When pigs (and horses) fly: Demand rises for live animal transport

Animal hotels

With horses, and many other animals, their comfort on the ground is equally as important as their comfort in the sky, so many airports have built lavish “animal hotels” where the furry residents can rest, relax and adjust to their new environment in a seamless way. One of the first of these facilities is located at Amsterdam-Schiphol, where it was built in the 1950s for animals awaiting transshipment flights – a much more common occurrence in the era of propeller-driven aircraft.

One of the more famous is Liege Air Cargo Handling Services (LACHS), Europe’s No. 1 ground handler for horses, which exported 180 horses and 80 tons of equipment to the Rio Olympic Games last year. In May 2016, LACHS was awarded a three-year contract to manage the Horse Inn at Liège Airport. The Horse Inn is intended for horses being transported by air and to accommodate them during transit by road. It represents a total investment of €2.6 million.

“Horse transport movements are delicate and sensitive,” said Yossi Shoukroun, LACHS’ general manager. “As experts in the transport of non-standard cargo such as live animals, we have invested a tremendous amount to ensure top-of-the-line infrastructure.”

Today, there are dozens of such facilities with high-tech veterinary care available 24/7, but in North America, there are none newer or larger than the 30,000-square-foot animal facility at Calgary Airport, which opened in 2015.

“In building the facility, we worked with industry specialists to create custom-made horse stalls for our equestrian traffic, complete with radiant-heat flooring, 24/7 security cameras, separate HVAC systems and drainage,” said Brown of the Calgary Airport Authority. “We also have direct access to the apron, which alleviates that transport time from the aircraft to the facility. The airport’s direct-air access to Asia and Europe, utilizing Cargolux and Cathay Pacific is beneficial for business looking to connect around the world, and Cargojet is able to connect across Canada.”

While Brown said equestrian horses are a common guest – and have increased their presence by 9 percent between 2015 and 2016 – the amount of livestock being transported is rising even faster in demand, thanks to the services at the new YYC facility. For instance, the transport of pigs has increased by 49 percent over the same period. There has also been a 5 percent increase in other species, such as alpacas, deer and lamb.

Most cattle are able to handle a longer sea voyage and don’t need to be shipped by air, Brown said. “So, you’re going to see the animals that need to get somewhere very quickly that aren’t quite as hardy, such as pigs or horses,” she added.

The Calgary facility was also built not just with animals in mind but with people as well. “We have dedicated kitchens, washrooms and showers on site for any of grooms that need to stay overnight,” Brown said. “We tried to make the facility comfortable for them to operate out of. We want them to think of Calgary as the place that meets their needs as well as the needs of their shipping.”