Pet Travel in the 21st Century

Pet travel has changed radically in the past two decades. Not so long ago any talk about it would have been about how your pet dog or cat wandered down the road for a block or two before you caught up and guided them home again!

With the advent of the global village, airconditioned cars and pet friendly hotels, the average pet may reasonably expect to get further than the local convenience store. The inclination to go on a journey with a pet does however place a burden of responsibility on the owner and some planning is called for.

Preparations for travelling with your pet(s) can conveniently be divided into 3 categories. These are (a) down the road ,(b) over the hill and (c) far away ( international pet travel) ) In a nutshell, how far are you going and how long will you be away?

Irrespective of how far you are going to go with a pet, there are some basic requirements that you need to consider. Not all of these will apply to all journeys but the relevant ones should be addressed before departure.

1) The comfort and safety of the animal during the trip.

2) Feed and water requirements

3) Environmental Temperature control within the mode of transport.

4) Planned regular "comfort" stops for especially dogs if going by car

5) How you will control the pet during routine stops/unplanned interruptions

6) Relevant paperwork (vaccination certificates, permits etc) if crossing any political boundaries.

Probably the most obvious pet travel tip is to know how well or otherwise your pet travels and make preparations accordingly.Today there are state of the art travel carriers and accessories available. These should be used to make pet travel an exciting and uplifting experience for human and pet alike.