Live Animal Transports

Phoenix Air’s cargo-door Gulfstream jets have been used on many occasions by some of the world’s top aquariums and zoos to transport different animal species for breeding programs and the protection of certain endangered animals.

Different aquariums around the world periodically move dolphins between each other for carefully managed breeding programs.  Phoenix Air has developed a specialized system capable of carrying up to two live animal transport cases, each holding one dolphin, in a water bath with an open top, thus enabling veterinarians and handlers to touch and talk with the animals during the flight, to soothe and keep them calm.  Cabin temperature can also be carefully controlled for the animal’s comfort.  This “personal touch” is especially important during long trans-oceanic flights, such as between Hawaii and the East Coast of the United States.

Endangered penguins have been uploaded in New Zealand and flown to the U.S. onboard a Phoenix Air Gulfstream jet with the cabin temperature kept at 36 degrees F for the penguins’ comfort – great for the penguins, but not so comfortable for the human attendants onboard who share the near-freezing cabin space with the animals to monitor them during these very long flights.

Phoenix Air jets have transported trained wolves from Canada to Siberia, Russia to “star” in a popular motion picture trilogy series.  Phoenix Air jets have also made many flights from Puerto Rico and other Caribbean locations to the U.S. Northeast to carry abandoned dogs and cats for adoption.  These very special flights provide a new home and a new life for 50 to 60 dogs and cats onboard “their” private Gulfstream jet during each mission… Phoenix Air is proud to be part of this life changing animal rescue work.

Phoenix Air does not transport laboratory animals for research purposes by company policy.  All requests to transport live animals are carefully vetted before accepting the movement to insure it is in the best interests of the animals and conducted by established and accredited aquariums, zoos and animal rescue organizations.

For recent stories of Phoenix Air live animal transport relocating stray dogs from Puerto Rico to the Hamptons, where they find forever homes, see Wall Street Journal and Newsday articles.