The Jacqueline Monroe Show - 265- Little Jimmy Big Plane

Episode Date: May 31, 2021

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Hey guys, it's episode 265. Welcome back to the show. Hey, what's up? It's Jacqueline. welcome back to the show. Hi, this is episode five on my seven podcasts in a row marathon I'm currently doing to catch up. Yeah, I podcast seven days a week. I committed to that on September 4th, 2020. I set out to do a podcast every day for a year and I'm behind. So here we are I'm on vacation in Washington at my mom's house for Memorial Day weekend and I'm trying to

catch up I'm trying to get this done before midnight so today's episode is going to be fun because I'm going to tell you the story of flying my golden retriever puppy home on the plane I'm going to walk you through my travel day so I'm excited about this one this is finally the last few episodes were honestly trash like one through four of this series so whatever but like I had to do them um but this one's gonna be fun so uh how do I even start I guess I guess I should back up to a week ago I actually planned on boarding Jimmy at a dog boarding facility hotel whatever whatever you call it in San Diego for like six nights or however long I'm I was going to be gone and I just had so much fear and anxiety and like worry about him flying on the plane because

I um don't he's not an emotional support he wasn't registered as an emotional support animal and I heard like I asked my doctor for a a document or a letter or whatever so that he could fly next to me on the plane as an emotional support dog and she said that she's not doing that anymore and they're not accepting those anymore. So I didn't really, honestly, I just, I just said, oh, okay. Like, well, I guess that means, I guess that was a sign. I was like, oh, I guess the airlines aren't doing that anymore. So he'll just stay in San Diego and I'll board him. Like I kind of just didn't want to fly him on the plane to begin with. And that was kind of like, I was just like, okay, whatever. But, um, yeah, so a week ago I had booked him a hotel. I had scoped the place

out I had had I had that all set up and then I got a phone call from my family and they were facetiming me and every time I facetime them uh they're like where's Jimmy where's Jimmy and then I basically facetime my dog the entire time and show him what show them what he's doing and they're like Jacqueline you have to fly him home you have to get him on the plane you have to you have to. So long story short, I hung up on the, I hung up with my family on the phone and then I got on, I, uh, I'm scratching my eye. I'm so, you know, when it's late and you're just like rubbing your eyes. Sorry. Um, sorry. Uh, hung up the phone, booked him a ticket. Uh, he got all set up with my airline and they had a spot for him in the cargo section of the plane which is

underneath the plane which is so terrifying to think about and kind of I feel like abusive to do to an animal um but yeah so booked him a ticket ordered a crate you have to get the certain type of crate uh to fly on an airplane uh that they they have like a certain they have regulations and rules and everything for animals on in the cargo section so yeah just one thing after the next after the next was happening after that phone call with booking Jimmy the flight getting the equipment getting everything set up for him and boom now he's in Washington laying next to me in the kitchen and he's been in the fields running free he's been meeting all of my relatives he's never been better I feel like this is a great decision even though I'm sure he's got some insane

like trauma from that landing and that takeoff and landing noise but anyways um let me walk you through my travel day so the day before even though I literally just brought a carry-on and my puppy I was I swear I spent the entire day packing like I didn't need to, but I was just trying to, like, make my apartment cute and clean and nice, and I was making sure that I had all of his stuff taken care of. Oh, I had to take him, oh my god, I didn't even include this. I had to last minute get him a rabies vaccination. I had to get him a certificate that said he was vaccinated and healthy, so he was at the vet all day. I don't even know what happened. Like, I love this place I went to. I'm not trying to throw shade, but, like, I dropped

him off around 10 a.m. and then I had to call like 5 30 p.m. or I had gotten a call from the vet that said everything's good we he's fine I got that call around like two or three and she's like yeah he'll be ready to get picked up and they'll call you in about 30 minutes I never got the call so then 5 30 almost six came around and I'm like where's my dog why haven't they called so he had basically been there all day um so yeah the day before I'm like packing scrambling cleaning because I hate coming back to a dirty apartment after I travel so it was kind of one of those days like a pre-flight getting my shit together days and Jimmy was at the vet and anyways um yeah the day of I my flight was early it got picked up at like 5 45 and yeah about a quarter

to six so not too early but still kind of early um I don't know I'm just gonna go through details like maybe this is helpful for someone out there who wants to fly their dog on a plane like okay here's the podcast with the information with all the details for you um so I get picked up I uh get to the airport at the arrivals and I got really lucky like I don't know if they were waiting for me or had someone ready for me to ready to pick up Jimmy like it just seemed super meant to be because uh the crate doesn't have wheels or anything convenient to like get him around the airport so or to like move him around the airport you basically I'd be I thought I was gonna have to like lift him around or have someone help me so um anyways there was a guy with one of

