Summer is here, and for many that means it is time for vacation! Traveling requires putting furry friends in a kennel or doggie day care center like Camp Bow Wow or Wag-a-Lot. If you can’t bear to part with your pet, Heidi Ganahl, the CEO and founder of Camp Bow Wow, offers these tips on traveling with them.
1) Check all airline requirements before boarding a plane. See if your pet can travel in a carrier that’s kept under a seat or if your pet must travel by freight.
2) Familiarize your pet with its carrier. Pets like familiarity. So allow your pet to get used to its carrier by letting it stay in it prior to departure. Start a week or so before the trip and gradually lengthen the time by a few minutes each day until your pet seems at ease with being placed in the carrier.
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 your purse, do not sneak animals of any size on to a plane. Instead, look into travel alternatives such as Pet Airways, which was created specifically for traveling with pets. Although routes are limited, traveling on pet-friendly airlines may reduce the time pets spend 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.
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, so also consider taking your dog to a nearby doggie day care facility if you want to do things during the day.
6)Make the animal feel at home. Use familiar dishes, blankets, toys and other items from your home to create a sense of comfort for your pet.
