According to recent statistics, more than 80 percent of pet owners say they travel with their pets in their car and/or RV. And taking pets with you on a trip that requires air travel has become so popular that it has spawned a pet-centric airline called, fittingly enough, Pet Airways, that allows dogs and cats to experience the wonder of inflight magazines.

Of course, even when you’re not traveling with your pet, you’re still traveling with your pet. Because, wherever you are, part of you is with the little fella, wondering how they’re doing, if they’re safe and healthy and if they are obeying your explicit directions to steer clear of your collectible set of Punky Brewster action figures. I speak from experience. I once cut short a fabulous river rafting trip in Oregon because I got a call from the facility where we had boarded our golden retriever, Tug. We were told Tugger was in a terrible state, having shown no interest in food or life for that matter. We drove non-stop, rushed into the facility where I caught a glance of my nearly dead dog who, upon seeing me, immediately began jumping about, wagging his tail and giving me that unmistakably look of “So, what’s for dinner because I am up for anything.”

It was at that moment that I realized that I should have taken more time to pick the right boarding situation for Tug. And, indeed, whether you’re taking them with you or leaving them with a friend or professional, the thing with travel and pets is not to do anything at the last minute. This requires a good deal of time and thought and should be entered into carefully. You should give yourself plenty of options and, wouldn’t you know it, one of the best places for local pet travel/boarding options is right here in the pages of Petsguide. Have a look, sooner than later.
“This should never be a last minute thing,” said Kelli Meadows of the Belmont Shore Veterinary Hospital. “This should be well-planned out and researched. There are a lot of things that go into traveling with a pet, or leaving them behind. You really need to prepare well.”
Let’s start.

BEFORE YOU GO-GO

Now, you may be excited about the prospect of showing your beagle the wonders of the world’s largest thermometer but is your beagle? (Or your wife? But that’s a question for another magazine … and couples therapy, perhaps.) The point is that before you travel with a pet, you should make sure that this is something your pet can do and will enjoy. The most basic consideration is the physical health of the animal.

Travel for just about anyone who doesn’t own a tour bus and/or private jet is pretty stressful. You’re being thrown out of your comfort zone into a strange world, i.e. you could find yourself stuck in a car for hours listening to Wham! But at least you have chosen this and are somewhat aware of the forces at work around you. Your pet has made no such choice and is probably pretty stressed about their new surroundings. Animals, after all, are literally creatures of habit and when they are suddenly taken from the familiar to a situation fraught with stress, raised voices and, heaven help them, George Michael, it can be terrifying.

So, you are going to want to take your pet for a physical before you take a trip. This isn’t just recommended, it’s required if you’re going to be crossing state lines. According to Kelli Meadows, who has worked with vets for 20 years, federal law requires that a pet have a health certificate. If you don’t have one, a state health official could put your pet into quarantine.

There is another thing to consider, and that is whether your pet has the temperament. If your pet is outgoing, doesn’t freak out with new things, they can be good candidates for travel. Of course, you can do things to ease the transition. Animal communicator Terri Steuben says that the usual stresses that accompany an approaching trip can stress out your pets.

“If you’re anxious and worried, your pets are going to pick up on that right away,” she said. “If you’re stressed, your dog is going into guard mode and your cat into fear mode.

“But you have to listen to them also. If you go out with them on little trips around town, and they’re hunkered down yelling all the way, that’s probably a hint that you should do something different next time out.”

BY CAR

Now, admit it. When you saw this was about traveling with, or without, your pet you probably jumped ahead to the airline travel bit because that seems mysterious and dangerous and stressful. But travel by car? Easy. Do it all the time. Just throw the pup in the car, let ‘em wander about and stick their head out the window and wash the drool off the side of the car when you get home.

Yeah, no.

The fact is, when you talk to people whose business it is to care for pets you find out that most of us travel in our cars incorrectly and, to be honest, somewhat dangerously with our pets.

So here are the do’s and don’ts… mostly don’ts.

Don’t let your dog or cat just wander about the car. This is not only dangerous for them but for everyone in the car. People who study this kind of stuff say that an unsecured 25-pound dog can become a 1,000-pound mass flying about in a 40 mph crash. That means not only serious injury to the dog but those in the car.

Depending on size and body type, dogs can be restrained either by a seatbelt or harness designed specifically for dogs that can be found at any pet store, pet supply Web site or in the “Travel” section of Summer/Fall 2009 Petsguide Magazine on page 46.

Similarly an unrestrained cat in a car poses dangers, albeit different ones. A cat should always be in a crate, cage or pet car seat secured by a seatbelt. An unrestrained cat may not pose the flying mass problem of a dog, but they could even be more dangerous if they crawl down around a driver’s feet.

