Flying with Dogs

A few years ago, if you owned a dog or any other pet, it wasn't easy to take him with you for a journey by plane. Since they had certain rules back then, all you could do is, either send him to a friend's place to be taken care of or have him sent to an animal shelter for the time being. Both weren't safe options as trusting someone else to take care of your pet the way you do, was not convincing enough. But now, you don't need to face these insensitive issues anymore as flying with dogs is officially allowed in airlines. All you need to do is get a permit for your dog and pack him up for the journey. Given below are a few basic travel tips to follow when you're flying with dogs!

Tips for Flying with Dogs

Before you make any sudden travel plans with your dogs or pets, (if you're flying), you need to check if the airlines have any restrictions about flying with dogs. You will not find every airline permitting to accommodate the dog as they can be quite a menace if not well behaved. You should always make sure about all the policies and permissions you need to take care of before you travel with your pet. Many airlines such as American airlines stick to allowing only one dog per person and if there are more, then you have to purchase another seat, but this applies only for dogs under fifteen pounds. Bigger dogs can be transported through cargo. Listed below are a few suggestions on how to manage packing for a pet and other things you need to take care of while flying with pets, take a look!

• The most important thing you need to make sure of, is the DEFRA pet travel scheme, which allows your pets from certain countries to enter them without undergoing the six-month quarantine period. Get well informed about all its policies and requirements before you buy tickets.
• Buy low cost airline tickets as they will only give you the liberty to get your dog on board or in the cargo if he is more than fifteen pounds in weight. There are many low cost airlines which provide the facility of flying with a dog as well as giving good service.
• Once you've confirmed the permissions and made the necessary arrangements, obtain a health certificate from your veterinarian, that the dog is healthy to make the journey by air. This should also be considered as a legal document while booking with the airline.
• If the veterinarian prescribes, only then use limited amount of tranquilizers and sedatives for your dog.
• Make the dog wear a collar and attach the legible identification tag to it along with the rabies vaccination tag and a license tag. Also a phone number and an address should be there in case there are problems.
• Use a proper kennel which is approved by the USDA and the airline carrying the dog abroad.
• Make sure you've clipped the dog's nails to keep him from scratching the inner parts of the crate and attach a dish for food and water inside the crate so he doesn't run out of food and water. Give your pet food and water before the departure and bring extra food supplies just in case they get hungry.
• Make sure your pet is crate trained and can manage staying in the crate for long journeys as that is very important when you're flying with dogs.
• Also make sure you close the door of the crate properly and safely, don't lock it but make sure your pet cannot escape out of it.
• Once the journey is over, make sure he is fine and not injured in any way, has a full tummy and has drunk the water you left. Also make sure to clean the crate as soon as you get down from the plane and let him loose for sometime. More on last minute air travel tips.

With these tips to keep in mind, flying with dogs is a very easy task and you can make the most out of your vacation along with your family and buddy!