Suggested Tips from Heidi Ganahl

Written by: Heidi Ganahl

With Passover and Easter right around the corner, Heidi Ganahl, the CEO and founder of Camp Bow Wow and Home Buddies by Camp Bow Wow, has created the below  “Tips on Traveling with Your Pets.”

1)      Check all airline requirements before boarding a plane. See if your pet can travel in a carrier that can be kept under a seat in the cabin or if your pet must travel by freight.

2)      Familiarize your pet with its carrier. Pets like familiarity. If you plan on keeping your pet inside a carrier while traveling, allow your pet to get used to the environment by placing it in the carrier for a few minutes each day. Gradually lengthen the time until your pet seems at ease with being placed in the carrier.

3)      Don’t try sneaking your pet on the plane. Although it may seem like a good idea if your pet is small enough to fit in a carrier beneath your seat, do not sneak animals of any size on a plane. There will be repercussions for doing so. Instead, look into travel alternatives such as Pet Airways, which was created specifically for traveling with pets. Although routes are limited, traveling on pet-friendly airlines may reduce times that pets are required to be in a carrier.

4)      Feed your pet no less than five or six hours before flight time. Give the pet a drink of water no less than two hours before flight. It is very easy for your dog or cat to become sick in transition.

5)      Find a hotel that will allow your pet to spend the night. Most pet-friendly hotels will not allow pets to be left in the room alone, so also consider taking your dog to a nearby Camp Bow Wow doggie day care facility if you want to do things during the day. It will cost less than paying for damage incurred by leaving a dog along in a hotel room.

6)      Make the animal feel at home. Use familiar dishes, blankets, toys and other items from your home to create a sense of comfort for your pet.