Pet travel supplies can make trips with your animal pal much more enjoyable – for both of you. Some helpful pet travel supplies include a carrier or car restraint, leashes, ID tags, food and water bowls and containers, blankets or towels, and toys. The specific supplies you need will depend on the details of your trip, but having a basic set of pet travel supplies can make trips with your pet easier.
The safest way for your pet to travel in the car is either in a carrier or in a pet car seat. In a moving car, carriers should be attached to the seat or placed on the floor, in the back seat. If you opt not to keep your pet in a carrier while in the car, consider a pet safety seat. Pet car seats keep your pet safely restrained; in the event of an accident, your pet will usually fare far better if restrained.
If you are traveling by air, your pet travel supplies need to include an airline approved carrier, with absorbent materials in his carrier to absorb any waste on the trip. Be sure your pet’s name and your contact information, both at home and at your travel destination, is clearly affixed to the outside of the carrier. This applies whether your pet will be traveling in the cabin with you or in the cargo hold.
Pet travel supplies should always include identification for your pet. When traveling, your pet should have two ID tags: one with your home address or contact info and one with your contact info at your destination. Many pet owners now opt to put their cell phone numbers on their pets' ID tags, rather than or in addition to a home number, which may make an extra tag unnecessary. The important thing is that your pet can be easily returned to you if he gets away while you are traveling.
Carrying pet travel supplies like food and water can be very helpful. It can minimize some of the stress of travel for your pet if you bring both food and water from home. Unfamiliar water in a new environment can lead to unnecessary additional stress for you pet. Since travel can be dehydrating to pets and humans alike, be sure to bring along plenty of fresh water for the trip itself. Either bring along regular food and water bowls from home, or purchase collapsible bowls for travel. Always keep water and dry food in tightly closing containers to avoid spills and to keep dry food from becoming stale.
A few other pet travel supplies can keep your pet more comfortable while away from home. To help keep your pet comfortable and happy during the trip, you may want to bring along a favorite blanket or soft towel from home. Add a few new toys as well as old favorites when choosing car travel supplies, to give your pet some distractions along the way. Finally, your pet travel supplies should include some treats, to reward your pet for her good behavior on your travels.
