Travelling with pets: How to keep your pet safe and comfortable

By Charlotte Francesca Stiles, DVM

Taking your pet with you when travelling can be a fun and enjoyable experience, and is something which is becoming increasingly common. However, there are lots of things worth thinking about to help ensure both you and your pet have a good journey.

In this article we’ll explain how to keep your pet safe and comfortable when travelling by covering going through the following points:

• What to think about before you go - documentation, route planning, and packing.
• Journey specific considerations - for journeys by plane, car and public transport.

Disclaimer: Please refer to the information in this article as a guide only. If you have specific questions about travelling with your pet, you may want to discuss them directly with your veterinarian.

Before you go

In this section, we’ll go through some points to consider before you start your journey.

Documentation

If you’re travelling with your pet across a border, you may need to bring documentation such as a health certificate and proof of vaccination status and parasite treatment with you. The rules vary from country to country, so if you’re planning a cross-border trip with your pet, it’s best to take a look months in advance. Some destinations may require you to have extra vaccinations or parasite treatments.

It’s always a good idea to have a physical pet tag such as our Lifetime Warranty ID tags with your pet’s unique identification number and your telephone number on them. Don’t forget to keep your contact details up to date by logging into your MyPetHealth portal.

Route Planning

Planning your route beforehand is a good idea to ensure your journey goes smoothly and decreases any stress for your pet. No matter how you’re travelling, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the route, timings and plan any necessary toilet, water or food breaks for you and your pet.

If you’re travelling by public transport, you may also want to check whether the route you’ve chosen has lots of steps or stairs to climb and whether there are lifts available. This is especially important if you’ve got luggage to carry too!

Packing

When it comes to packing, it’s not only important to make sure you bring all the things you need, but also that you pack everything in a way which enables you to transport it easily with your pet.

This may be less of an issue if you’re travelling by car for example, compared to if you’re travelling by bus. If you’re travelling by public transport, it’s a good idea to make sure you have easy access to items such as water, poop bags, and snacks for your pet.

Journey specific considerations

In this section, we’ll take a look at some special types of journey and their specific considerations.

Car

As fun as it may sound to travel with your pet in the front seat, many states require you to have your pet securely fastened in a harness or box in the back seat. This not only helps keep them safe but also decreases the chances of them distracting the driver.

Additionally, if you are planning on taking your pet a long distance in the car, it’s best to practice with shorter journeys first. This is especially important to help you assess whether it’s even a good idea to take your pet with you in the car as some animals get extremely stressed or even travel sick during long journeys.

It’s also preferable to have an extra person in the car when travelling with your pet. This will help ensure your pet is monitored closely and mean that the driver can fully focus without needing to think about any four-legged passengers.

Plane

Travelling with your pet by plane is something that usually requires a bit more organization compared to other types of travel. Depending on where you’re taking your pet to, they’ll likely need a passport, vaccinations, parasite treatment and even quarantine in some cases.

If you’re thinking of flying with your pet, you’ll need to speak to your veterinarian to organize the documents you need for travel.

Public Transport

Aside from the points about packing and documentation, if you’re travelling by public transport, you also need to be aware of how your pet’s journey may impact other travelers. Dogs may be required to wear a muzzle. If you’re taking your cat, you’ll also want to think about a suitable travel box to transport them in.

Depending on the bus or train company, there may be regulations about the dimensions or weight of your pet’s carrier, so don’t forget to check these beforehand!

It’s also good to be aware that some travel companies may require you to purchase a ticket for your pet, and may only allow them to travel in specific areas. It may seem obvious, but we’d also like to take this opportunity to remind you that it’s usually not permitted for animals to sit on seats on public transport.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that it’s given you all the information you need to help keep your pet safe and comfortable when travelling.

We wish you and your pet a safe and enjoyable journey!