- Always make sure your pet is properly identified. Obtain identification with the address of your destination, as well.
- Whether going by plane, train, or automobile, train your pet to travel in his kennel. This invaluable training will make the entire traveling experience less stressful to the animal, whether across the country or across town.
- Make sure your kennel is the proper size for your animal. It should be large enough for your pet to stand and turn around in comfortably. Kennels should be properly labeled with “This end up” and “Live animal” stickers if traveling by plane.
- If traveling by car, try to keep your pet on the same potty “schedule” that it is on at home. Stop only when you would normally let your animal out.
- Never leave your pet unattended in your vehicle or in the airport.
- If traveling by plane, book direct non-stop flights. Inform flight attendants that you have a pet in cargo, if it is unable to be in the cabin with you.
- As a general rule, puppies and kittens, sick animals, animals in heat, and frail or pregnant animals should not travel by air. Animals that are “pug-nosed” should not fly in the cargo area of a plane. If your animal is too large to fly in the cabin with you, perhaps a stay at the boarding kennel would be a safer choice.
- Bring copies of vaccination records with you, as you never know when you might need them. Health certificates are generally required to fly with an animal on an airline.
- Plan well in advance. Some states have strict regulations on traveling with pets. Don’t be caught at the last minute. Boarding kennels fill quickly during the high-travel holiday season, so it may be difficult to find a vacancy at the last minute.
Source: American Humane Association