those flatbed like Costco looking push carts standing outside and I kind of waved or I like went up to him I'm like hey like how do I get my crate inside he's like oh I'm here to help you I'm here to help you. And he's super nice and helpful and everything. And we loaded Jimmy up on there and I followed him to the check-in booth at my airline. And it was so slick, like shout out Alaska airlines. I mean, I never, like everything was so seamless, so easy. No, like the only issue I had was honestly, I walked up to the booth without a mask on and they were like, are you fully vaccinated? And I was like, no. And they're like, you gotta wear a mask. that's the only issue I had the entire time so basically he rolled up or I had him on the leash

in the airport we walked through the airport and then the guy with the crate like on the car just like walked he like pushed it up to the counter and um they tagged it all up and put his information all over it and I got a ticket to pick him up after the flight and um I don't know like basically it was super slick super easy the lady that checked me in was super nice um everyone in the airport was like oh my god cute dog cute dog because he was on on the leash and um people were like can I pet your dog you know everyone loved him when I walked through the airport everyone's like heads turned because he's a cute little golden retriever puppy of course but anyways so basically we got on an elevator I put him in his crate it's kind of like sad I was

like okay I'm not gonna see you till I get to Washington and I was like oh my god this is crazy I put him in the crate me and the lady at the check-in counter got on a elevator I was kind of confused I'm like are we going to the plane like what's happening basically we went down a level and then a guy came up to the crate and like scanned it checked it out made sure everything looked good um you know kind of talked to me about the next steps about how like where he was gonna go where they're taking him and that was really nice like they were so thorough and so sweet and nice about everything like I just felt like they I felt like he was in really good hands and I had nothing to worry about like it didn't feel scary and I guess that's what they're

trained to do because people are like especially with their dogs are so protective and you know it's like a kid you're throwing under a plane like that's kind of how it felt so anyways um off he goes behind a door through it at like through a hallway on the cart and I was like holy shit so I go back up I go through TSA I am kind of I'm like cutting it close a little bit but I'm like I need coffee so uh I go to my what's it called I go to my gate for like two seconds and then I'm like okay I need coffee I get back up and I go to Pete's Coffee because the line was what the line there was the shortest of course everyone in the morning was getting coffee and like the star there wasn't even a Starbucks what was the other line there was some

other line that was like too long. I wasn't going to stand in it. So I get in line at Pete's coffee and then I'm getting it. I get, I get a Americano. I get an iced Americano. Um, I was so, I had such a great, I honestly spent too much time there talking to the, like people are in line and I'm sitting there for like two minutes having a nice conversation with the cashier lady. And she was telling me about like her favorite coffee there and shit I don't even know like we got small talking for a while and I was trying because I like messed up my order I'm like oh my god I'm so sorry I don't want that I want this anyways um this there's like kind of a story to this pre-flight uh airport situation I found myself in okay um I grabbed my coffee you know it takes

like 10 minutes or whatever for me to get through the line and get it and I'm like I'm in the airport I gotta go I gotta go take a selfie so I'm fucking I got my coffee I found the nearest restroom I'm like I gotta go take a selfie so I'm fucking in the stall in the handicaps I know this is fucked up I found like the only only open stall in the bathroom, and I'm like, I got to take a selfie, I don't know, it's just a thing I do at an airport, uh, it's kind of like, it's a routine, it's a ritual, I got to document my experience with my caffeine, I'm holding my coffee, I'm in a fucking stainless steel booth, stainless steel airport bathroom stall, taking a goddamn 6 a.m. selfie, uh, and next thing I hear,

jack lemon row report to gate 21 jack lemon row report like something like that report to gate 21 so my name got announced on the loudspeaker because i was i was a missing person on the plane they needed you know they needed to fly away and here i am taking a goddamn selfie with my coffee and the the the phone booth what's it called the bathroom stall and i was like that was kind of fun like I just got to hear my name announced like in public in a big space in front of a lot of people and it sounded good thanks thanks mom and dad I have a great name um so I'm hustling I get my airpods in I put on some trap music and I start marching because I had I had like a good march to go to get to my gate I had like a good two minute walk of shame to do through

the airport and I just have a little roll on little carry-on roller so I had nothing I didn't I didn't have a lot to carry, so, I get there, and I look like a ditzy blonde, I think my tits were off, so I was taking a selfie, and I had, like, a low-cut, I did, I had a push-up bra on, and a low-cut, um, what's it called, camisole on, and that was unzipped, I just felt like a hoe, honestly, I look like I was, like, freshly, like, I literally, I felt, uh, it felt like a walk of shame, I didn't know how else to explain it, and the guys at the, at the, um, what's it called, at the, at the gate, checking me in, were, like, uh, thanks for being here today, thanks for coming today, like, they were just, like, being annoying like that, or just, like, funny, or trying to

