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Bringing Fido AlongBy John GrahamSHERPA makes small-pet carriers of all kinds – for dogs, cats, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters and more. They are well made, robust, and have those extra features that pet-lovers know are needed.
Inside, there is a seven-inch wide fold-down floor pad covered with synthetic-wool for the animal to lie on. I am not an expert in fabrics but it appears strong and long lasting and comfortable at the same time. The test cats liked it. In this type of carrier the animal must be lifted into the top opening, so one needs a friend to hold the carrier open. The gusseted ends of the bag are made from mesh as is the zippered top to allow air to move through the bag and to give the animal visibility. Animals like to know where they are going. Then come the pockets! I have never seen so many pockets other than on a fisherman’s vest with its myriad compartments for flies and ties, lures and floats, and reels and lines. Inside the SHERPA carrier there are two zippered pockets on each side of the main animal compartment, which can easily contain all sorts of reading material for the intelligent cat. Outside there are three open pockets on each side into which all manner of treats and owner’s belongings can be stored.
So? Does the carrier work? Being temporarily catless, I borrowed my neighbour’s ‘Cookie.’ Cookie is a fat cat – not wealthy, just fat. Over 19 lb I am told and so he might have been considered too large for my version. However, all went well. Cookie is docile but timid and prefers his own company, yet Cookie went in smoothly and sat down to watch operations. In carrying the bag I found it rather tall and with a reasonably heavy animal it can bang against one’s legs if one walks for some time. I carried it first for half a mile and that is about all one should undertake. It is not a carrier for a long distance trek without being able to set it down occasionally. If Cookie where larger I would have preferred one of SHERPA’s roll-along designs. However for transferring the animal from car to plane my version works well. Cookie enjoyed being carried and uttered only five complaints. Now my neighbour has another cat: ‘Buster.’ He is not quite so fat but not given to being picked up at all. Still despite the fact that he always seems to grow eight legs and a very stiff obstructive tail on being put into carriers, we did manage to get him this one and there he settled down to watch things through the netting. However, this operation really needs the friend unless your animal is very small or brain dead. Here it helped that Buster’s protest mewing is only something that a tiny mouse with a sore throat might achieve. My judgement is that both cats did not object to a first carry in a strange carrier and indeed I suspect Cookie liked it. On being released he immediately came back to check things out rather than hiding away. SHERPA’s bags come in a variety of sizes and a sizing chart is available on the SHERPA website. Mine is a standard tote carrying pets up to 16 lb. It is 18”x15.5”x7.5” and it is priced at $75.00. The carriers and totes have been accepted by all the major airlines including United, American Airlines, Air Canada, US Air, Continental, Northwest, Alaska Airlines, American West, and Delta. The carrier would have to go under the seat ahead during take off and landing, however, you should be prepared to be comfortable in your seat with the carrier by your legs during flight. That might be difficult in economy seating but it would be fine in business class. SHERPA website: http://www.sherpapet.net |
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TM
My
carrier looks like a large carrier bag made of red tweed, but looks are
deceptive for closer inspection shows that it has a very specialized
function.
On
my carrier I visualized using one for my flight ticket wallet and another
for a folded newspaper. That’s ten pockets already folks, but there is
another. A separate red tweed wallet is enclosed with anothers zippered
pockets. This can be attached to a spring clip to hang inside or outside of
the carrier. It could be used to store cash or other valuables under the
watchful eye of a protective Peke.