Traveling This Holiday Season?

Have you ever searched the web for tips for traveling with pets? I just did and got almost 8 million hits. With that in mind, I doubt that I can add too much detail of consequence, but I’ll highlight some of the general principles and point you to more focused posts and articles.

For general information about traveling with pets, check out this post at smartertravel.com. What I like most about this article is that it covers several topics that are so important to the success of the trip. It addresses travel preparation, including a vet visit, air travel, border crossing issues, and hotels and camping. It’s full of good sense and wise steps, and my favorite parts were those regarding hotels and border crossings. Both are good launching points for more specific inquiries.

Another helpful article for general information is this post at takeyourpet.com. What makes this essay different from the previous article and yet so useful is the sequencing of preparation steps, including a very nice list of things to bring along on the trip. The writer has done a thoughtful job of putting everything in order.

Car trips have their own challenges for pets, and I found two articles to be very helpful in preparing for these challenges. First, I like this article at Edmunds.com. It’s lighthearted, has good photos, and lays out the basics in a more focused treatment than the two previous articles. It doesn’t go into depth on any specific topic, but that’s okay. It gets you ready to think about the right concerns, and it prepares you for the next article from the ASPCA. The ASPCA post focuses on what you need to do in order for your pet to be as comfortable as possible on the trip. While it’s not rocket-science, the article cover details that one might not have considered, such as bringing the rabies vaccination record if you’re crossing state lines.

Finally, I found two nice posts on air travel, which is the most challenging of all and requires thinking through the preparation required for general travel and even car travel. This photo essay on the Chicago Tribune site was quick to move through, and the images helped to reinforce the messages. There are ten tips there, and each is useful. Also, I liked this article from tripswithpets.com, which featured seventeen tips for air travel. Even better, it recommended getting the answers to four basic questions about what the airline allows, restricts, requires, and specifies. Getting the pet prepared means knowing the answers to all four questions.

Finally, all of the articles ask the reader to determine whether traveling is really the best option for the pet. Consider whether travel with your pet is in its best interest. Hiring a pet-sitter is a nice alternative to putting your pet through the rigors of travel, especially the interruption of routine, or the rigors of boarding. Unless you are absolutely certain that you want to put your pet through travel, check Pet Sitters International for the name of a pet sitter near you!

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