Are you travelling with your pets? Some things that you need to know.

I have pets, and, from time to time, I have had a need to travel with them when I was on the go. I will be using dog or pet here, but I know that there are other pets, too. 

Travelling with pets can be a huge headache, and, as John Travolta and his family learned, sometimes, in a freak accident, a huge heartache.  A pet named Paco was lost on a Delta flight, and to this moment, has never been recovered.  Paco has been seen in a  nearby apartment complex area, in which he has made friends with two other dogs. 

There are even pet transport companies, but, to be honest, I have never used them. 

If you need to travel with your pet, you should be mindful that accidents can and do happen. No one likes to think about their precious pets as being lost, but it does happen. 

Here are some things that you can do before you travel with your pet. 

1. Call the airlines. Determine what the restrictions are on your pet traveling in the cabin with you, since in the cabin is assuredly safer than in the pet area of the cargo hold. If your pet is small enough, then decide on if you would like your pet to be in the cabin with you. 
2. Make sure that all shots are up to date. If your pet DID get out, and was hurt or bitten/injured, it would help if they were up to date on all of their shots. 
3. At the vet's office, ask if your pet is strong enough/healthy enough to be able to make the trip. 
4. Mark the pet and the pets' container with all of your contact information. Make sure that your pet has all of their rabies tags and other tags that may be needed in your area. 
5. Put a contact number on the pet tag. If the place you are traveling to has a different contact number, get a separate tag made. "Rags. Detroit contact Aunt Sally 555-555-1212" is sufficient. 
6. Check the pet carrier. Is it still strong? Is it still sturdy? Do you have locks for the carrier? 
7. Add photos to the sides, top, and bottom of the carrier of your pet. DO NOT BLOCK AIR HOLES. Make sure that they are taped down securely. 
8. In the area on the top of the kennel, place an additional paper with all of the information about the dog. 
9. If the dog is shy, or barks, make sure that you tell the person at the gate about that. 
10. If the dog needs medication, speak to your vet about missing a dose. 
11. Stay with the pet until the last possible second. Let the cabin crew know that you have a pet checked on the plane. Ask if you can get off the plane first. Sometimes, you will be told no, and sometimes, you will be told yes.
12. Have your pet micro chipped. Collars can break, dogs can get free, but the chip will go with them where ever they go. 
13. Call the airport where you will be arriving, give them your travel information, and let them know that you have a pet traveling with you. Also be asked to be transferred to the desk for the airline that you are flying, and let them know that your VIP (Very Important Pet) is going to be on your flight. 
14.  Ask the airline what the temperature is where the pets are. Is your pet warm natured or cold natured? Consider this when traveling with your pet. 
15. If your pet gets stressed in unusual or new circumstances, talk to the vet about medicine for traveling. It will make your pet drowsy, but less nervous. 

Here are some things to consider if you are traveling with your pet in the cabin: 

1. Yes, your pet is cute. They cannot come out of their carrier, no matter how cute they are, while they are on the plane. They must be able to fit into a carrier that stows into the seat space on the floor in front of you. Measure it close. My first carrier was too big by one inch. It was a huge hassle, but I got it to fit. My dog was not delighted. 
2. Is your dog a barker or a whiner? Talk to the vet about medicine. No one wants to hear your pet whine, bark, whimper and call out during the flight. 
3. Don't feed your pooch scraps from your plate on the plane. Dealing with pet vomit in the sky is not fun. 
4. You will have to remove your pet from the carrier and the carrier will have to go through the x-ray machine, and then you and your pet will walk through the metal scanner. Bring a leash for this. My normally calm dog decided to try and sprint past me when I set her down, and I got to clean up puppy pee. Bring paper towels in case this happens. You are responsible for the mess your pet makes. If I would not have had her on a leash, I do not know what would have happened. Put the leash on the pet before you let them out of the carrier. This is a new place with tremendous amounts of stimulus. 
5. Some airports have pet areas/relief areas. Call ahead and see if yours does, if not, take a nice long walk before you go to the airport. Let them out (on the leash) at the airport, too if there is a nice grassy area. 
6. Get your pets' nails trimmed and filed before you leave. Anxious pets can injure themselves if they try to claw out of their cage. My Chihuahua caused permanent pigment loss damage to her nose from pushing against the carrier when I checked her in at the vet's office. 
7. If your pet is in the cabin with you, telling them "Shut Up" or similar things is not helping them to feel secure. Reach down and let them sniff your hand. My vet told me to put my used pillowcase in the carrier with my dog, and it worked like a charm. She circled it three times, sat down on the pillow case and went to sleep. 
8. Don't put too much crap in the carrier with the pet. Airline rules state that the pet must have room to stand, turn and sit down. Food is not a good idea of things to put in with your pet. 
9. Avoid LOUD toys. No one wants to hear your pets squeaky toy, their loud chewing, their electronic toys, or similar. No one wants to hear the ball with all the bells in it, or the electronic toys that say things. It is not cute, it is irritating. 
10. Try to get your dog out of the kennel as soon as possible when you land. Do so on a leash, though! 

Happy Tails to you!