When my mom booked our tickets she told them we were bringing the dog. But we would be booking him later. I was really anxious about this and asked Brian to work on it. Then Brian calls me and asks me to measure Tagalong. He is a few inches too big. We decide to go to Alaska Air Cargo with the dog and figure out the solution. When I walk in they take a look at him and say he is too big. They measure, "he won't fit in the 500. He will need a 6 or 700. The maximum that we can ship is the 500."
"So what are my options" I ask "the ferry"
I hold back my tears until I get to the car and I just break down. Tears start flowing. The ugly kind of tears where your face makes scrunched up, open mouth mortal pain kind of face. And we drive home. I sit on the couch and I cry. All I can do is cry. I have a list of things to do and all I can do is cry. He is 10 been in our family since a puppy. I can't give him up. And we can't drive across the continent. I call Brian and tell him. He said he was willing to do that for Tag, for me. We get of the phone and I am still crying. I'll stop do some work then it will hit me, I'll have to leave my dog. And I start crying again. Brian called, "what do you need." I ask "just had a feeling I needed to call." And I cry some more.
I can't sleep and any sleep I do get my mind doesn't stop working trying to figure out how to solve this problem. How do we keep our family together. I go to facebook post our story in a group site asking if anyone will ferry my dog. I have a friend in Seattle. She is willing to dive him to the airport. We can get the dog. I get a lot of support and sympathy from facebook but no one is traveling soon. A few people offered in a few months. And at one of my garage sales I met a couple that Tagalong loved that would be willing to watch him till we sorted things out.
I look into many options, flying him as a horse, $2000. Using a personal transport company $1500 and many more. All of these options were costly and burdensome. I was discussing this with a friend and, without my knowlage she set up a gofundme account to help pay for the cost of traveling with Tagalong. The brought me to tears. Not the kind I have been experiencing these past days but the joy and love that I felt just overwhelmed me. I hadn't ever experienced that kind of kindness. And the service continued.
Someone saw the post and gave me a kennel. A kennel that is able to fly the 500. I get it home with the help of some amazing friends. I put Tagalong in it. He fits, tight but he fits. I take some pictures send it to a manager at Cargo and wait to see what they think.
Still I can't sleep but the tears don't come as easily. A good friend suggested that I licence him as a service dog for emotional support and he can come on the plane with me. I dismiss the suggestion because I will be traveling alone, with two kids and Tagalong is cared of shiny floors. It would be miserable for everyone. But then that night can't sleep and the thought comes to me that they would have a harder time rejecting him if he was a service dog.
I like to be honest in all my actions. I don't have a medical reason to have a service dog but the last few days have shown me that Tagalong is nesessary for my emotional health. So I sign him up. A few days before we travel and they give me a call saying that he is able to fly. What great news. One burden lifted. But the struggles to get Tagalong to our new home do not end there.
When my mom booked the flight and told them a dog was coming they didn't check to see if he could fly on on my flights or what would be done with him when we switched airlines. So when we get to Seattle Alaska air can't give him to Delta. My mom spent about 6 hours on the phone trying to get this resolved. She was reassured that Delta would pick up the dog and I wouldn't have to leave security with my two children get him check into Delta and go through security again. I don't beleive them.
Also the flight from Atlanta to Savannah the plane is too small to take the crate. He can't leave Atlanta. We decide that the best solution is Brian picks up the dog in Atlanta and I fly into Savanna and he drives.
All this for my Tagalong. Might seem too much for just a pet. But he is more than that in our family. He is an Ashton.
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