Traveling with Your Pet

Traveling with your pet can be an enjoyable experience. It does, however, require much planning and preparation. Some questions to ask yourself before taking your pet with you are:

·          Does my pet adapt well to change?   Older pets or nervous animals taken out of their home environment can suffer extreme stress. Simply put, some pets travel better than others.

·          Would they do better at a kennel or at home with a relative or pet sitter? There are many reliable and professional pet-sitting services available in our area. Veterinary professionals agree: The least stressful place for many pets is at home, especially for the geriatric animal.

·          Will my pet really "die of loneliness” without me? Weigh this against the possibility of being terrified when taken out of their secure environment.

·          Does the hotel or motel where I am staying accept pets?

·          Make sure you know what types of documentation you will need. Health certificates, signed by your veterinarian, are required for travel on airlines as well as for travel outside the U.S. Pets must also be up to date on vaccinations and be free of infectious and contagious diseases.

Airlines

If you choose this method, remember that if the pet's carrier can't fit underneath the seat, it will have to go in the cargo hold. Some cargo holds are better than others with regard to climate control and ventilation. In extreme weather, airlines may refuse to carry pets in cargo holds even if a reservation has been previously accepted. For a safer, more hassle-free trip, use these tips:

·          Let the airline know you have a pet; many airlines limit the number of animals per flight. Also, get a list of that particular airline's requirements for pet travel.

·          Make sure your pet carrier is approved by the airline.

·          Think about the time of day or season that you are traveling. Travel when there will be few extremes in temperatures and avoid peak times of travel or "hub" airports where the likelihood of lengthy delays is great.

·          Book non-stop flights. This eliminates the chance that your pet will stay in one city while you make your connection to another city during short layovers.

·          Use proper ID tags both on the pet and its' carrier. Include your name, phone number (especially where you are   currently staying) and address. The carrier should have 1 inch lettering stating "live animal" and "this end up."

·          If you are delayed for a lengthy period insist that your pet be off-loaded with you and retrieve your pet immediately after landing.

Pet sitters

If you decide to leave your pet behind, a great alternative to kenneling is an in-home pet sitting service. Some things to consider are:

·          Can the service provide referrals from clients?

·          What kind of background does your particular sitter have?

·          Insist that your sitter meet with you and your pet before you hire them.

·          Perform a trial run before you leave on a trip. This is especially important with dogs to be sure they will let the sitter into the house when you are not home.

·          Make sure the service is bonded and they have commercial liability insurance.

·          Make sure the sitter knows any health related issues that your pet may have, and can treat them accordingly.

·          Make sure there is a back-up plan if the sitter is unable to visit your pet.

·           Leave telephone numbers where you can be reached to make medical decisions in case of an emergency. And, of course, leave the sitter the phone number of your veterinarian

Signed authorization for the pet’s veterinarian to care for your animals.