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Nobody needs to be miserable. 
You can leave your best friend in kind hands - or take her with you.

Over two million pets and other live animals are transported by air every year in the United States. Federal and state governments impose many restrictions  - and you should know what they are.
 

Each airline establishes its own company policy for proper handling. You also have a responsibility to take necessary precautions.
 

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture enforces the Federal Animal Welfare Act. Among the important requirements:

>> Dogs and cats must be at least eight weeks old and weaned for at least five days. 

>> Cages and other shipping containers must meet the minimum standard for size, ventilation, strength, sanitation and design for safe handling. (Sky kennels furnished by airlines are fine.)

>> Dogs and cats must not be brought to the airline more than four hours before departure. (Six hours if  arrangements are made in advance.)

>> Puppies or kittens less than 16 weeks of age, in transit more than 12 hours, must be given food and water. Older animals must have food at least every 24 hours and water at least every 12 hours. 

>>Written instructions for food and water must accompany all animals, no matter how long the journey. 

>> Animals may not be exposed to temperatures less than 45° F unless they accompanied by a certificate signed by a veterinarian stating that they are acclimated to low temperatures. 

>> Animals cannot be shipped COD unless the shipper guarantees the return freight should the animals be refused at destination. 
 

Each airline establishes its own policies, so you should also check with your air carrier. Some typical requirements adopted by most airlines:

Get a health certificate. A licensed vet should examine your pet within 10 days of travel, issuing a certificate stating the animal is in good health.

A pet may be transported as baggage if accompanied on the same flight to the same destination. Some air carriers may impose a special fee or "excess baggage" charge for this service. 

Pets may be shipped as cargo if unaccompanied, and many airline cargo departments employ specialists in the movement of animals. Animals must always be shipped in pressurized holds.

Some airlines allow the kennel to be carried in the passenger cabin as carry-on luggage if it fits under the seat. 

Other precautions:

Before traveling, accustom your pet to the kennel in which it will be shipped. Make sure that the door latches securely.

Do not give your pet solid food in the six hours prior to the flight, although a moderate amount of water and a walk before and after the flight are advised.

Do not administer sedation to your pet without the approval of a veterinarian, and provide a test dose before the trip to gauge how the pet will react. 

Be sure to reserve a space for your pet in advance, and inquire about time and location for drop-off and pick-up. 

Try to schedule a non-stop flight; avoid connections and the heavy traffic of a holiday or weekend flight. 

When you board, try to tell a pilot and a flight attendant that there is a pet in the cargo hold. 

For overseas travel (including Hawaii), inquire about any special health requirements such as quarantine. 

Write your name, address and phone number on the kennel, and make sure your pet is wearing a tag with the same information.Consider purchasing a temporary tag showing your destination address and phone number.

Bring a photo of your pet, in case it is lost.
 
 

 
 

Traveling with - or without - Fido

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If you plan carefully you and your dog will have a great time - together or apart.

If you cannot leave your pet unattended, check out boarding options nearby, and be sure to make reservations if the weather is hot or cold. Leaving a pet unattended in a car in severe hot or cold is always a terrible idea, even if it is “just for a little while.”

As for flying, I would definitely recommend NOT taking flying a dog to a destination.  There have been too many cases where dogs have become sick, dehydrated, overheated or over cold on planes.  Many airlines will not fly dogs as a result.  It is best to leave Fido comfortably at home when flying.

If you decide to take your dog along for the ride, remember that dogs get traveler’s bugs just like humans.  I found out the hard way when spending a weekend at a condo in ski country with my seven year old border collie/Lab mix, Lilly. 

She began to whine and pace the floor, and made several trips outside.  The situation kept getting worse, until finally I took her to the emergency vet.

I carry water from home (double purified with the Pur and Brita filters just like mine to take out germs and lead and chlorine and stored in clean gallon jugs) when I travel for Lilly, mixing it with the local water until she becomes accustomed to it. 

In addition, when hiking or spending time in the outdoors, it is important to remember that dogs can contract giardia just like humans.  It is hard to police a dog from drinking from a stream or puddle, so the best thing to do is to get your dog vaccinated for giardia before hand.  In addition, make sure that your dog is drinking clean water on rest breaks.  Lilly carries her own water bottles in her doggy backpack.

