Holiday travel can be stressful even if you’re traveling alone. But adding your pets to the mix can introduce a new level of complexity to even the simplest trips.
Whether you’re traveling by plane, train or automobile, it’s important to make the right preparations that will make the trip smooth and safe for both you and your fur babies.
Road Tripping
Traveling by car is a little easier to manage with pets, but it still requires planning, especially if you’ll be in the car for more than a couple of hours.
- Practice makes perfect – If your pet isn’t used to long car journeys, then it’s best to give them a little practice by starting with short journeys that get a little longer each time.
- Check the laws – When traveling through or to a different state than the one you live in, it’s a good idea to bring your pet’s rabies vaccination records with you as some states do require it.
- Look ahead – Before you leave, it’s worth taking a little time to find regular and emergency veterinarians that are located in your destination and along the route you’ll be driving.
- Check the chip – Make sure that your pet is micro chipped and that the chip registration is up to date with your current contact info.
- Crate correctly – When choosing a carrier or crate for the trip, you may want to go for something larger than the one you use to cart them to and from the vet. It should be big enough for them to comfortably sit, stand, lay down and turn around inside. And don’t forget to strap it in so it won’t move around during the journey. You should only ever allow your pet to roam freely in the car if they’re trained to stay in the back seat, but it always introduces some risk.
- Come prepared – Before leaving, prepare a travel bag that has supplies like food, bottled water, toys, bed, blanket, leash, collar or harness, bowl, first aid kit, disposable litter box for cats and plastic bags for dogs.
- Safety first – Never open a door or window if your pet is not inside the crate or on a leash.
Leaving on a Jet Plane
Traveling by air can be an efficient way to travel with your pet, but a lot of planning goes into making sure it all goes well.
- Always check – Always call the airline first and get both verbal and written confirmation that your pet can travel based on its age, breed and size. All airlines have restrictions and you must find out if they apply to your pet before booking travel. And keep in mind that you can only keep your pet in the cabin if they’re small enough to fit under the seat.
- Fly direct – Whenever you possibly can, book a direct flight to your destination to avoid adding extra time or opportunity for unsafe conditions for your pet.
- See your vet – When you know your date of travel, book an appointment with your vet within 10 days of your departure. During this time, you’ll need to get a health certificate, but you can also ask about tips for keeping your pet calm during travel.
- USDA approved – It’s absolutely imperative to buy a USDA-approved crate for travel. And as with crates for a road trips, it should be large enough for your pet to comfortably move around. It should also have soft, absorbent material inside for comfort and in case of accidents.
- ID required – Mark your crate with your contact info, destination, your pet’s name and photo, and the words “Live Animal” just to be on the safe side.
- Snack time – Though it’s not wise to put food inside the carrier, you can tape a plastic bag with dry food to the outside of the crate so that airline employees can feed them if there are delays or layovers.
As you can see, safe traveling with your pet isn’t always simple, but it can be managed with the right knowledge and preparation. When in doubt, consider leaving your pet with a boarder or sitter.
If your furry friend is sick, old or prone to anxiety, it’s unfair to expose them to stressful travel conditions and may be wiser to leave them at home.
