Important Tips For Flying With Pets

By Author: Nick Kakolowski
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Traveling with your pet can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a vacation. It takes away your worry when it comes to leaving your pet in the care of your neighbor or relative. It also saves you the money of having to put it in a kennel. However, the potential for things to go wrong while transporting your animal is high if you do not follow state and airline rules closely. But have no fear; things aren’t as bad as they often sound when reading through them on a government website. The regulations are actually fairly easy to follow.

Once your pet is old enough to travel (8 weeks and weaned) the first step is acquiring a travel kennel. In most instances your pet will need to be checked, it will not be allowed to travel with you into the passenger cabin (There are a few exceptions that will be addressed later). This means of passage requires a sturdy kennel to ensure your pet’s safety. There are a few requirements in terms of kennel design that are put in place to make the safety of your animal a certainty. The kennel must meet a minimum standard for size, strength, sanitation and ventilation ...
... based on your animal’s size and breed. They also must have a floor that will not allow any sort of leaking. Other than the floor, the kennel should be ventilated. 14% of the wall space needs to be ventilated in order to ensure proper air flow, allowing your pet to be comfortable. Speaking of comfort, your pet must have enough space to sit, stand, lay and breathe comfortably within the space provided. Another aspect of space and comfort is how many pets can be stored within one kennel. It is possible to store multiple animals of similar species and size within one compartment, but the maximum size allowed is two puppies or kittens that are under six months of age.

Other important rules relate more to the airline’s ability to care for your pets then the kennel itself. You will need to have a health certificate from a certified veterinarian signed within ten days of travel to prove that your pet is able to travel safely. Similar paperwork is required for your pet to travel home, but the original certificate should suffice. Another health issue comes into play if you will be traveling for over twenty-four hours. Under those circumstances you will be required to post, on the outside of the kennel, all instructions for feeding, watering and giving of medication for your pet. You also must make sure that the kennel is outfitted with a handle or any other such device so that the luggage handlers can easily transport your pet.

With the major requirements met, you are ready to travel with your animal. But meeting these needs alone will not ensure that you have an enjoyable experience. They should ensure safety, not necessarily pleasure. Be sure to carry a leash with you. This way you can take your pet out and let it walk just before it is loaded onto the flight, and just after it gets off. A way to simplify your trip is to try and keep flights as direct as possible. Shortening the time between destinations will keep your pet more comfortable. Also, it would be wise to try and avoid traveling at especially busy times. This will decrease the likelihood of luggage getting sent to the wrong places, and your pet ending up in a different city then you. To further avoid confusion place your pet’s name on the outside of your travel kennel in an easily readable manner. This will make identification much easier not only for you, but also for any airport employees. It will help them to treat the pet as more then just luggage as they can address it by name and better help it be more comfortable and relaxed. When picking up your pet, after the flight, make sure it stays in the kennel until after you have left the air port. Between the crowds, the stores and other diversions, the airport can be a challenging place to release your animal. Just be ready with your leash as soon as you get outside.

With all of these precautions in mind, traveling with your pet should be simple. Be sure to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to stow your pet comfortably. It is also very important to call your specific airline well in advance to make sure that you are informed of any specific regulations that they might have. Once all of this is completed you should be all set for a wonderful vacation for you and your pets.

About Author:

Nick Kakolowski is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to the travel industry, often discussing specific subjects such as Cheap Flights