Women2Women - Summer 2017 - 37

Health2Wellness

Wait,

"
I Wanna Go, Too!"
Tips on how to safely and
happily travel with your pet!

O

ne of the biggest concerns we hear from potential adopters
at the Animal Rescue League is what to do with animals
when the family goes on vacation. We are happy to recommend
one of the many pet sitting services and boarding facilities in Berks
County that will take excellent care of your feline and canine family
member while you're away.
In recent years, traveling with your pets has become easier than
ever and there are many vacation spots that are considered "pet
friendly." Typically, cats do not travel well and it's often best to leave
the felines at home with a good pet sitter. There are exceptions, of
course, like one of our famous rescue cats, Jonas, who accompanies
his family to the shore, walks on the beach, and visits pet stores on
a harness and leash. He is the exception.
I am not a fan of flying so I have not attempted to take our dogs
on a plane and most likely never will. I know many folks who have
and it's getting easier for certain animals to fly in the passenger
section rather than cargo. The airlines have many regulations as do
individual states and other countries, so your best bet is to check
with them prior to booking a flight. However, most dogs love to ride
in the car and traveling with them is not that difficult if you prepare
in advance. My husband and I have become accustomed to taking
our dogs with us on vacation. They have accompanied us to, among
other places, a log cabin in the Finger Lakes, a high-rise hotel in the
middle of Baltimore, and to our vacation home in Florida. They love
to go to new places and we are much more at ease when they are with
us because, well, they all have some "quirky" personality traits that
only we know and understand. I can't stress enough the importance
of having your pet restrained when traveling in the car - not just
on vacation but at all times. Our shelter has taken in many pets
that were involved in car accidents that were either severely injured
or escaped from the car and were running lose. Cats should always
be in carriers and dogs in crates or secured to the backseat (never
the front because of airbags) with a harness. Pets should never be
left unattended in parked vehicles no matter what the temperature.
It's important to make sure the place you plan to stay is pet
friendly. Most charge an additional fee and some have size or other
restrictions. All of the popular travel sites list this information. It is
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Women2Women - Summer 2017
