Whether you are traveling for a vacation or purely for the holiday season, about 29.1 % of Americans travel with their pets, according to PetHealthZone. Most pet owners like to have a familiar companion and a feeling of home when they’re on the move. So how can we have a stress-free trip with a pet?
7 tips when traveling with pets
1. Prepare for the trip. For a pet that is not used to traveling as much, you can conduct a dry run to see how the pet will react. It is a great way to remove the anxiety that may cripple the pet from traveling. It can also be an excellent way to check if the pet would get travel sickness or not. It’s good to train the pet to travel in a travel crate to ensure that they get used to being in an enclosed space. That way, the pet will not face any anxiety problems in transit.
2. Select a pet-friendly hotel that will ensure that the pet will relax after staying on the travel crate.
3. Ensure that the pet has a steady supply of water to cool the pet for the journey and ensure that the pet is well hydrated for the whole trip.
4. Ensure that the pet’s documentation is up to date. This includes all the vaccination documents and legal papers to ensure that the pet can travel to the desired destination. Furthermore, consider opening an HSA for pets in case of medical emergencies.
5. Ensure that the travel crate is large enough to accommodate an adult size pet. There should include large enough room for the pet to stand, sit, lie, and stretch about comfortably without the pet knocking its head on the crate. This allows the animal from feeling claustrophobic. Shredded pieces of paper can be added as padding for the animal and their favorite toy to play with. Airlines recommend that you feed your pet four to six hours before the flight to avoid the animal experiencing sickness on the plane.
6. An intense activity with the dog is recommended to ensure that the pet will relax on the plane.
7. Having a pet first aid kit is necessary to help the pet in case of emergency.
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5 must-haves when traveling with a pet
Pet identification
This is just a form of identifying the pet while in transit that ensures that the pet’s owner is at easy reach. Ensure that the pet has a collar with current identification inclusive of updated telephone numbers. An added advantage will be if the pet has a microchip used to trace the pet if it is lost.
Picture of a pet with a copy of vaccination records
A picture of the pet with vaccination records can aid in a search effort to be conducted. Vaccination records are a requirement when traveling with any airline to curb the spread of disease. Also, ensure that the pet is adequately groomed to ensure that the pet is free from parasites like ticks.
Carrying food to go
Carrying enough of your pet’s treats in case of delays ensures that you can maintain a consistent feeding schedule for the pet while reducing chances of having stomach upsets by the pet.
Visiting pet-friendly hotels
This ensures that the pet is in a safe environment that feels homely to the pet. This allows the pet to stretch their legs, especially after having a long flight where they have been inside an animal-friendly crate. Bringing the pet’s favorite blanket can calm the pet down while in unfamiliar surroundings.
Timing the perfect flight
This is a necessary must-do when traveling with your pet to ensure that they do not experience extreme temperatures caused by extreme weather. Choose an early morning or a late-night flight to ensure that the pet travels at the best time.
