JETSET pets Pippa and Tucket are exceptionally frequent flyers.
High flyers: Pippa and Tucket's grand adventure.
Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: Herald Sun
The mile-high hounds have clocked up almost 170,000km at a cost of about $50,000 as they soar between their two homes in Melbourne and the US.
While it's strictly cargo hold on Qantas, the canines enjoy cabin class on smaller planes they fly on the last leg before touch-down at their Nantucket Island base in America.
But owner Debbie Richardson said the dogs were not toffs.
She's done the sums and says it would be as costly to keep then in kennels in Australia when she and her husband flew abroad.
It would be even more expensive for the family to regularly fly their three children back from the US where all are in college.
"But the bottom line for us is that the dogs are part of the family and a four-month separation for all of us year-in, year-out would disrupt that family relationship," Ms Richardson said.
"We believe that pet ownership is for life."
Ms Richardson is not alone when she takes to the skies with the family's miniature schnauzers.
Jetpets Animal Transport managing director Sandy Matheson said about 1500 pets travel internationally from Australia each year while another 4000 jet between cities and towns. Dogs and cats are the most common live cargo, but Jetpets also ferries fish, reptiles, birds and even tarantula spiders.
A short hop costs about $200 and a long haul trip about $2000.
"Mostly pets fly when families relocate but business, holidays, even veterinary treatment can be considerations when it comes to people taking pets with them."
Ms Richardson said Tucket, 15, and Pippa, 13, were happy to travel to be with their loved ones.
"We are a normal family with the usual expenses and this is the one great, big extravagance. It seems ridiculous but economically and emotionally, it works out best for us.
"And I think my husband would rather take the dogs on holiday than take me."
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