So you want to go on vacation but don’t want to leave poor Fido in doggie-daycare and poor Fluffy at the kitty-inn… And who could blame you? Pets are part of the family so why shouldn’t they get to come on vacation, too?Whether you’re looking to take your pet on “vacay” or you’re moving and need to travel with pets, there are plenty of options out there for pet-friendly travel, transportation and pet-friendly hotels.

** First and foremost, before you leave make sure your pet is healthy enough to travel. Sometimes your vet may recommend he/she is not fit for travel based on age, temperament, health conditions, etc. Also be sure your pet has been properly vaccinated and is up-to-date on all other shots.**

For air travel
Check out the airlines’ pet travel policies before you book tickets. Most major airlines allow small animals to travel in the cabin with you but 8 weeks advance notice (for permission) is required. There is a cap on how many animals can be in the cabin so its first come, first serve. Also, you must check in at the ticket counter and are not permitted to take your pet out of its carrier if it’s in the cabin with you.

For car travel
Dogs:
Most people will tell you that unless you have a leash run and dog seatbelt in the backseat of your car or truck, your dog should be kept in a carrier when traveling in the car. We, however, drove from California to Ohio with two 85-lb Golden Retrievers comfortably napping in the extended cab of a Cadillac Escalade. They were very well-behaved. They had plenty of water and blankets and were able to stick their heads out the window if they wanted. If your dog is somewhat hyper I do not recommend this. After reading PetTravelCenter I do not think I would do this again.

Cats:
We also had three cats roaming free in a separate car. They were sedated however so they slept the whole time. We provided water and a litter box for them (they chose to use the litter box only when we were stopped). Although we read that its better to contain your cats, our cats become extremely tense and anxious when they are put in carriers and the vet said that based on that, we could let them roam free while mildly sedated.

So aside from my experience, PetTravelCenter offers all kinds of travel tips, such as the following:
“You should safely secure your pet while traveling. An unrestrained pet can become a deadly projectile in the event of a sudden stop or crash, causing serious injury (even death) to passengers. For example, an unsecured, 25-pound dog in a 40 mph crash becomes a 1,000-pound mass (half a ton) flying uncontrollably inside the vehicle.”

Click here for more helpful tips from them.

Pet Friendly Hotels
The best place to find pet-friendly hotels is through the American Automobile Association (AAA). If you are not an AAA member, you can find pet friendly hotels online. www.PetsWelcome.com has the most extensive list online of pet-friendly hotels and they are organized by state for easy navigating. You can also check out www.doginmysuitcase.com. All you do is pop in your travel information by city and they present you with an extensive list of hotels and motels of all sizes.

Happy Travels!