You love to travel, and you love your pet. Put the two together, and you will have a wonderful travel experience. People travel with their pets for various reasons.
Traveling alone is sometimes stressful enough, and having a pet with you can quickly double the issues you need to deal with.
But that doesn’t mean that enjoying a good trip with your favorite pet isn’t possible. It is, as long as you put the proper measures in place and avoid making some common pet travel mistakes.
So, are you thinking about hitting the road anytime soon? Do you want to take your pet along with you?
Then you need to avoid making these mistakes when traveling with your pet.
Not thinking about other options
First of all, you need to make sure that you plan to take your pet along because you want to, not because you feel you have no other option.
Some pet owners feel reluctant to leave their pets at home or even with a trusted neighbor when they’re traveling.
Because they feel short of options, they choose to travel with their pets even when they’re not prepared to.
So be sure you have exhausted all your options first, or you’re sure you want your pet companionship with you.
If you have a dog, for example, one option you can try is dog boarding.
With this, you can rely on professionals to give your furry friend the care it needs while you’re away.
Making late reservations
Whether you’re traveling by air, train, or rental car, ensure that you book your reservations early.
Also, be sure to make it clear to them that you’re traveling with a pet.
Airlines especially have different policies when it comes to traveling with pets. So be sure you have everything cleared up.
Additionally, it would be best if you make an early accommodation reservation.
Whether you’re looking for a hotel, hostel, or apartment accommodation, ensure that their policies allow you to bring pets.
Forgetting to create or update pet ID
One common issue you can expect to face when traveling with your pet is the possibility of your pet going missing, or even worse, stolen.
The possibility of having your pet returned to you will depend on whether it has an ID and the info available on it.
So, be sure to get a durable pet ID with your contact and your pet’s name displayed clearly.
If your pet already has an ID, make sure the contact info is updated.
Not buckling up!
Most pet owners allow their dogs to sit unrestrained when going for car rides.
However, your safest bet is to secure your pet, especially if it is a dog.
Your dog is always exposed to one distraction or another on the road, and you must restrain it at all times.
You can opt for a carrier restraining harness for your dog during a car ride.
If you have a cat, ensure that it is secure in a cat carrier.