fuck with me, like, and I was, like, fumbling to get my ticket, my, uh, boarding pass, and I was, god damn it, but I get on the plane, okay, there's more to this story, so, uh, row 30, okay, guess how many rows were on this plane, 31, I'm row 30, so, I gotta pass all these motherfuckers on the plane that have already been seated, I'm that one person, there isn't a single place to put my luggage up above everything's full the flight attendant's trying to find a space for me we're checking like we're opening every single overhead storage shelf thing to find a spot for my luggage and that took a good five minutes and then I finally sit down and I was just smiling being fun and like trying to be you know I didn't want to look like a mean I don't know I try to be

like I tried to make fun of myself about it all like I was kind of talking to people around me and shit like I don't know I felt kind of bad even though we were early like I I don't know we were early to be honest it was like 15 minutes ahead of time so whatever um okay so then I sit down and uh I'm on the aisle by the back it's literally like next to the bathroom so that was I guess nice but also annoying because everyone gets up and stands in line next to you the whole time but um I sat next to a really cool mom and daughter kind of my age um but anyways this couple in front of me goes hey are you Jacqueline Monroe and I'm like yeah and they're like oh no no they're like hey do you have a dog and I'm like yeah and they're like are you Jacqueline

Monroe and I'm like yeah why and they're like they've been looking for you because there's a puppy under the plane and this is your they needed to give this to you so I didn't get I was supposed to get out this is so irresponsible like this sounds like I'm such a bad dog parent like here's my puppy under the plane during the pre-flight like the they got apparently they got over the loudspeaker on the plane not only were they on the loudspeaker on the airport looking for me saying my name they were on the plane saying hey who has a puppy under the plane we need to give you this or something like that it wasn't that dramatic but it was basically a ticket that is that went with his crate to identify that he was my dog or something and so they gave it to the

couple that sat in front of me to give to me so okay basically that's the end of the story they said yeah for like 10 minutes they were looking for the person that owned the puppy underneath the plane. And then, uh, a lot of people have like strong opinions. Like I was at TJ Maxx. Uh, I had a return to do like a couple of days before I flew here and I got reprimanded by my cashier about flying my puppy on the plane. Like she was like, Oh, he's not flying with you. Like in your seat, he's going in the cargo. Oh, that's horrible. Like, that's really sad. Like you should not do that that's abusive um so yeah I feel like it's a neg I don't know like there's a negative like people that like dogs a lot or whatever like think it's abusive and

terrible and you know what they put they put thoroughbred like if you look up horses on planes like it's a thing they ship animals on planes all the time um it's kind of one of those things like, it's a dog. Like, I know that sounds bad. I'm like, look, it's a, it's not, I don't know. Um, I got it. I got it. I got good news for you. When I got to Seattle, when I picked him up, he looked fine. He was happy to see me. He wasn't crying like all the other dogs in the crates around him. There's multiple, when I picked him up at the baggage claim, there were, like, six other crates with dogs and cats or whatever in them, and every dog was screaming, barking, crying, freaking the fuck out, and Jimmy's just sitting there, like, happy

go lucky Jimmy, not making any noise or freaking out, he didn't look sad, he didn't look traumatized, he looked normal, and I just opened the crate, put his leash on, and I said hi to him, and it was, like, nothing happened, so, and he didn't have any accidents in the crate, there weren't any, like, signs of puking, shitting, peeing, choking cuts, blood, nothing. So anyways, um, yeah, the flight was good. I kind of talked to the people next to me the whole time, which is they were like, I wanted, I almost, I feel like I should have gotten the girl's number and hung out with her or like I could hang out with her in San Diego when I'm back. But, um, yeah, just super chill people. Um, it's kind of fun sitting in the back. It's a different experience.

it's kind of more like, I don't know, it's wavier, like, you feel every, it's wavier, you feel every little swivel in the air that happens, like, you feel the plane more, and the turbulence more, which is kind of fun, I don't give a shit, I like it, I don't, I don't have, like, yeah, I don't care about that, I feel like it's the natural flow, it makes sense, like, a plane moves when the air like it it should move like that it should kind of bend and twist and shake like it's uh yeah so I don't freak I don't freak out too much by turbulence but you definitely feel it more when you're in the back of the bus like that and uh it was nice um yeah the flight was easy pretty quick couple hours I get to Seattle I get Jimmy I uh walk him out on the leash I

actually held him like a kid I was kind of obnoxious like that but my uh aunt and my mom and my cousin came and picked me up and I was holding him like like a like you know how you can pick up a dog like like a toddler like you hold their butt kind of and they're they're I don't know how to explain it like I held him like a person and I stood out on the ledge or on the curb yeah I stood on the curb with him like that and it was kind of a it was cute so when they pulled up, there's me and Jimmy, and, you know, home sweet home, and then, yeah, um, basically, uh, I guess, what, what else is there, I, I don't really want to talk you through that, the flying day, because I came home, I met all, I, I saw all my family, um,

