Traveling with Pets

Animals are creatures of habit, so try to stick with their everyday routines as much as possible. The more predictable everything is, the more they can feel like their normal selves. Even with this advice, anxiety is an unavoidable part of most trips. That’s why familiarizing your pet with the different aspects of traveling is so important. Home or away, your fur baby wants to feel safe and secure. Pet Supplies Plus has tips and products that’ll make everyone’s travel experience the best it can be.

Take a practice trip. Most pets aren’t used to long car rides, so before your excursion, go on short drives to get then comfortable traveling by car. You should also make sure your vehicle’s heat and air conditioning are working. In other countries and even Hawaii, you may have to quarantine your pet upon arrival and provide an import form. If you’re going to fly, take direct flights and go on the same flights as your pet. Have your veterinarian check out your pet to see if they’re fit for flight. Whether the fur is flying or traveling by car, purchase your pet’s gear well before your trip. This’ll give them time to get acclimated to things like wearing a car restraint or being in a travel carrier.

Pets are never allowed to call “shotgun.” They must stay in the backseat of your car and be using a carrier (always with cats), booster seat or restraint system. With carriers, make sure there’s enough room for your pets to turn around, curl up and stretch. Soft and hard carriers should be a few inches taller than the height from your pet’s shoulder to the ground. In comparison, wearable carriers like backpacks or slings are supposed to be snug because it’s your body, not the carrier, that provides most of the support. If you’re flying, keep in mind airlines are strict about what kind of carriers are acceptable. As for harness restraint systems, make sure there’s enough room to fit two fingers between your dog and the harness. And whether it’s a harness or tether, it shouldn’t choke your pup when they pull.

Anything can happen during a vacation, so you want to be well prepared in terms of deciding on what to pack. The challenge is having enough room for everything. For that reason, only consider something as essential based on its usefulness. Shop our selection of pet products designed to make your travels go more smoothly and help you save space. You should also bring along an extra leash and collar since those can get easily lost or misplaced. In addition, consider getting a travel ID tag that includes your destination and phone number of where you’re staying.

Whether you and your pets are flying or driving, what you’re looking for when choosing travel accessories are comfort, convenience, mobility and safety. Traveling can be stressful enough. Keeping your pets relaxed and under control oftentimes only adds more drama to the trip. Purchase travel gear that takes into consideration ease-of-use even when your pets aren’t on their best behavior.