Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Facts About Pet Air Travel

Pet air travel need not be as exhausting as many people expect it to be. We just need to be prepared for what to expect and what is to be expected from us during and after the traveling period. Pet air travel can be a breeze once you have the necessary documents and things which you will need for your pet to be able to board the airplane. There are some pets that may not be able to travel with you due to security and safety concerns. The airline reserves the right to decline passage to certain animals.

A must in pet air travel is the documentation that your pet has been properly vaccinated against a lot of diseases and also rabies. All airlines ask for these important documentations because it not only shows that your pet is safe to travel both in and out of the country but it also shows that you do own the pet. Other documentation that you might need for pet air travel is pedigree, just in cases the authorities ask, although, this is seldom asked for. Adoption papers should be brought just the same if you have acquired your pet from a shelter or alternative program.

Pet air travel allows the owner to spend time with the pet by not separating them while the owner is put of town. Most airlines are very strict regarding pet air travel. Usually, the pet is kept in the cargo hold in a pet carrier for air travel that should meet requirements set by the air travel authorities. It may be possible to visit the pet, especially for longer flights taking more than ten hours but this may be a case to case basis. These days air travel authorities are very strict regarding where people can go in and around the airplane, which can hamper your visiting your pet in the cargo hold. Security and safety reasons are in place to limit the areas which people can freely go to in a moving airplane.

Any pet, which has been smuggled onboard the plane and discovered on air, will need to go through quarantine procedures as soon as the plane touches down. Pet air travel should be done out legally to avoid any problems which may separate you from your pet for several months due to quarantine procedures in the area you are traveling to. This is usual for international pet air travel, if there is something wrong with the documentation the pet owner brought along.

Pet Air Travel Tips

Most Important Pet Air Travel Tips

Some people would like to travel with their pets by air, especially during long holidays or moving from one area to another. These pet owners will not hear of leaving their pets behind so they bring them along. A pet air travel tip or two for neophyte travelers with pets is necessary to avoid confusion and frustration. Pet air travel is not necessarily difficult as long as the requirements are met or even exceeded.

First Pet Air Travel Tip

Health certificates and other documents pertaining to your pets' health and ownership may be required by the airlines for easier processing of air travel with your pet. This pet air travel tip asks that owners prepare or keep tabs on the health of their pet. A few weeks before the scheduled flight it may be best to update the necessary vaccinations and shots that your pet requires for issuance of a health certificate. For international travelers, it may be necessary to inquire from the embassy what is needed for your pet to enter the country.

Second Pet Air Travel Tip

For your pet to travel by air with you in the most convenient way possible, you might want to book a flight that does not necessitate changing airplanes. A direct flight will make the ordeal of travelling as short and as comfortable as it can possibly be. If this I not possible, try to inquire regarding being able to shelter your pet from whatever climate each stop might have. Some airline staff or workers may be careless enough to place the pet carrier under the direct heat of the sun while waiting for it to be loaded into the next airplane. This pet air travel tip may be easier to do if you can visit or take a peek or you pet in between flights.

Third Pet Air Travel Tip

For longer flights, you might want to freeze a small block of water which you can place on a tip proof bowl in the carrier of your pet. This pet air travel tip is something that may help your pet deal with the long flight as well as the heat. The ice will avoid too much spillage which means more water for your pet during the flight just by licking the block of ice. You can check with the airlines if you can leave a bag of food outside the carrier so that personnel can feed you pet when necessary, especially during flight delays.