we just, like, hug out, like, I don't know, we didn't have, did we go to dinner, what did we do for dinner, no, we didn't, we just, like, did our own thing that first night, because he, my brother and his girlfriend were here with their dog, my sister's home, the whole family was home, um, it was great, so, I guess, as far as, if I can button up any details about flying Jimmy, um, absolutely no issues, um, no, like, physical trauma to the body from flying in the plane. I didn't notice anything. He didn't even like, like his mannerisms and his facial expressions did not look like he was super traumatized or sad or scared. Um, like he probably was obviously during the

flight but when I picked him up it was as if nothing happened and since it since the flight since the last few days of being in Washington like he's his good old self so I had a great experience with Alaska flying my dog in the cargo section of the airplane um they were they were super like kind and sweet about it all and made me feel like he was going to be okay and he was in good hands and um I don't really have like tips I guess my only tips would be make sure you can make sure you have something set up where you can transport the crate through the airport on a on something with wheels because that was super nice well I had someone there to help me I don't know if that was a setup by the airline like they knew I was coming or if that just

happened if the guy just happened to be there to help people that needed like needed to push something around like that but it'd be it's nice to have wheels to roll the crate around and then make sure you check your airline's like rules and regulations for how to set up the crate because like last minute I painted the words live animal on the side of the crate in big letters and then I did like arrows of what direction like the up arrow so that they knew to keep up right they also provided stickers that said that so I didn't need to do that but some airlines require you to write obviously like your information on the crate I guess no all of them will that makes sense like the emergency contact and your address and the dog's

name and um you can't have toys inside that was a thing like I couldn't give Jimmy any little squishy chew toys or anything you have to I don't know if every airline's like this but mine required a water bowl it worked yeah I had to give him a water bowl and a food bowl that was attached to the door from the inside so that if they needed to refill the water they could access it easily and like feed him and I also added I didn't I didn't give it to him but sometimes they have you they have you attach a food bag on the outside um so they can feed him more food if they need to I guess for like a super long flight that would be necessary but not for not for mine and something I did so that the water wouldn't get everywhere was um

the night before excuse me the night I'm really getting into detail here I'm like I gotta finish if I'm gonna do this episode about flying a dog on a plane I gotta really give you every detail um the night before I froze the water bucket so that it didn't like splash around a lot and get make a mess when I brought him to the airport and yeah but and then I only did I didn't do anything really crazy cushy inside. Like I just did like a flea, a fleece blanket that's kind of thin. Um, I don't know. There's like weird, like he has to be able to stand up and turn around and have enough room. So I didn't put any like big pillowy soft cushions in there. Um, he was, whatever. I really, you know what I want to do? Honestly, I don't know if you can do this,

I want to put, I want to install next time. I want to put on a little, I want to put a little security camera in there so I can watch him because like, I kind of don't want to know what he was going through during takeoff and landing. I'm sure he was like bracing himself and like holding his body like stable. You know what I mean? Like, and, and like his eyes probably got huge and he was probably really scared during takeoff. And like, I'm sure it was like that. And then during the flight, it was two hours. I'm sure he finally settled down at some point and just kind of like laid there. I don't really think he was in freak out mode the entire flight.

Because the noise subsides. Like I feel like it would, it's just such an, it's an unnatural, even for humans, like it's an unnatural thing to go through and to feel like your body go into the air and like fly in a plane. so I guess it's the same for a dog but the noise probably was the hardest part for him and he didn't have any drugs on board I didn't give him any like Benadryls or anything and again like he seemed fine and now moving forward when we go on planes and we go to the airport he'll know what's coming and he'll have experience so flying home will probably be easier for him or

he'll know that it's gonna be a big scary noisy plane again and I guess it'll be also interesting to watch um how he does around the airport or like hearing planes now if it like triggers if he like freaks out by the noise but I don't know um yeah this is my first time flying a dog on a plane there's the podcast about my travel day to Washington I live in San Diego and pretty much every year I go home for Memorial Day weekend to celebrate my mom's birthday and to be with family and hang out and we used to go camping this weekend um every time but we don't really do that anymore now we just like go to restaurants and eat and like hang out at the house and do barbecues and I don't know okay so yeah thanks for hanging out hope this was interesting or helpful for

someone out there with a dog or if not if you don't have a dog I hope you uh enjoy this episode keeping up with Mr. Mr. Jim Bob um and yeah that's kind of it I'm gonna record another podcast after this about my family barbecue um the next day because yeah again I'm doing a marathon I'm trying to knock out like every podcast that I'm behind for like I'm like a week behind. So stay tuned for that. That'll be in your inbox next. And I hope you had a great day and I will talk to you tomorrow. Okay. Bye.