Traveling with your pets is a blast, because you get to see your pet interact to a new area. But it can also be stressful for your pets, especially the first time that you travel. Before you just dream about hitting the beach, you need to do some planning in order to make absolutely sure that your pet is going to be welcome everywhere you go.
First and foremost, sit down and plan the entire trip. This isn’t the time to think about just leaving home and traveling randomly. Not every pet is going to be welcome at every hotel. You need to call ahead of time and ask whether or not pets are accepted. Be ready to describe your pets a thousand times to a thousand people. They need to know a rough estimated weight, whether your pet is friendly, and what you have with you to keep the pet corralled. Your pet will not be allowed to just roam freely around; the risk of damaging something is really high. Be prepared to present a pet deposit. Think of it as the cost for your furry friend to tag along on the journey.
Are you going to be driving or flying? Driving makes some things easier. If you’re going out of the country, you’re going to need to present current shots and medications. You also need to have harnesses and kennel devices ready as well.
Feeding your pet is your responsibility. Buying food when you arrive at your destination is a good idea…if you’re not going to be too remote. Some places don’t have very good animal food ready, so you’ll need to be prepared to bring your own. This is a lot easier than driving.
From here, don’t forget that you need to think of things for your pet to do. Being cooped up is not a good strategy, because they’re going to rebel pretty quickly. [Read more…] about 5 tips for Traveling with Pets Without (Much) Stress