Traveling With Your Pet: What You Need for Day Trips and Extended Vacations

Many pet parents love to travel and oftentimes want to take their pets with them wherever they go. Whether this is a trip to the beach or a week-long tour of a far away city, there are specific things you will want to bring with you to ensure your trip with your pet goes well.

Alexandra Seagal shares important considerations when traveling with your pet; what you need for day trips and extended vacations.

Before You Leave

When you travel with a pet, there are many things you have to keep in mind, so before you leave your home, prepare your pooch with this checklist;

• Reservations – if you will need a hotel room, be sure to make reservations in advance and also that the hotel is pet-friendly. You may also want to inquire if there is a mini-fridge in case you are bringing wet or raw food.
• Veterinarian visit – many countries will require your pet to have a current health and vaccination record. Ask for a copy of these from your veterinarian. If your dog or cat is need of vaccinations, these should be done, as well.
• Medications – if your pet is on medications, be sure you have enough to last you past the duration of your vacation. Having extra meds will ensure your animal is protected in case you can’t get back on time, or you lose some.
• Flying with pet’s policy – before you hit the airport, be sure you know the airline’s policy on pets and follow their guidelines. Printing these out will ensure you have written copy for reference.

 

Packing a Carry-on Bag

If you are traveling by airplane with your dog in the cabin, you will want to pack a carry-on bag just for Fido. These items should include;

• Food – depending on the duration of the flight (and how well your dog’s stomach is handling the flight) you may want to have a couple of meals worth of food with you.
• Water & Bowl – fill a water bottle (after you pass airport security) to rehydrate your dog when the flight is over. Use a collapsible bowl to save space.
• Leash & Harness – for relief areas.
• Poop bags
• Extra treats – may need these to get your dog back into his carrier.
• Prescription meds – these are safer in your carry-on then in your luggage
• Doggy documents – vaccination records and health certificate
• Picture of your dog – just in case the unimaginable happens, and your dog escapes or goes missing.
• Handheld fan – a practical way to keep your pet from overheating.

 

Packing For Your Pooch

Having everything you need for your dog on a day trip or vacation will prepare you for most circumstances. When you’re packing for your pooch, be sure to include the following items;

• Extra leash, harness or collar
• Make sure ID tags are secure
• Pet First Aid Kit
• Food and bottled water
• Collapsible bowls
• Dog carrier (with extra pads) or harness and seat belt clip for the car
• Towel or seat cover for protection of both a hot seat and doggy emissions
• Window shade
• Pet wipes
• Windex wipes – more so if you are renting a car and need to tidy up the nose prints.
• Doggy wearables – sweaters, life jacket, raincoat, booties, etc.
• Treats, chews, and food
• Loose bedding such as pet blankets and extra towels
• Pet’s favorite toys
• Grooming supplies – brush, comb, nail clippers, shampoo, etc.
• Paper towels
• Lint brush – more for you
• Poop bags
• Extra zipper-closure baggies

 

Packing for a Cat

Although most of the items above do apply to our feline friends, there are still a few extras that you will want to include when packing for a cat;

• Cat bed
• Litter box, cat litter, and litter scoop
• Calm down spray such as Feliway to help de-stress your cat
• Portable cat scratcher – the ones that use corrugated cardboard work well
• Hairball remedy

Be Pet-Ready When Traveling

One of the worst things in life is being unprepared. When it comes to traveling with your dog or cat, it’s better to over-pack rather than to leave out an item that may be necessary down the road (literally).

Follow these checklists to be pet-ready when traveling. Fido and Fluffy will be happy you did.