{"id":141348,"date":"2019-06-04T02:00:57","date_gmt":"2019-06-04T09:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/?p=141348"},"modified":"2019-06-06T11:18:37","modified_gmt":"2019-06-06T18:18:37","slug":"flying-with-a-pet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/flying-with-a-pet\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know Before Traveling With a Pet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thinking of bringing your pet on your next vacation? While car rides typically aren\u2019t a problem, flying with your pet can be a bit more complicated. To help you prepare your fur babies for their next adventure, we chatted with Carrie Jones, a former American Kennel Club<\/a> USA Agility World Championship team member and Crufts International<\/a>\u00a0agility competitor, for all the tips and tricks for smooth sailing (er, flying).<\/p>\n

From securing their kennel to booking direct flights, check out her best tips for traveling with your pup below.<\/p>\n

Research airline cabins<\/strong>
\n\u201cBefore booking your flight, you should contact the airline to be sure there is space underneath or within the cabin for your dog,\u201d Jones advises. \u201cSome flights only allow a specified number of pets on board a flight.\u201d Once you\u2019ve confirmed there is space, book your flight and contact the airline directly to make your pet\u2019s reservation. There are fees associated with a pet reservation and each airline is different, so Jones suggests checking the fees online before booking any flights.<\/p>\n

Check carrier measurements<\/strong>
\n\u201cIf your [pet] is small enough to fly under your seat, be sure to check the carrier measurements permitted for the airline so you don\u2019t have issues when getting on board and the carrier not fitting underneath your seat,\u201d says Jones. In addition, make sure that the carrier itself is easy to handle, as many airports don\u2019t let pets roam loose. You\u2019ll want to be able to carry it by hand or have access to a cart to push it through the airport.<\/p>\n

Consider your pet\u2019s mental health<\/strong>
\n\u201cIf your dog gets anxious during a flight, be sure to consult with your veterinarian on what medication you can give prior to the flight to help with anxiety,\u201d Jones says. \u201cThere are [also] natural supplements [and] remedies that help with travel stress.\u201d<\/p>\n

Secure a health certificate for your pet<\/strong>
\n\u201cFor flights within the US, you will need a health certificate from your veterinarian signed within one week of the flight,\u201d Jones explains. \u201cIf you have to fly your dog outside the country, be sure to look up all the requirements for the particular country you are visiting.\u201d For more information, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Check the temperature<\/strong>
\n\u201cThere are temperature restrictions for flying a dog as checked baggage or cargo,\u201d Jones explains, noting to be sure to look at the airline’s policies. \u201cTypically, it can\u2019t be below 45 degrees or above 84 degrees (75 degrees for short-nosed dogs, such as pugs, bulldogs, etc.).\u201d To help keep them cozy on a cold flight, dress them in a sweater like the max-bone Micky Mouse Color Blocked Jumper<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Try to book direct flights<\/strong>
\n\u201cLayovers can create problems with your dog reaching the next flight in time of the departure,\u201d Jones warns.<\/p>\n

Skip meals right before travel<\/strong>
\n\u201cI don\u2019t recommend feeding a meal right before travel,\u201d Jones points out, noting that it could potentially lead to accidents mid-flight.<\/p>\n

Arrive early at the airport<\/strong>
\n\u201cBe sure to arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight so you don\u2019t run into any issues while checking your dog in for their flight,\u201d Jones recommends.<\/p>\n

Take them to the bathroom right before the flight<\/strong>
\n\u201cIf it\u2019s a long flight and your dog is not used to going that long without pottying, be sure to line his\/her carrier with disposable liners to avoid accidents seeping out of the carrier,\u201d Jones instructs. \u201cBe sure to leave enough time before your flight to potty your dog before going into the airport.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make sure they have enough water<\/strong>
\n\u201cYou will need to have a water bowl fastened to the door of the crate on the inside with a small amount of water inside,\u201d says Jones. \u201cSome people like to freeze the water in the bowl prior to arriving at the airport so that it lasts longer and is less likely to spill out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pack them a toy<\/strong>
\n\u201cIf you\u2019re concerned with your dog being antsy in its carrier underneath the seat, bring along a safe chew toy or stuffed Kong to keep them occupied,\u201d Jones recommends.<\/p>\n

Label their carrier or kennel<\/strong>
\n\u201cThe carrier should be well marked that a live animal is inside,\u201d says Jones. \u201cAlso, an identification sign on the crate that includes the pet\u2019s name, picture, your name, address, phone number(s), and flight information.\u201d She also recommends writing, in all caps, \u201cDO NOT REMOVE FROM CARRIER ONLY IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY,\u201d to avoid any potential mishaps throughout the travel process.<\/p>\n

Make sure their kennel is secure and ready for take-off<\/strong>
\n\u201cI recommend removing the bolts from the plastic carriers and replacing them with zip ties so there is no chance of them unscrewing or coming apart,\u201d Jones says.<\/p>\n

Confirm that your pet made it on the flight<\/strong>
\n\u201cIf you have to fly your dog as checked baggage, they will go underneath in the climate-controlled section of the plane,\u201d Jones says. \u201cBe sure before take-off you have confirmed with the flight attendant that your dog has been loaded on to the plane. Upon landing, you will need to ask an attendant where you need to go to pick up your dog from checked baggage.\u201d<\/p>\n

xx, The FabFitFun Team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":"Thinking of bringing your pet on your next vacation? While car rides typically aren\u2019t a ...","author":5590593,"featured_media":141375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[54,260],"tags":[],"thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/static.fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/03170344\/shutterstock_156894497.jpg","thumbnail_url_middle_card":"https:\/\/static.fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/03170344\/shutterstock_156894497-386x200.jpg","formated_date":"June 4, 2019","category_name":"Life","category_icon":"https:\/\/d3vodd1ws13xud.cloudfront.net\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/10113832\/entertainment.svg","author_name":"","trending":false,"sponsored":false,"random_color":"#d6007c","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141348"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5590593"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=141348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/141375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=141348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=141348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fabfitfun.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=141348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}