Travelling With Pets

Travelling with pets can be tremendously rewarding but can also be a stressful and overly-bureaucratic experience for both pet owners and pets. If you are considering travelling with your pet, either domestically or internationally, you need to make sure you research all the relevant rules and regulations before you arrange your trip.

It is also wise to consider whether it is really fair to your pet to take them with you ? after all, days spent travelling might be more stressful and tiring for an aging animal than a quiet few days in a kennel or cattery.

Road Travel (Domestic)

Travelling by car within your own country is certainly the easiest way to travel with a pet, but still has its own challenges and difficulties, not least when you reach your destination. Here are a few things to consider before transporting your pet by car:

?Is your pet accustomed to car travel?

?Is your destination pet-friendly?

?Do you have the right pet accessories for travelling?

Before you set off on a long trip, get your pet used to travelling by car by taking him for regular short trips. Consider how he is to be transported ? if on the back seat, do you need to buy a harness to prevent him moving around too much? This is a good idea if you aren't sure you can trust your pet to stay calm.

A thick travel blanket is also a good idea to protect your seats, along with a couple of your pet's favourite toys. It can be a good idea to keep your cat or dog in a travel crate while it is being transported. This contains any mess they might make, and will hopefully provide them with a familiar environment that will help to keep them calm.

Remember to stop every two-three hours to allow your pet to go to the toilet and drink some water, and don't forget to take a pooper scooper and some bags with you.

International Travel

Taking your pet overseas can be a complicated and slow process ? historically, it was often necessary for animals arriving in a country to spend up to six months in quarantine, meaning that unless the move was permanent, animals never left their home countries.

Today, things are a little different, as many countries have agreements in place to allow fairly free movement of pets between them without any quarantine requirements. However, there will be other requirements ? these form a generic minimum:

?Proof of the animal's identity and ownership

?Proof of the animal's vaccination status for various diseases

Rules vary from one country to another ? research them carefully if you are thinking about taking your animal abroad, and remember you will have to repeat the process on your return ? there are no exclusions for homebound animals.

This article was written by Denise Clement, co-owner of the increasingly popular online website Pet Supply Store  founded in 2005