Bring Fido or Fluffy along on vacation by using our top six tried ‘n’ true pet travel tips. Pet travel, like all travel, is becoming more challenging these days. Rising prices, staff shortages, unruly passengers and service disruptions may affect your entire family’s journey.
We share the six most essential pet travel tips to make the getting there as smooth as your vacation.
Pet Travel Tips: Plan Ahead for Your Best Friend’s Comfort
1) Check all airline requirements before booking your seat. See if your pet can travel in a carrier that can be kept under a seat in the cabin. Your pet may have to travel by freight.
2) Familiarize your pet with its carrier. If you plan on keeping your pet inside a carrier while traveling, allow your pet to get used to it. Acclimate your pet to the environment by placing it in the carrier for a few minutes each day. Gradually lengthen the time until your pet seems at ease with being placed in the carrier.
Pet Travel Tips for a Smoother Inflight Experience
3) Don’t try sneaking your pet on the plane. Although it may seem like a good idea if your pet is small enough to fit in a carrier beneath your seat, do not do so. If your pet is a designated service animal, be aware of recent changes to transportation regulations. There will be repercussions if you attempt to avoid paying a pet transport fee. Instead, look into travel alternatives such as Pet Airways. This airline was created specifically for traveling with pets. Although routes are limited, traveling on pet-friendly airlines may reduce times that pets are required to be in a carrier.
4) Feed your pet no less than five or six hours before flight time. Give the pet a drink of water no less than two hours before flight. It is very easy for your dog or cat to become sick in transition.
Pet Travel Tips to Keep Pets Happy Away from Home
5) Find a hotel that will allow your pet to spend the night. Most pet-friendly hotels will not allow pets to be left in the room alone. If you plan to be out all day, consider taking your dog to a nearby Camp Bow Wow doggie day care facility. This franchise pet boarding service has facilities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennylsvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts with more to come. It will cost less than paying for damage incurred by leaving a dog along in a hotel room.
6) Make the animal feel at home. Just like children, pets enjoy a familiar routine when they are away from home. Use familiar dishes, blankets, toys and other items from your home to create a sense of comfort for your pet.
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Wow, Fran Falkin’s pet travel tips are a lifesaver! ? Planning our pet-friendly vacation has been a breeze thanks to these insightful tips. We followed tip #2, and now our fur baby practically loves their carrier, making our journey stress-free. Plus, we found a cozy hotel that welcomes our pet, so they’re enjoying the adventure just as much as we are. Thanks, Fran, for turning our pet travel worries into tail-wagging excitement!
Reading Fran Falkin’s insights took me back to my first trip with Whiskers, my feline companion. The chaos of ensuring he was comfortable amidst the hustle of the airport was a lesson in patience. Had I come across these invaluable tips earlier, our journey would’ve been as smooth as a calm sea.