Summer is here. The time to start planning for a family summer vacation with your pet is now! Whether you travel by car, RV or plane, there are things you can do now to help make your trip easier and more fun.
Plan your route and make reservations: Many pet friendly hotels have a limited amount of rooms where they allow pets. Call the hotel to confirm their pet policy and book online for great rates.
Get the right equipment for your pet and get them accustomed to it: If you have a small pet, get a well made pet carrier or pet crate. Encourage your pet to use it and reward them for doing so. Take them for a short ride in the car to a dog park or someplace fun. Get them out of their environment early and often, and they will be better pet travelers. More information on acclimating your pet to its crate or carrier.
Check airline pet policies: If you are flying, find an airline that flies your entire route. Changing airline companies along the way will complicate your trip. If your dog or cat is small enough, it can fly in the cabin with you. Some airlines will accept rabbits and small household birds as well. Larger pets must fly in the cargo hold which is temperature and pressure controlled. Be wary of temperatures, though. Any temperatures above 85 degrees F (30 degrees C) are unsafe for pet travel. Try to find flights that take off or land early in the morning or late at night for airports in hot locations.
Know the pet import requirements of any international locations you are considering. Many countries take months to prepare your pet for entry. Others will require quarantine which would not be suitable for vacationing pets.
Visit your vet: Make sure your pet is healthy enough for travel and free of ticks and fleas. If rabies vaccinations are due, have them done. Consider getting a microchip for your pet. If you should ever get separated, having a pet microchip will significantly increase your chances of being reunited. And it is required for entering many countries worldwide.
Don’t forget the basics: a very sturdy, non retractable lead, food and water, treats and toys, medical necessities and you and your pet will be ready to go! Don’t forget to buckle them up! Questions? We’re here to help. Just post any questions or concerns and we will respond promptly.
Happy summer travels to you and your pet!
The EU countries no longer have border checks and Switzerland, although is not a member of the EU, conforms to EU rules (microchip, then vaccination). If your pet has a current blue pet passport, there should be no other documentation required.
Susan
I am taking my dog on holiday to Switzerland and Itay. We currently live in France so will be driving across borders. He has a passport, is micro chipped, up to date with rabies, does he need to be checked by a vet and for the vet to sign his passport before he can enter both countries. We leave in 3 days .
Thank you
The US is very pet friendly and will welcome you and your kitten. Since the cat is too young to be vaccinated for rabies you may be asked to sign a form that says you will keep the cat indoors until such time as it is old enough to be vaccinated. You can find the pet passport package for bringing your cat into the US at the link below. If you order the package also indicate you want the un-vaccinated pets form. We can email it to you today and you can then take the forms to your veterinarian. You can then enter the US with your cat at any time.
http://www.pettravelstore.com/pet-passport-united-states/
Jerry
hi! I have a 2 month old domestic kitten. I live in Canada and will be travelling to the US for a month and I want to take him with me….. would u advise as to what the requirements and procedure is,how to get a pet passport/ how long it takes?
best regards!
Hi Cheng – It is possible to bring a pet to Singapore, but it will require an Import Permit, microchip, veterinary certificate, parasite treatment, and Application to the Quarantine Facility. Your pet will go into mandatory 30 day quarantine upon arrival. Another challenge is that we understand that quarantine space is very hard to get at the moment, so you should start your application very early should you decide to take your Corgi. Considering your vacation is for 30 days, it may not make sense for your to bring your pet on this trip.
Susan
I would like to bring my Corgi to Singpaore during the summer vacation for 1 month and then return home with my dog. I live in Hong Kong. Is it possible? as it appears that Singapor will requie quarantee requirment of 30 days?
Any advice is highly appreciated.
Regards
Cheng Cheng
Hello Diana – I am hoping that you are buying a Yorkshire Terrier from a known breeder and not wiring money over the internet for your puppy. I mention that only because there are so many pet scams on the internet. To answer your questions, in order to travel to Poland with a pet, it will need to be microchipped with a 15 digit ISO compliant microchip, then vaccinated for rabies (in that order). Ask your veterinarian for a blue pet passport and you will be able to travel freely in the UK. Otherwise, shortly prior to traveling, a licensed vet will need to complete an Annex II form for Poland.
Returning to the UK is a bit trickier. The microchip and vaccination requirements are the same, but your pup will need a tapeworm test within 5 days of traveling to the UK. Another requirement to return to the UK by air is that your pet must land at Heathrow, Gatwick or Manchester (if you are traveling with your pet) and your puppy will have to arrive in the UK as manifest cargo (in the cargo hold of the airplane). Because your puppy is so small, you may want to consider taking a ferry to the UK from Amsterdam or Calais, France. There are also services that will provide transportation through the Chunnel to the UK. That way you will avoid the cargo requirement that you will have traveling back to the UK by plane.
You can find complete instructions and forms for traveling to both Poland and the UK at http://www.pettravelstore.com/categories/Pet-Passports and they can be emailed to you.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Susan
Hi, we are going to buy Yorkshire terrier.We permanently live in the UK but travel to Poland very often. Anybody knows what it that we need to travel there with a dog? Can we take such a small dog to the plane or do we have to go by car.What documents do we need and can we come back to England with no problems? Thanks Di
Hello Allen – I would suggest that you go to IPATA.org and search for a pet transporter in the Philippines. It is a challenge to transport a snub nosed pet like a Shih Tzu in the summer, and a local transporter would be better able to help you.
Susan
We would like to move our dog (shih tzu) from Makati City, Philippines to Ladue, Missouri USA on June 8, 2013. Here are the details
Name: Kate
Height: 15″
Length: 23″
Width: 7″
Weight: 11 lbs.
Age: 1 year and 5 months
Kindly send me a quotation for this service. You may reach me through mobile no. +639178248769.
Thanks,
Allen