Avoid These Mistakes When You Travel with Your Pet

A vacation is a wonderful way to take a much needed break and recharge your batteries. Travelling can broaden our horizons, but when you travel with your pet there are certain challenges to overcome. Many people bring their pets for support or to meet new people and have a lot of fun at the same time. In this article, we will cover some key mistakes that you need to avoid to ensure that you and your pet have a great time. 

Not Talking to the Veterinarian

Many pet owners embark on their vacation without talking to their vet about the trip. This can be a dangerous and costly mistake. There may be some vaccines, tests and paperwork that you need to bring with your pet. There may be a need to stay somewhere unexpected, if something goes wrong and your furry friend needs protection for a boarding facility stay.  It’s also a good idea to check with your vet that your pet is fit, healthy and prepared for a trip. As with when humans travel, they are susceptible to unfamiliar bacteria, pathogens and stresses. This is why we are prone to illness when we take a trip and pets have to deal with similar issues.  If your pet is currently on medication, you need to ensure that you have enough and some extra supplies to avoid a health emergency. If you’re flying, you may need at least some of these meds on hand in your carry-on luggage. You may want to ask your vet about a pet first aid kit and ask about any emergency services or veterinary clinics that are located at your destination. Some pets are nervous when they travel or in crowds and you may need to consider a sedative, pheromones or a calming spray to keep them calm and relaxed. 

Failing to Bring Identification

All pets that you’re bringing with you need to have up-to-date microchip information and ID tags. It’s important to include the latest contact details and when possible your travel itinerary. Bring some recent pet photos to help with identification if you become separated from them. Like small children, pets are very easily distracted, exposure to new sights, smells and sounds can cause them to stray. Perhaps they are startled or curious, the result is the same if they break free from you or somehow escape your accommodations.  Each pet should have a collar in good condition complete with ID tags, current phone numbers and the microchips are the back up if they slip the collar. 

Failing to Plan Ahead

Some pet owners fail to plan their trips with their pet in mind which can derail a vacation quickly. Many places don’t accept pets at all and if you bring one with you they are unlikely to change their policy. Some other sticking points may be a failure to understand the transport or airline regulations pertaining to your pet.  There may be specific policies that cover the crossing of a state or international border. There may also be requirements for certain vaccinations, health certificates, quarantine procedures, additional handling fees and more. These requirements can have a great deal and you and your pet need to be prepared to meet them to complete your journey. For example: Traveling with pets to Hawaii would require a rabies vaccine, titer test, a parasite preventative and a waiting period. The paperwork would need to be submitted ahead of the trip and failure to comply would end the vacation before it even begins.  If you are flying, select an airline that has good reviews and policies pertaining to pet handling and transportation. When you drive research rest stops along your route that are pet-friendly. With a little research you may be surprised to learn that there are many accommodations that welcome pets. There should be dog parks, beaches or other places to exercise and you will need pet-friendly places to eat inside to prevent separation anxiety in a strange place. 

Underestimating the Importance of Transit Safety

When we travel, there are plenty of transit safety systems in place to ensure that we are safe in the event of an accident. This should be equally true for pets that are traveling in your vehicle and they should be in a harness, restraint or carrier. In both cases, they should be supported with the seatbelt and an anchor point. This will keep the human occupants safe too because the pet cannot roam into places where the driver is distracted.  A pet should never be traveling in the front seat or the back of a pickup truck that’s open. If you’re flying with your pet they will be in the cargo hold and they will need a traveling crate that’s airline approved. The crate must be secure, spacious and well ventilated to ensure that the pet can breathe easily and turn around. The crate must be labeled with your contact details, special handling instructions and the destination address. If a pet is traveling in the cabin, they may travel in smaller bags that could be too tightly confined for comfortable travel. Älways check that the carrier has sufficient room for your pet to avoid muscle, joint and back pain issues. 

Failing to Take Breaks

When you’re driving, it’s important to take regular breaks to avoid becoming too tired and prone to making a driver error that could lead to an accident. This rest period is equally important for your pets too. A dog is going to need a stop at least every 2-4 hours to drink water, stretch, run and walk.  Of course, they will need to be restricted to an area where they are easy to control because they won’t be familiar with their surroundings. As a precaution, you may want to keep them on a leash unless they are in an enclosed dog park.  It’s harder to give cats a break because they will need to be confined more to prevent them from roaming and becoming lost. One solution may be to give them free reign throughout the vehicle when you’ve stopped for the break. If you do have a pet in the vehicle as you take a break, remember that they can succumb to heat stroke within ten minutes. The best solution is to have someone with the pet at all times, turn on the AC or crack the windows a little and make sure you provide drinking water. 

If you take some time to prepare and plan your vacation with your pet, it will be much more fun for everyone. Following the simple advice in this article may prevent your pet from becoming stressed or lost during your journey.