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![]() Pets take to the road If their owners prepare carefully, most four-legged family members can join in the vacation fun. Heres how. By Allan Fallow More and more travelers are hitting the road with pets in tow. According to a 1996 American Animal Hospital Association survey, 53 percent of pet owners vacation or travel with a pet. In 1994, the latest date for which statistics are available, 44 percent of American Hotel and Motel Association members accepted pets. While not all pets are potential travelerssome animals cant handle the stresscareful planning can make the trip for both of you.
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Traveling by air |
Its essential to acclimate your pet to its crate. When ASPCA animal-travel expert Kathi Travers was told she was being transferred to California, she had 30 days to accustom her newest dog, Diamond, to a crate. For the first few days, she recalls, I didnt put the top on. Then I started putting Diamond in with the top on. Finally, I put her toys in with her and shut the door. |
If your pet is small, it may be able to travel in the cabin under the seat in
front of you. Check with the airline in advance. The animals crate must have fresh water and be
large enough to allow the pet to stand up, turn around, and lie down unimpeded.
Most animal experts strongly oppose sedating pets before a
flight. Tranquilizers tend to raise or lower respiration, occasionally with disastrous
effect. |
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Temperature extremes pose a problem for pets traveling by air. United States
Department of Agriculture rules state that a pet must not be kept at
temperatures above 85°F (29°C) or
below 45°F (7°C) for more than 45 minutes. Dr. Patricia
Olson, director of veterinary affairs for the American Humane Association, urges
booking nonstop flights that are least likely to involve temperature extremes and
checking with the airline several hours before flight time to make sure weather
conditions will permit pet travel. |
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Road trips |
Given the logistical thickets of moving an animal by airplus the fact that 80 percent of all U.S. travel is by carits no surprise that most pets take road trips. (Amtrak, Greyhound, and most cruise ships allow only guide dogs.) Being a good car passenger, however, does not come naturally to all cats and dogs. Cats can get skittish in a moving vehicle. They usually do best in cratespreferably draped with a cloth, to block the sight of scenery whizzing by, explains Dr. Jay Geasling, president of the American Animal Hospital Association.
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Before you leave on a big trip, its a good idea to visit the vet to get a
clean bill of health for your fellow traveler about ten days before you depart.
(If an infectious disease is found, the animal will have to be hospitalized until
well.) Request a written record showing the pets weight, inoculations, and
medications in case you have to document these for an out-of-town vet or border
authorities. On the day of travel, give the critter a light meal and a chance to
relieve itself before getting into the car. |
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Safety precautions en route |
It is imperative that a pet wear a collar and ID tag at all times during the trip. Dr. Leininger suggests writing emergency numbers on masking tape placed on the back of the tagnumbers for contacts likely to be reachable. While driving, keep the animal in its crate; uncontrolled pets may be a dangerous distraction. Some vehicles, such as station wagons, can use a wire-mesh divider instead, a strategy recommended by the ASPCA. As for leaving an animal in a car, dont. Scores of dognappings occur every year. And with the windows rolled up, the interior of a car parked in the shade on an 85°F (29°C) day can reach 120°F (49°C) in just 30 minutes.
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Internet Resource |
ASPCA: Car Travel with Your Pet |
Organizations |
Air Transport Association 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20004, U.S.A. |
American Humane Association |
63 Inverness Drive East Englewood, Colorado 80112, U.S.A.
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ASPCA |
424 East 92nd Street New York, New York 10128, U.S.A. Telephone +1 212 876 7700 |
American Veterinary Medical Association |
1931 North Meacham Road Schaumburg, Illinois 60173, U.S.A. |
Publications |
Accommodations Offering Facilities for Your Pet (AAA PetBooks; +1 407 321 7425; four guides covering the U.S. and Canada) |
DogGone: The Newsletter about Fun Places to Go and Cool Stuff to Do with Your Dog |
(+1 561 569 8434; doggonenl@aol.com) |
The Dog Lovers Companion series |
(Foghorn Press; +1 415 241 9550 or 800 FOGHORN. Covers California, Florida, Boston, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Seattle) |
On the Road Again with Mans Best Friend by Dawn and Robert Habgood |
(Frommers guide, available in many bookstores; seven regional guides.) |
Take Your Pet USA: A Guide of Accommodations for Pets and Their Owners by
Arthur Frank |
(+1 617 267 9022 or 800 255 8038) |
Vacationing with Your Pet: Eileens Directory of Pet-Friendly Lodging
by Eileen Barish |
(+1 602 483 6000 or 800 496 2665; other titles on California, Arizona, New York and Texas) | |||
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