

Winter still had her grip on the Northeast with light snow flurries occurring on both Wednesday & Thursday.

Good to see our good friends at Arpin Van Lines & the Arpin International Group; seeing old friends, and making new friends.

’twas good to return to Florida and home.  Just a little bit warmer than Rhode Island.