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E-mail This StoryWhether it’s down the road for a quick stop-in at the groomer, or several hours away to visit grandma, traveling with pets requires some preparation in order to prevent mishaps on the road.
Because many people do not follow proper health and safety tips, animal shelters often see cases of stray pets who’ve leapt from vehicles, and may have airborne viruses by the time they are found again.
“I would never have an animal loose in the back of my pick up truck. You only have them once, they only have one life,” Mary Smith, office coordinator for the Mesquite Animal Shelter said. “I would make sure all of their shots are current and that they are wearing their rabies tag. It is also good to have them micro-chipped. The microchip can’t be removed.”
Microchips are becoming more popular as time progresses, and can be implanted at most veterinarian offices, with an annual fee from the microchip company. They are implanted by injection, and can reunite pets with their owners even when collars and rabies tags have been lost.
Although it is a common misconception that car sickness in animals is a result of motion, it is actually most times stress induced. This stress comes from the pet relating car rides to being taken away from their home to the vet or kennel, and other places they are not used to.
To help prevent car sickness, owners should take the time to find a park or play area 5-10 minutes away from their house. Taking pets to this area a few times and coming back to the house will help them to not associate car rides with something bad to come.
When traveling in moving vehicles, no matter if it a short or long distance, it is best to keep pets restrained with either a seat belt designed for pets, or animal carrier, which can both be found at local pet stores like Petsmart and Petco.
“If you do have to travel in a truck, I would use an airline type crate, and I would strap it in, so that it will not be rolling around,” Smith said. “You can by a seat belt harness to control your dog. But I would never leave one loose in a vehicle.”
Some of the biggest problems with travelers and their pets are pit stops, whether it’s to fill the tank up with gas or grab a quick bite to eat. Leaving pets confined in parked vehicles can be dangerous, resulting in health related emergencies like heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
“This time of the year, never leave your dog in a parked car. It gets way too hot too fast,” Smith said. “It’s against city ordinance to leave your dog in a vehicle. It gets more heated than people would think.”
When preparing an animal to travel long distances, it is a good idea to feed the pet 6-8 hours before going on the trip, and take them on a long walk before leaving. This cuts down on any vomiting in the car due to car sickness, and other unwanted accidents.
Also, when on the road, take frequent rest breaks. Some pets may be able to travel hours with no issues, but some can become nauseous after just an hour of being in a car. Becoming familiar with what pet’s patterns are prior to going on an extended trip can help to determine how often rest stops are needed.
For pets that exhibit signs of anxiety when riding in cars, different types of sedatives and tranquilizers are available through a licensed veterinarian. However, the pet’s usual veterinarian should be consulted before giving any type of medication for sedation. Doses vary with pet size and health conditions.
For those wanting to travel across country borders or by airfare with their pets, an appointment for a physical should be scheduled as close to the travel date as possible with a local veterinarian, in order to acquire a health certificate. These types of certificates vary in features depending on if the pet is flying in an airplane or not, but most expire 7-10 days after gotten. All major airlines, including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines, require a health certificate for a pet to travel on any of their aircraft.
In order to get a health certificate, a pet must be current on at least their rabies vaccination, and have been free of illness for at least 10 days. Owners that have animals with health conditions preventing them from getting vaccinations should make sure to have correct documentation from their pet’s veterinarian stating this.
In order to travel by plane, it is also required that an animal be contained in a pet carrier that meets the airline’s standards in material, is tall enough for the dog to stand erect in and long enough for the dog to lay down in a natural position. Fees apply with different sizes of pet crates, so each airline should be contacted at least a week before any flights to get specifics on their requirements.
It is highly cautioned against to use any tranquilizers or sedatives prior to an animal traveling by plane, but if still necessary, papers stating that the pet has been given such medications should be secured to the crate before flying.
For summer and annual vacations, where owners will be staying in hotels with their pets, facilities should be called in advance to determine what the requirements are to stay.
“Owners should look for pet friendly hotels and motels, and that will accept their pets,” Smith said.
Traveling with pets is not something that should be taken too lightly, but is something that can be done with minimal setbacks if the proper steps to ensure every furry friend’s safety and health are taken.
