Things You'll Need
- Pet travel carrier
- Health certificate
- Proof of rabies vaccination
- Dog seatbelt
Instructions
General Traveling Instructions
Choose an appropriate travel crate for your pet. Use a strong, ventilated plastic crate specifically intended for pet travel. Bring your pet along while choosing the crate to verify that it can turn around comfortably inside it and stand up without touching the crate's roof. Airlines require pets to travel inside crates, and crates are also safer for car travel.
Line the bottom of the crate with absorbent material and secure a filled water bowl to the door.
Acclimate your pet to its crate weeks before traveling, if possible. Set the crate in a room frequented by your pet. Place the pet's favorite blanket and toys in the crate, along with some treats. Spray a pet hormone inside made to attract cats. When your pet is comfortable with its crate, it won't be so stressed out during travel.
Make arrangements with hotels, hosts, campgrounds or any other destination to ensure they accept pets.
Groom your pet and clip its nails shortly before traveling so it will be well-received at your travel destination.
Pack your pet's favorite toys, treats, food, blanked and dishes to make it more comfortable. Pack first aid supplies such as vet-approved and recommended motion sickness medication, sedatives and antidiarrheal medication, bandages and antiseptic cream. Include your vet's number, the number of an emergency veterinary hospital near your destination and the national poison control hotline number.
Bring a recent picture of your pet and information in case it becomes lost.
Pack documentation proving your pet's vaccinations and license.
Put a collar on your dog or cat. The collar should include license and rabies verification tags, as well as a tag clearly labeled with your name and contact information, preferably a cell-phone number. Consider having your pet microchipped so it can be found in case its collar gets lost.
Pack a leash to exercise your pet and give it the opportunity to relieve itself.
Exercise your pet before traveling so it will be more relaxed in transit.
Feed your pet a light meal or no meal before departure. This will prevent nausea. On a multi-day trip, feed your pet its main meal in the evening.
Traveling by Car
Take your pet on several shorter trips to get it comfortable with riding in the car.
Place the pet crate in the back seat. Dogs can use special seatbelts in the back seat made for their particular size. Securing your pet is recommended to prevent injury and accidents. Do not let pets hang their heads out the window, as this can cause injury.
Stay with your pet at all times; do not leave it in the car alone, since cars can quickly become overheated and kill pets. If you must stop, park in the shade, lock the doors and open the windows wide enough to provide ventilation without allowing the pet to escape. Return to the pet as soon as possible.
Place your pet on a leash and give it a chance to exercise whenever you take a rest stop. Give it a chance to drink as much fresh water as it wants. If the pet is hungry, feed it dry food, which is less likely to cause gastrointestinal distress or nausea.
Clean up after your pet when it relieves itself around parks, rest stops and other public areas.
Traveling by Air
Call your airline and inquire about their policy for traveling with pets. Some airlines and airports may prohibit animals.
Arrange a non stop flight, if possible. Try to travel in the middle of the week during warm weather in the early morning or late evening. This way, you can avoid crowds and excessive heat and sun. If traveling in the winter, choose a midday flight to avoid excessive cold.
Visit your veterinarian within 10 days of travel to check that your pet is healthy enough to travel. Verify that its shots are up to date and inquire about sedatives or other medications recommended for traveling with your pet. Obtain a certificate of health and proof of rabies vaccination -- airlines typically require both documents. Ask your veterinarian for recommended feeding instructions during travel.
Take your pet to the airport in its crate. Arrive at the airport early so you can exercise the pet before entering the airport. Place your pet in its crate personally if possible to prevent stress from being handled by strangers. If possible, take your pet as a carry-on item. Cats and smaller dogs may be allowed to ride as carry-on luggage, but must be kept in their crates at all times. During security screening, remove the pet from the crate and walk it through the metal detector.