Travel By RV

A lot of RVers take their dogs, cats and other household pets on the road as many as two or three dogs and/or cats at a time. Most, but not all, RV parks and government campgrounds accept dogs and cats. Don't be surprised, however, if there is an extra pet charge. You may even be assigned to an area of the campground designated for pet owners. Some are now enforcing breed restrictions, specifically on aggressive types.

The campground or RV park  will ask you to clean up after your pet, keep it on a leash and not allow it to disturb your neighbors. RV pet owners who think these rules do not apply to them are the reason some RV parks and campgrounds now refuse to allow pets, and some, may even ask you to leave with a 'no refund' policy.

Some dogs and cats, like people, readily adapt and even look forward to RV travel while others have difficulty adjusting. Keep in mind though that your pet(s) will be encountering by new sights, sounds and smells. They will be in close contact with a variety of different people and surroundings. This can be stressful for some dogs and may lead to barking and unpredictable behavior.

It may be a good idea to accustom your pets to RVing by taking them on short trips at first, then gradually increasing the length of time they spend on the road and in campgrounds.Try to locate a permanent place in the RV for the animal's food and water bowls. Stopping to stretch your legs gives your pet a chance to stretch theirs and take a potty break too.

Provide a protective travel case for your pets. It will prevent them from becoming flying missiles when the brakes are suddenly applied. It will also keep them from jumping on or otherwise interfering with the driver. The travel case can double as a familiar and secure place for your pet to sleep.

You'll want to also carry a valid rabies vaccination certificate. Many campgrounds and some RV parks require them. RVers traveling to and from Canada and Mexico are required to have a valid veterinarian health certificate, including a proof of rabies vaccination.

Be prepared in case your dog or cat gets away from you. Be sure you your pet has an identification collar on it. Include your RV's make and license number as well as your RV's cellular phone number. You might ask your veterinarian about identification tattoos or under-the-skin implants.

Be sure to also carry a leash at all times for exercising and some type of tethering rope or chain to keep your pet within the confines of your campsite WHILE YOU ARE SITTING OUTSIDE VISITING. Most RV parks DO NOT allow leaving your animal tethered and unattended if you are not outside with it. Unable to flee, it would be easy prey for a wild animal. And you certainly wouldn't want your dog to attack a child who suddenly ran through your campsite.

Think about what you will do with your pet when you are not able to take it with you for the day. You don't want to leave it unattended in a hot or unventilated RV. A vent fan or air conditioner can be left running, but what if there is a power failure? Some campgrounds and recreation destinations offer "day-care" kennels. Before you drop your pet off for the day, inspect the premises. Ask what protective measures they take against parasites, infection and distemper.

Take care of your animal's health. Mosquitoes transmit heartworm. Ticks and fleas abound in outdoor areas. Ask your veterinarian about preventatives. Be aware that strange food and water could cause digestive upset. This is not the time to alter your pet's diet. Pet odors can build rapidly in the confined space of an RV. You'll want to work diligently to minimize odors and prevent fleas.

Finally, be a good neighbor. Clean up your pet's waste. Keep it on a leash. And please, don't permit it to bark, whine or otherwise disturb the RVers around you.

Air Travel

When traveling by air with your dog/cat - PREPARE - contact the country where you will be traveling at least 3 months prior to find out rules governing that country. Ensure that you are able to meet these requirements and specifications. Pay attention to detail: ensure that your vet's full name and #'s are on each document and that they also add your pet's microchip type and #.

If you decide to ship your pet by air, make reservations and arrangements ahead of time regarding delivery to and pickup from the airports. Carefully schedule boarding and shipping arrangements for your pet to assure that the pet is well cared for until you are able to receive it at your destination. Boarding may be necessary. Follow airline instructions.

Check the airline's requirements to see if your pet can travel in a carrier that can be kept under a seat in the cabin or must travel by air freight.

Consider sending smaller pets such as birds, hamsters, gerbils, and tropical fish by air express. Airline freight departments, pet stores, or department stores can supply shipping containers. Tropical fish should be packed by a local pet shop specializing in tropical fish.

Obtain a shipping container a week or two in advance. Familiarize your pet with it by placing the pet in it for a few minutes each day. Gradually lengthen the time until the pet seems to be at ease with it.

Feed the pet no less than five or six hours before flight time. Give the pet a drink of water no less than two hours before flight.

Get the pet to the air terminal in time. Get there 45 minutes in advance if the pet is accompanying you. If shipping the pet, get to the flight terminal two hours in advance of your flight.

Be certain that names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the persons responsible for the pet at origination and destination are clearly marked on the container and on the pet's identification tag. Label your pet's flight kennel with the same information. Add "Live Animal" in big letters and information about any special care requirements.

Notify the person receiving the pet that it is on the way. Give them the flight and waybill number. Pets can usually be picked up within 90 minutes of flight arrival. The air waybill number is useful when inquiring.

Travel By Car

If your dog or cat is not used to traveling by car, make short trips with the pet a week or two in advance of the trip to accustom it to motion and to teach it how to behave.

Dogs should be taught to lie quietly, keep their heads inside, and not annoy the driver or passengers. Don't let your dog stick his head in the wind. It can irritate eyes and cause problems.

Cats are often frightened by car travel, but some cats adjust quickly. Some persons allow the cat to find its own place in the car; others feel it is best to confine a cat to its carrier.

Folding kennels or crates especially designed for station wagons can be most useful for dogs and cats.

Accustom your pet to being on a leash and harness. Always use the leash when traveling. Even better is a pet harness (available at most pet stores) that connects to the car's seatbelt; it allows the pet some movement while keeping it safely restrained. Your pets can bolt into traffic or become lost in a strange place if not properly restrained.

If stopping overnight, check in advance to find a motel that will permit your pet to spend the night.

Be sure that your pet is properly tagged and its rabies tag firmly attached.

Pet travel kit should include: pet food, food and water dishes, can opener (if needed), a few treats, a favorite toy, a blanket, comb or brush.

Also, to be on the safe side: a sedative (if prescribed by your veterinarian), paper towels, spray room deodorant if you will be staying overnight at a hotel or motel, a scooper and plastic bag to clean up after your pet.

When the pet has arrived at its new destination, you will find that your pet has the same problems adjusting as you do. It must learn the way around the house and neighborhood. The pet must meet new neighbors, both animals and humans. It must adjust to new water and climate, and must learn where it can and cannot go.

It is advisable to keep the pet within the home until it realizes that this is a HOME and not a temporary residence (even though it may be your vacation destination). It may wander off and try to find the former residence. This is especially true of cats; they should be confined for several weeks.

Make the animal feel at home by using familiar dishes, blanket, toys, and other items. Check with your neighbors to determine any special problems your pet might encounter, for example, the neighborhood grouch. Also, make a particular effort to keep your dog inside on garbage collection day. There are better ways to meet your neighbors than over a garbage can upset by your dog.

If you carefully plan your vacation with your pet, you may make a smooth transition from your old to new destination But be prepared for the unexpected; it can and probably will happen.

A few states have border inspections of all animals being transported; others have random inspection by highway patrol officers. State agriculture representatives are usually present at airports to inspect pets arriving by air.