We Made It... :)

Well, as you can tell from the above photo, we made it! Up until the people at the Atlanta airport lost my dog, it was a great trip.

We arrived at the Vienna airport early (of course we did, this is me we're talking about!). I was tired and very stressed about the dog and worrying I didn't have all her paperwork. I never worried about Skoobi herself. Well, as we walked into the cavernous Vienna airport, Skoobi pitched the biggest hissy fit ever. She was so scared, she was just crying and whining and freaking out. And did it ever echo throughout the terminal! Oh my gosh! I was torn between feeling so embarrassed and feeling horrible for my dog! I was almost in tears, but I was also very tired.

I was the first person to check in, and the woman didn't even look at any of the paperwork I had for the dog. None... nothing... not a page. Why I bother to do things the legal and correct way, I'll never know. But off they took Skoobi, and they reassured me she would be fine.

I got on the plane a couple hours later, and there was a sticker on my seat letting me know Skoobi was on the plane. I had the seat next to me empty, and so I was thrilled with that. The flight was fine. Long, but no complaints. I'm toward the front of the plane, so I hurry through immigration after we land so I can grab my luggage and find the dog. I was the first person the check in remember, and so of course my baggage is the last off the plane.

But I had all five bags, and I rush over to get Skoobi - but she isn't there. Ok, I'm fine... I just need to wait. the door opens and I ask the man about my flight and he said all the dogs from the flight have been taken to where they are supposed to go. Um... where is my dog??

Two hours later, I am still in the international terminal and no one knows where Skoobi is. I am so upset by now because while the people are nice and seem to want to help, no one knows what to do or who to ask. One really nice guy said i should go through customs and go to the main terminal because maybe they just took her there by accident. So I ruch through as quick as I can, I find my folks and without a hi or hello I just say - "go look for my luggage - five bags, they lost the dog!" So I rush over to where the dog might be, but no one knows of a lost dog and said I should go to the lost baggage office. Aargh!

So, now I'm in tears. It's almost been three hours and no one knows where my dog is. People are making phone calls but not getting any answers. Finally, someone says they think they know where the dog is... there were seven dogs on the flight and Skoobi was the only one who should NOT have been transferred to cargo, so they think that is where she is by accident. Four hours after landing, the finally find Skoobi and confirm she is at cargo.

They said I could wait for her and they would bring her to me... but alas - they can't because she was brought in from overseas. So I have to go all the way back to the international terminal to claim her - not that I cared, mind you. Five hours after landing, I finally got a very stressed and sad Skoobi.

And that was the very condensed version of the story. It was awful not knowing where she was. And the poor thing hadn't had any food or water in ages. We got the the hotel and she just drank three bowls of water right away - which she proceeded to throw up. So, needless to say she had a very traumatic day.

But our drive the next day from Atlanta to Ft Pierce was pretty good. There was no way I was putting Skoobi back in her travel crate, and she was exceptionally good in the car. She either sat by me on the seat, or got down in-between the seat to keep mom and dad company upfront as you can see below.



She also took a nap in-between the seats. It was rather cute :)



Here she is today, her first full day in Florida resting in the shade - it's already so warm and humid here! I left snow and cold wind, and now I am wearing shorts and sandals. :) No complaints here!

Skoobi is adjusting much better than I thought.... she still hasn't met the cat, although they have smelled each others presence. For now, we are sharing the house between them - a couple hours the cat is locked away and Skoob runs free, then a couple hours me and Skoob are in the room and the cat runs free. It's a pain, but it works for now. I think it will all workout.


Oh, and how cool is the eagle flying around the neighborhood? It was so beautiful flying around, I'm glad I got a picture of it while it took a rest on the power pole.

Thanks so much for your prayers. The Skoobi getting lost experience is not one I want to relive anytime again soon! I am just very thankful she was found and is safely sleeping here next to me. I was thinking about how well traveled Skoobi is - even more so than most people I know! She's lived in Bosnia, Croatia, and now the US and has traveled through Slovenija and Austria. Not so bad for a poor little Bosnian street dog!