Three dogs arrive in State on first ever dedicated pet flight

Three dogs have arrived in Tasmania on the inaugural Pawmobile dedicated pet flight.

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TASMANIA’S first dedicated pet flight has touched down in Devonport with three relaxed pooches on board.

Pawmobile owner Fi Millhouse said the dogs had all flown happily, playing with their toys and “chilling out” in their crates.

The new service flies animals across Bass Strait on an Aerocommander 680 and the passengers are in the cabin not in the hold.

“It is way less stressful for the animals and their owners. I fly with them and sometimes sing to them, but I am not sure they all approved of the on-flight entertainment,” Ms Millhouse said after the flight from Essendon landed.

Pawmobile owner Fi Millhouse and pilot Josh Ewing after the first Bass Strait flight touched down at Devonport

Fi Millhouse's Little Dog ready to fly out on a Pawmobile flight

It will start off weekly and expand to meet demand.

“I am hoping to add more destinations such as Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. I have been blown away by the response,” she said.

“I was already operating a road transport service for pets but then during COVID-19 I was getting lots of requests to pick up animals from the airport and the idea of a dedicated pet flight service was born.

Zach the poodle and Valerie Sherriff-Tandy after arriving at Devonport airport

“It is very exciting to land for the first time and deliver three puppies to their owners.”

Happy pet owner Valerie Sherriff-Tandy was in the airport’s arrival hall waiting for her poodle Zach to land.

“This is a fantastic pet travel option and I am happy to have him home in Tasmania,” she said.

“It is way more personable and the dogs have company as they fly and it is a really quick process to pick them up.

“Zach is a frequent flyer and he seems very relaxed after disembarking from this flight.”

Devonport Airport general manager David Race said it was great to have a new service at the airport and he too expected the “fur baby flights” to be in high demand.