And I know it looks cute and it’s something we all liked to imitate when we were kids, but please do not let your dog hang its head out the window. Besides the obvious dangers of an object coming by the car, hitting them and causing injury or death, dirt and dust from outside can get into your dog’s ears, eyes and/or throat and cause a myriad of health problems. OK? Just don’t let ‘em do it.

And, just so we’re on the record, don’t leave your pet in a hot or cold parked car. If you don’t know why, perhaps you should rethink having a pet.
OK, enough of the Aunt Bea routine. Here are some things that you should do. One, bring along a supply of fresh, cold water for your pet. Also, have some food available in the car for them. Allow them a small meal or two and water. This could help keep them calm and it may well help put off the effects of car sickness (though health professionals say that, like some humans, some animals are simply more susceptible to car sickness. In such cases, you should either consider not bringing them along or bringing them along with a healthy supply of paper towels).

And you should factor into your travel time the fact that you’re gonna need to stop every couple of hours to let your pet stretch its legs and go to the bathroom. You know, like you already do for Uncle Saul.

BY AIR

When you think about it, you start preparing your pet, especially your dog, the day you get them. That’s because if you have done what most experts say you should, teach them that a crate is a place of safety, then the idea of going into one when required to fly will not stress them out, it will actually comfort them.

“This is why you never, never use a crate as a place of punishment,” Meadows said. “This is a place of safety for them, a refuge. That’s going to be really important in this situation.”

Meadows also says that you should consider the weather when traveling by air. While you’ll be up in a climate controlled cabin, your pet will be in the plane’s cargo hold where comfort is less of a concern. If you’re flying when it is extremely hot or cold, that could adversely affect your pet’s health. Meadows says to avoid times when weather is going to be extreme–Chicago in March, Phoenix in August, Chicago in August … pretty much any time in Chicago.

Airline experts suggest that when traveling anywhere in summer you consider flying in the early morning and late evenings. During winter, midday is a good bet. They also suggest flying nonstop whenever possible. This figures to lessen your pet’s stress-level and means you have to pretend one-less time that you’re actually paying attention to the preflight instructions.

Your pet should be in good shape to travel. Pregnant, injured or senior pets are at a higher risk when traveling. Certain breeds of dogs, such as collies and pugs, could struggle in the cargo area due to their particular respiratory issues.

And that health certificate we strongly suggested getting when traveling by car? You’ll be required to show a general health certificate and a rabies vaccination certificate to airline officials. The certificate should be issued within 10 days of your trip.

Now much of this has to do with all the stresses of a pet having to travel in the cargo hold along with the luggage and snowboards. Alysa Binder couldn’t stand the thought of her pet traveling in cargo so she co-founded Pet Airways which transports pets in the main cabin of a Beech 1900 turbo-prop that can carry up to 50 pets a flight. The airline has some great introductory prices–NY to LA is $149–and flies out of Hawthorne Municipal Airport. As of now, you can fly your pet to Washington D.C./Baltimore, New York, Chicago and Denver.

Besides comfort and safety, Pet Airways can be very convenient. You drop off your pet at least two hours before your scheduled flight–there’s also a “Paws Lodge” that allows you to drop off your pet a day or so before your flight. Attendants make sure each pet gets a potty break before boarding the plane and then delivers your pet to the pet lounge in the arriving airport.

Pretty good deal.

BYE-BYE

It may be that having considered all these, well, considerations, you come to the conclusion that traveling with your pet is not the best idea. So you figure you’ll have the neighbor kid or a friend take care of your pet while you’re gone. OK, but make sure that whoever it is not only has the time to feed your pet and take them on potty breaks but also is able to spend quality time with the pet that includes time for play.

“Without interaction dogs can get depressed just like people,” said Sherri Loomer, who runs Your Animals Best Friend, which provides both in-home and boarding care for dogs.

The fact is that there are many, many options when it comes to boarding. You can have someone who comes to your house multiple times during the day. There are pet sitters who will take care of your pet in their home. There are traditional boarding facilities with dog runs and play time. There are free-range facilities where pets roam free. There are facilities that will not only watch your dog, but train them as well. There are even luxury boarding facilities. The options are out there, it’s up to you, and your dog, to determine what works best. Loomer says it is absolutely essential that pets and their owners check out the people and the facilities they may use.

“We always suggest that people meet with us not just once, but multiple times,” she said. “We want to see if it’s a good match, so we offer multiple visits to your house and doggie sleepovers. That’s the only way to find out if it’s going to work.”

Loomer says that when it does work, it can be pure heaven for the dogs.

“We have some people who travel every other weekend and leave their dogs with us and it works out great,” she said. “In fact, sometimes the dogs don’t want to leave because they’re having such a great time. It’s like their parents show up to take them from a really great party and they’re going, “Already?”