6 Tips for a Successful Pet-Friendly Vacation

Anyone with pet companions knows the bitter feeling of leaving them behind on family vacations, despite knowing that the family unit is incomplete without them. But what if there was a way you could bring your furry friends along with you on your next vacation or travel plan? 

But it requires some extra preparations to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip for both you and your pets. So if you’re traveling for the first time with your pet the following six tips will help you plan a successful pet-friendly vacation! 

Before you and your pet embark on your journey together, you must ensure it’s suitable for them. When choosing the destination for your trip, you must find out whether it’s pet-friendly or not. 

Even if the place you use has all the facilities, they can often be discriminatory towards certain breeds of pets, such as pit bulls and bulldogs, which have a reputation for being aggressive.

Pet-friendly facilities can also be restrictive about the access they provide to pets. Some parks may only assign specific regions for pets, while restaurants may only allow pets for outdoor dining. 

Just like you choose the best travel bags for your trips, finding appropriate accommodation for your pets is equally important.  

For example, if you have decided on Gatlinburg for your next vacation, you will have the option to choose from pet-friendly cabins in Gatlinburg and other types of accommodation, thanks to the growing popularity of traveling with pets. 

Despite the plethora of options, there are a few important things to consider. Before booking any accommodation, make sure it has ample indoor and outdoor space for your pet. 

Furthermore, just like parks and public spaces, accommodations can also have breed or weight restrictions over pets. 

Let’s say you’ve chosen the ideal destination and accommodation for your family vacation. But how will you reach it? For this, you must choose the right mode of travel based on your convenience and your pet’s comfort. There are two widely used modes of travel, each having its pros and cons, which are mentioned below:

A) Traveling by Air

Traveling by flight might not be convenient for your furry friend. Aside from those weighing 20 pounds or less, most pets are made to travel in the cargo or baggage compartments of planes. 

Due to the lack of air conditioning, it can be a highly uncomfortable experience for them, especially in hotter months plus they can also feel isolated and panic. 

Another hassle is the paperwork associated with booking a plane ticket for your pet. International flights may ask for even more documentation along with a quarantine period or relevant screenings. 

However, air travel is time-saving and sometimes the only mode of travel available to far-fetched destinations, leaving passengers with no choice but to bring their pets onboard.

B). Traveling by Road

Taking a road trip is much safer and more comforting for your pets. To ensure a smooth road trip for your furry friend, place them securely in your vehicle with the help of a spacious carrier (particularly for cats or small dogs) or by buckling their harness to the seat belt (particularly for larger dogs). 

For pets in carriers, ensure they are anchored down to prevent them from moving around with the car’s movement. For pets in harnesses, their heads mustn’t poke out of the window, as this could cause injury to their eyes or ears. 

Before stringing them along on your family getaway, ensuring that your pets are healthy enough to travel is important. Your pet’s vaccination status is of utmost importance, so ensure they have received all necessary shots and keep documentation of this handy. 

Consulting your veterinarian is significant in case there are any potential health hazards to look out for in a particular region and provide you with a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. This is extremely necessary for any trips beyond the border of your state, whether by car or plane. 

Your pet’s temperament must also be paid attention to. If your pet is scared of strangers or crowds and gets easily distressed by a change of environment, chances are that they are not fit for travel. Do not be devastated if this is the case. Instead, try to ease them into the traveling process by taking them on short road trips, slowly increasing their duration and your pet’s exposure to the outside world. 

Despite all your efforts to make your pets’ vacation an adventurous yet comfortable experience, a small moment of carelessness could manifest in losing them. That is why taking relevant safety measures is paramount to their well-being. 

Before leaving for your trip, ensure their collar tag has important details like your phone number and accommodation address. For pets who prefer being collarless, your veterinarian can again help by chipping them with a microchip (a minuscule process with major benefits). 

By registering the microchip number, you can ask your veterinary clinic or animal control center to scan the chip and locate your pet or do so yourself using your smartphone.

Now that you have made all the necessary decisions and preparations for bringing your four-legged friend along on your family vacation, the final preliminary step is to pack their vacation bag! Just like your own specific needs, your pet friend has their own must-have items, that they cannot do without. 

These items include a carrier with a soft blanket inside for their midday naps, their favorite chew-and-play toys, their food, and treats of choice, along with relevant food and water bowls. Different-sized leashes and harnesses, and sanitary items like poop bags and wipes for promoting clean-up are also important. 

Packing these items into a designated backpack will help in easy access, as all your pet-related needs are in one spot. Keep their backpack handy and stocked so that your pet always gets what they want at any time.

Conclusion

Our pet friends make our bad days better and our great days even greater. Hence, it is only right that we bring them along with us every step of the way, even if that step is a family getaway to a serene destination. 

From pet-friendly accommodations to thoughtful planning and preparation, your furry friend will thank you for including them in your travel adventures.

Keep the above-mentioned tips in mind to ensure your dog’s first vacation is fun and create the most beautiful memories with them!

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