Traveling with Your Pet

Traveling with your pet can be stressful, but with some careful planning, you can keep the stress to a minimum. If you are flying and taking your pet “in-cabin”, the carrier and your pet must fit completely under the seat. Usually soft sided carriers work best and your pet should not be larger than what would comfortably fit under the seat (usually around 15lbs). You need to make a reservation with the airline to take your pet with you–not only is there is an additional fee for pets traveling with you, but also a limit to the number of pets that can be on the plane. Don’t forget to call ahead. You are required to remove your pet from the carrier at the security checkpoint, so be sure to have a collar (or harness) and a leash for this purpose. If your pet is traveling in the cargo hold, check to see if it is climate controlled–some airlines have temperature restrictions when your pet cannot fly.

If you are driving or flying, remember to pack some things for your pet: food and water, your pet’s medications, paper towels or baby wipes, favorite toys, cat litter, litter pan, and waste bags to dispose of accidents. Lastly, a visit to your veterinarian is in order before you go: airlines (and many states) require a health certificate when traveling and you should have a copy of your pet’s vaccination schedule and health records with you. With a little preparation, you can ease the strain of traveling with your pet.

Photo of El Guapo from shweri’s photostream.

–Dr. Melinda, Hartz R&D Team
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Dr. Melinda is the resident veterinarian at Hartz and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.