Holiday Pet Travel
The holidays are one of the peak seasons for travel, and it is
the perfect time to take your pet along with you. Whether you are
off on a ski vacation, visiting family or perhaps enjoying the
magical feeling of a Swiss village at Christmas time, having your
best friend along will make the trip more enjoyable.
Be sure to consider your pet's identification before you leave.
Pet ID tags with your CELL PHONE number are great since there will
not be anyone at home to answer the phone. You should consider the
added safety of a
pet microchip. If your pet is separated from you, a shelter or a
veterinarian can read the chip, and they can then track you down
through the database of the manufacturer of the microchip. If you
are going to be spending a couple of weeks in one place, consider
buying a second Pet ID tag with the contact information on where you
will be staying.
Pet Crates are a great way to keep your pet safe when traveling
in the car. Unless a pet is confined or harnessed, its behavior can
cause great distraction to the driver of the vehicle. As much as we
all like our smaller pet in our lap, it is detrimental to the safety
of the pet, the driver, and the passengers riding in the car. A
collision, even at a slow speed, can seriously injure an
unrestrained pet. The safety of your pet is your responsibility. Be
sure and buckle them in with a
pet harness or confine them in a crate.
If it is very warm or very cold, don't leave your pet in the car
alone. Be prepared by having a supply of water in portable
pet water food bowls in the car. You may not find the brand of pet
food that your pet is accustomed to where you are going, so bring extra food with you.
If your pet is larger than about 15 pounds, and you are traveling
by air, then you will need an
IATA compliant pet crate with special safety features. If you
will be staying in a hotel, then the pet crate is the proper place
to leave your pet while you go out to dinner. Make sure that the pet
crate is large enough so that your pet can stand up and turn around.
Be sure to leave an adequate supply of food and water to last for
the period that you will be away. It’s also a good idea to place an
absorbent pet pad in the bottom of the crate that will keep your pet
dry in case of accidents.
Be sure and become familiar with
hotel
pet policies. Ask where it is appropriate to walk your pet and
the areas where your pet is permitted. Always pick up after your
pet.
Buy your crate well in advance of your trip so that the pet can
get used to it before you travel. Pet crates come in two pieces, a
top and a bottom. For a few days leave the top off the crate and put
treats and a favorite toy in just the bottom portion. After seeing
that your pet is comfortable, assemble the crate and leave the door
open. Invite them in with praise and treats.
Flying with your pet is easy these days. Almost all airlines
accept pets on board the aircraft. Very small pets can often travel
in the cabin of the aircraft with you in an
airline compliant pet carrier. Larger pets will travel as
checked baggage in a special section of the cargo hold where the
temperature and pressure is the same as in the cabin. Be sure to
alert the captain of the aircraft that you have a pet in cargo as he
will take extra care to keep the temperature and pressure at the
proper levels. You will need a health certificate stating that your
pet is healthy enough to fly. Be sure to make reservations early as
the airlines only allow a limited number of pets per flight. Stay
away from medical tranquilizers for your pet and instead give them
an all natural
pet calmer that will make them less anxious.
You will need lodging on the way. A great majority of
pet friendly hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts that accept
pets but they do not always accept all types and sizes. It is
important to make your reservations in advance and ask about their
pet policy.
Under no circumstances should you leave your pet in the car
overnight.
When traveling, keep your pet on their normal schedule by feeding
them and taking them for their “walk” as close to the regular time
as possible. Be sure to pack a supply of plastic bags to take along
on those walks. If you are traveling with a cat, there are portable
kitty litter trays available. Realize that your pet is out of
their normal surroundings, so be sure and keep them on a leash and
watch them closely. Reassure them should they show signs of
nervousness or anxiety.
Be considerate of other people. Although there are many pet
lovers in this world, there are some that do not feel comfortable
around pets. Respect others by restraining your pet when necessary.
So whether your destination is Grandma’s house, a mountain cabin,
or a ski resort in Switzerland, your pet can accompany you with the
proper planning. International destinations require special
veterinary certificates, however when traveling to most
countries, there will be no
quarantine of your pet.
Everything you need for safe and enjoyable travel with your pet
can be found at
PetTravelStore.com
If you have any questions about Holiday Pet Travel just send an
email to info@pettravel.com
and we will be back to you with an answer in less time than it takes
to say WOOF.