Pet-Friendly Vacation Spots
According to a recent poll conducted by one of the nation's largest pet care manufacturers, Americans would prefer to travel with their dogs if given the option. Over 70% of those Americans responded affirmatively, indicating that they would like to travel with their dogs. In order to accommodate people who travel with their companion animals, numerous hotels, parks, and other vacation spots have opened their doors to them. Before opting to bring your pet along on your trip, be sure it is something your pet is interested in doing rather than something you are forcing it to do.
Take, for example, the fact that most dogs love going on vehicle drives, whereas most cats, on the whole, do not. According to this survey, you'd be more likely to take your dog camping than your cat. Compared to cats, dogs seem to make better travel companions, particularly on lengthy vehicle excursions. Of course, there are certain exceptions to the rule. Overall, your pet would prefer to stay near you rather than in a kennel elsewhere, but only if doing so is a good choice for you and your family. In order to avoid having a dog that has panic episodes in the vehicle or one that will crawl all over you while you are trying to drive, you should avoid taking them with you.
If you want to travel with your pet, keep these travel suggestions in mind to ensure that your journey is as safe and fun as possible.
1. Take your pet to the veterinarian for a checkup and request a certificate of health as well as proof of current immunizations such as rabies, distemper, and bordetella vaccines. It would also be a good idea to get your pet micro-chipped in the event that it becomes separated from you. Especially if you are going out of state, you would want your pet to be returned to you as soon as possible.
2. If your pet is on medicine, make sure you carry lots of it so that you don't run out when it's time to administer the prescription. Furthermore, it would be a good idea to have your veterinarian's contact information on hand in case you misplace the medicine so that the doctor may call in a prescription if the other drug goes missing.
3. Is your pet well-socialized with other people and animals? It is more difficult for a pet that has not been socialized to be in a vehicle or around other people to travel and bear the stress of traveling than it is for a pet that has never been in a car or around other people. You want the journey to be pleasurable for both you and your pet. Fortunately, this is possible.
4. Is your pet in good health and behavior? Despite the fact that there are several establishments that accept pets, no one wants to be awakened by the barking of a dog during the night or throughout the day. Keeping your pet active will also prevent it from chewing on the hotel furniture or peeing on the carpet while you're away. If your hotel room is smelling like a kennel, neither you nor the hotel staff, nor your next-door neighbors, want that to be the case.
5. Before making your reservation, confirm with the hotel that your pet is permitted to accompany you. It would be unfortunate to presume that a pet-friendly hotel exists in a town where you want to stay and then discover that you have been turned away for having a pet or that the pet-friendly hotels are all fully booked when you arrive.
6. Ensure that your pet wears a collar with identification tags.One tag should be a current rabies tag, and the second tag should have the dog's name, your name, address, town, state, and phone numbers. The tags should be attached to the dog's collar. If you have a mobile phone, be sure to include your cell phone number on the identification tag.
7. The majority of individuals prefer to travel by vehicle with their dogs. Pets may experience a great deal of stress while traveling by plane since they are viewed as cargo rather than as live creatures. If you decide to go by aircraft, you should call the airline in advance and inquire about their pet policies. The transport of small dogs as carry-on baggage is permitted by several airlines, provided that the appropriate aircraft carrier is used, which can be purchased at most pet shops.
You should also think about taking your pet's food bowls, bed or cushion, and a few of its favorite toys with you on your trip. Making your travel partner feel at ease by bringing familiar objects with you will help to reduce the stress of traveling and make the journey more pleasurable for both of you and your animal friend.