8 Tips if You Want to Take Your Pet on a Trip

Are you an avid traveler, but what to do with your pet? Of course, you can trust your cat to your family members, close friends, find a good hotel for pets, or take it with you. Some owners love their pets so much that they can’t travel without their fluffy friends. Let’s see some effective tips that you should consider if you want to pick up the last option.

Get to Know Official Rules of the Host Country

In most countries, the rules for transporting animals are identical, but there are exceptions. So, in Israel and Finland, animals need to have a special antibody analysis for rabies. In France, you can’t stay for more than three months in the country with your four-legged companion. In Saudi Arabia, you can’t bring pigeons and parrots. Moreover, Ireland, Sweden, Cyprus, Japan, and Singapore have special and strict rules for importing pets.

Does Your Pet Have Good Health?

The first and most important thing to think about before the trip — if your pet’s health allows you to travel. While your pet is too young or old or has serious health problems, you had better leave it at home. Some breeds like bulldogs and pugs can even die while traveling as they might have an oxygen lack and can’t bear high temperatures. If you are hesitant to take your pet on a trip, consult your vet, especially if it’s your first time traveling this way.

Get Ready Pet’s Documents

Before traveling, make sure your pet has an animal passport and vaccinations. Besides, you should chip your four-legged friend. The procedure is absolutely painless and performed to keep information about your pet in a single database. Three days before your trip, you should take a special certificate about your pet’s health condition and the written permission to take it out of the country. You have to do documents only in the state veterinary institution. 

Arrange a Medical Bag 

During the trip, you need to have a kit to be ready for various situations. Focus on your pet’s age and health: if it has chronic diseases, apart from standard medicines, you should take medical supplies recommended by a vet. Don’t try to treat your animal yourself. It’s also worth taking care of the food: if the top rated cat foods you are used to giving your pet is not sold in another country, you should take it with you. 

Protect Your Pet From Stress

Before a long trip, don’t feed your pet for 8 hours. Do not shout at the animal in the car, even if you do not like its behavior. Traveling is already too nervous for a small creature. You shouldn’t scare it additionally. Some pet owners and vets advise having a trial car trip before planning a long journey. That might reduce stress and anxiety on the road.

Fly Properly With Your Pet

Before boarding on the plane, don’t forget to warn the flight crew about a four-legged passenger before buying a ticket. You will need to pay for your pet’s transportation, regardless of its location: in the cabin or the luggage compartment.

Pets less than 8 kilograms can travel in the cabin, but if your pet weighs more, you have to put it in the luggage compartment. A dog should be kept in the muzzle. Cats could be carried in special baskets. If you have a parrot, transport it in a cage covered with cloth. Small rodents and insects can be carried even in glass jars. 

If your pet travels in the luggage compartment, don’t forget to stick a tag with your pet’s name and your contacts. Long flight? Provide your pet with a bowl with top rated dog foods and water. Don’t forget about keeping a water balance in your pet’s body.

Think About Pet’s Comfort

When planning a trip, think about your pet’s comfort: it makes sense to take it with you only if you can pay enough attention to it. Keep in mind that pets are not allowed everywhere. Think of the places where your loyal friend will wait for you while you are busy, and if you can leave it alone in an unfamiliar room. 

Come to the Airport in Advance

You should arrive at the airport in advance, especially in the high tourist season: your pet’s registration and passing the veterinary control may take a few hours. While your pet travels in the salon, you need to take it out of the carrier, and when passing through the metal detectors, you should carry it in your hands. If your pet behaves calmly, it’s better to carry it during the inspections than to take it out several times as a pet can experience much stress.

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