The ARK at John F. Kennedy International (JFK) has started offering its initial services including The ARK Pet Oasis, the Equine and Livestock Export Center and Aviary In-Transit Quarantine.
“Four years ago we embarked on this process to address the unmet needs for the import and export of companion, sporting and agricultural animals at JFK International Airport,” said John J. Cuticelli Jr., founder and chairman of ARK Development/The ARK at JFK. “Transporting live cargo by plane can be a complex and arduous process for owners and animals alike. Our goal is to create a more efficient and safe process by reducing the need for additional travel and offering trained animal care staff immediately pre- and post-flight.”
The Pet Oasis is available to airlines, pet shippers and pet owners. It provides information to owners on travel requirements, provides micro-chipping before travel, evaluates the readiness of animals to travel, offers pickup and delivery to and from aircraft, receives animals on inbound flights, evaluates the need and provides for veterinary care, and assists with U.S. Customs clearing for pets arriving from international origins, including providing in-transit quarantine for animals between flights to and from international destinations.
The Equine and Livestock Export Center offers resting stalls for horses and livestock departing from JFK. It has 23 12-foot-by-12-foot stalls outfitted with steel-framed, open-airway front doors, non-slip flooring and high-quality hay and bedding.
Finally, the In-Transit Aviary Quarantine has isolation rooms in a bonded warehouse, allowing commercial shippers to schedule overnight several-hour rest stops for birds traveling through the United States.
“The Port Authority is continuously exploring innovative ways to meet our customers’ needs,” Port Authority Aviation Director Thomas Bosco says. “The ARK is a world-class animal care and comprehensive veterinary service facility and will be a great addition to JFK – not only for our passengers, but as a driver for the regional economy that will create jobs and generate sales activity.”
The ARK expects to open Phase 2 services in the second quarter of 2017, including a full-service Import-Export Center. The facility will become operational in Summer 2017.
