Vacationing With Your Pet

If you take your pet on vacation with you, as I often do with my dogs, things can get interesting. Although mine are micro-chipped, I generally make a point of affixing an extra ID tag onto my dogs' collars with the address and contact info of the place we are staying.   

In addition to their regular checkups, I take all three dogs to their veterinarian shortly before our trips and explain that we will be travelling. This helps to ensure everyone is fit and in good condition to travel. We have all of the medications we might need for the trip and that we meet all legal requirements, whether travelling domestically or abroad.   

If your travel includes flying in an airplane, cruising on a ship (yes there are some that accommodate pets) or seeing the sights by rail, you may be minimally required to have a veterinary certificate of health. Your destination and airline or other travel arrangement will dictate what this includes. In the case of most air travel, a health certificate should be no more than 10 days old. If leaving the country, you may be required to have other documents as well.           

Even crossing state lines with a pet may require you to travel with specific documents. North Carolina, for instance, where I sometimes vacation with my dogs, requires proof of rabies vaccination for pets older than 4 months and a veterinary issued certificate of health for most animals entering the state. A good rule of thumb is to check each state you plan to drive through and/or in which you plan to stay.         

If travelling by car, it is helpful to map out your route and plan breaks for your pet every couple of hours. Make sure your pet is securely leashed at each rest break. Every summer we hear horror stories of pets lost along busy highways or at rest stops by family's en route to a destination. This can easily be avoided by ensuring your pet is leashed before you even open the car door.  

Some pets travel well in the car, particularly those who are accustomed to going for rides. Others may become anxious. For these pets, a crate can help to make them feel more secure. As vacation road trips will often result in longer car rides than most pets are used to, and some may experience motion sickness or upset digestive systems, a light meal and good walk shortly before embarking are a good idea.  

If you suspect your pet will have difficulty on the journey, mention this to your veterinarian. While some may prescribe a drug or recommend something over the counter to help with motion sickness, you might instead try a natural product such as Rescue Ready or Happy Traveler. Your veterinarian can provide the best advice in terms of helping your pet best handle the trip. 

Once you have arrived at your destination, it is important to remember that everything is new and strange to your pet and while they may be very excited and even exuberant, they may also be quite anxious and even a bit uneasy. Behave normally but keep your dog leashed and explore your new digs, be it vacation home, hotel room or campsite.

If your pet is accustomed to being crated at home. Make sure to bring his or her crate with you and allow constant access to it. You might bring some familiar toys and a blanket or two that has the scent of home.  

Remember that your responsibility as a pet owner is not on vacation.  Both pets and owners should be on their best behaviour so to ensure that pets are always welcome at vacation sites. Know and respect local laws, rules and customs and put your best foot forward and perhaps most importantly, relax and enjoy your vacation.