With summer in full swing, lots of pet owners are vacationing. The norm for pet owners has always been to take pets to a boarding kennel while on vacation. More clients are looking for alternate solutions to traditional boarding, including taking pets with them. Some clients board pets at a kennel near their destination or stay at a pet friendly hotel.
Clients still keep boarding kennels busy, but many people are hiring in-home pet sitters. Without a kennel owner providing a list of guidelines for traveling pet guardians, owners need to do more planning and research regarding precautions they should take when traveling with pets or leaving them in the care of others.
Pet owners who are utilizing both traditional boarding and alternate pet care methods should contact their vet 2-6 weeks before a trip to update vaccines, heartworm, flea and tick preventives, and get necessary paperwork.
To prevent small emergencies from becoming big ordeals, some foresight and extra planning prior to a vacation is worth the effort. Good planning involves getting an exam and clearance for travel a few weeks before vacation time. Discuss your trip and destination with the vet, to get advice about diseases specific to area you are visiting. For geriatric pets or those with special needs, discuss the best option for your pet; traditional boarding, staying at a veterinary supervised boarding facility or taking your pet along for the trip.
Keep pet’s records up to date. When traveling with pets, carry a copy of the vaccine certificate, health certificate written by your vet (a certified copy is required for international travel), blood test results, list of current medications, dosing schedule and extra medications. Pack enough pet food for your pet to prevent sudden changes in diet, should an extension of your trip occur. Diet changes can cause stomach upset, vomiting and diarrhea.
When planning a trip, research veterinarians and ER clinics in the area of your destination so you can be prepared should a problem arise. Keep the name and number of your home vet and names and numbers of emergency contacts on file with all pet caretakers, should you not be reachable.
Please do the following in preparation for traveling:
1. Plan for the unexpected, by creating a list of veterinarians and an authorization for the pet provider detailing your veterinarian of choice, your wishes in the event of an emergency, spending limits for emergency room care and your local ER contact, as well as your vacation contact numbers.
2. Leave a signed authorization for the kennel, pet sitter or other caretaker stating who you are authorizing to sign for and decide about care, should you be unreachable.
3. Provide a payment method to your authorized signer, such as a credit card number or emergency signed check.
4. Call your veterinarian and leave all ER instructions with the staff to be noted in the chart, including contact info, authorized decision maker, spending limits, extent of life saving care instructions, and payment info.
I have personally been involved in the following kennel related situations:
1. A dog boarded in a nearby kennel became severely ill, requiring expensive surgery, as well as blood transfusion. The owners were unreachable, on an international flight. The kennel owner did not have signed authorizations, and the pet’s regular vet was out of town. By the time the owners returned calls, the dog was in critical condition, in spite of stabilizing measures.
2. Pets on vacation have gotten lost. Microchips, when registered correctly, help lost pets get back with their owners, even while traveling out of town.
3. People who are out town frequently call me for advice on finding a vet while they are vacationing. Do your homework before leaving; researching vet offices and their hours. Print and carry directions from your hotel to the nearest clinics.
4. Clients have called to tell me their pets needed “emergency vaccines” when their pet became disruptive while in a hotel. When clients are asked to move a barking pet to a local boarding facility, they are required to have current proof of vaccines. Without proof, facilities will require additional shots before admitting. Carrying current certificates saves time and money.
5. Pet owners have had to fly home with pets unexpectedly after car trouble and accidents. All pets need current health and vaccine certificates before flying; plan for the unexpected.
6. Paperwork for health certificates for flying must be dated within 10 days of a flight. Pet owners have been sent to our veterinary office from the airport for proof of health exam paperwork. Some have missed flights.
7. International travel requires more planning and state certified health papers. Start planning for international travel months before trips with pets, so you can find a vet licensed to write the special paperwork.