Important tips to make travelling with your pet an enjoyable experience
There was a time when travelling meant finding a temporary accommodation and care takers for your pets. The children in the family would often be heart-broken at the thought of parting with their dearly-loved pets. Times are changing, so is the way we travel. According to American Automobile Association and Best Western International, more than 50% of American pet owners insist on taking their pets with them when they travel. Indians aren’t different either. In case you are planning a trip with your pet, there are certain precautions that you need to take.
Road Trip with Your Pet
Take them on shorter trial trips to get them familiarised with travelling by car. Carry enough cold water to ensure that your pet stays well hydrated during the trip. Buckle up your pet well with a pet car seat. Take frequent breaks in order to let your pets use the bathroom and stretch their limbs. Ensure that your dog has its head and paws inside, to prevent damage and infections. Attach a tag to your dog’s collar with the address and phone number of the place where you will be staying during the trip. Do not leave them alone in the car since the temperature in the car can shoot up and can turn out to be deadly for the poor animal.
Air Travel with your pet
Get your pet examined by a vet to make sure that it is physically fit to fly. Do a comparison of the pet policy of various airlines and the fares involved. Some airlines offer temperature-controlled cabins for pets with individual crates and a flight attendant checking on the animals periodically. Flying outside the country would involve complying with requirements such as vaccinations. If your pet is flying along with you in the cabin, make sure that it is housed inside a kennel that is sufficiently big and compliant with the crate dimensions specified by the airline. Make sure that your pet gets enough exercise before it boards the plane.ID tags should be attached to your pet’s collar and to the carrier. If your pet is flying for the first time, spend some time with it and get it to relax before the flight takes off. Veterinarians recommend oils like lavender oil to help animals relax during flights.
Other tips
Get a “go ahead” from your pet’s vet before you embark on any trip with it. Remember to carry your pet’s favourite toy during the trip. Book yourself at pet-friendly hotels and make sure that your itinerary includes only those places that allow pets.
Even after taking all these precautions, there is a possibility that things may go wrong. There have been many instances of pets falling sick or getting lost. Along with travel insurance for you, invest in a pet travel insurance cover for your pet, in order to take care of any eventuality.
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