To be prepared for the worst, you can get an oral med called K-P-Sol from the vet to give to your dog 2-3 times per day as needed for diarrhea.  It needs to be refrigerated after opening, so I put it in a cooler along with my snacks and drinks in the car when Lilly travels with me "just in case.  If a dog does get sick, the K-P-Sol, combined with boiled rice the first 24 hours and fresh water, followed by boiled rice and a bit of boiled hamburger, generally does the trick.

Traveling with your dog’s food and water dishes also prevents infection.  Collapsible dog dishes are available at outdoor and pet stores. Before each trip, disinfect all bowls with a teaspoon of bleach and water.  Pet's dishes need to be washed just like humans, because bacteria grows in them.  For hard bowls, run them in the dishwasher just like human dishes to sterilize them. 

Pets often get disoriented by travel and do not eat on their regular schedule. Lilly often refuses to eat the first day.  Not to worry.  Don't feed your dog people food or scraps, as this may upset their stomachs.  Eventually they will get hungry enough and eat. 

I used to think that Lilly missed me horribly when I traveled and it was a bad idea to leave her behind. Some destinations are just not animal-friendly (or bringing along your best friend is not appropriate when you are on a honeymoon or romantic weekend getaway), and it is far more humane to leave man or woman’s best friend in a place where he or she is comfortable and cared for on a regular schedule. 

Lilly has two dog sitters that fight over who gets to watch her, and she loves her walks and playtime with them in the comfort of her own home.  The pet sitters come for an hour each visit (up to three) and walk her, feed her, and play with her.  They also leave a detailed journal of what occurred during the visit, where they walked, and how Lilly’s mood and health were. 

Some pet sitters will stay at your home for the entire duration of your trip.  When engaging a pet sitter, make sure they are bonded, check the police station to ensure there have been no complaints about them, call all references, and notify a neighbor or friend that they will be stopping in regularly. 

Lilly also has several dog friends whom she stays with when the sitters are unavailable.  It is Lilly’s idea of a doggy sleepover when she goes to Aunt Judy’s or Uncle Tim’s to play with Ella or Jake and Abby. 

Of course Lilly cannot tell me this in so many words, but she fairly paws her way out of the car when we are within a block of their homes, running to the door with tail wagging, ready to play, while “Mom” carries in her leases, shot records, dog treats, dog toys, food, food and water dishes, and dog bed for the occasion. 

If you decide to try this option, make sure that you gradually introduce your dogs a few times before the actual event.  Dogs need to acclimate to new environments and new friends, sniffing, establishing roles (Alpha and Beta), and feel comfortable together. 

Also, by using short walks together as introductions, it also lets you know if the dogs will get along.  If there is a lot of fighting, it is better to go with a sitter, a kennel, or have a petless friend watch your dog.

The last boarding option is a kennel.  Choose a kennel as you would a pet sitter: through recommendations from your vet.  The best kennels are those with dog runs attached to the cage, where your dog can stretch its legs. 

I have never placed Lilly in a kennel where dogs were not exercised daily or did not have dog runs.  When choosing a kennel, visit it.  Inspect it for cleanliness, size of the runs, and the quality of the caregivers.

With all of the above options, be a good pet owner.  Make sure your dog has all of his shots up to date, including rabies, distemper, and kennel cough. 

And you will worry less if you take the number of where he or she is staying along and check in every now and then. It also helps if you run into problems and are going to be late picking up your pet – you will want to call the caretaker to inform them of your changed plans.

Last but not least, whether your dog goes along for the fun or stays behind, have a great time! 

                                                         -- Dina Horwedel

You can't take them to Paris with you, leave them at a kennel, or trust them to clean up after themselves. What's a fish lover to do?
 

Owners of fish aren't so fortunate as those with dogs or cats -- there aren't many aquarium kennels!

Weekend feeders and automatic fish feeders have grown in popularity, but fish experts warn that good care for our swimming friends requires more than simply letting them eat.

The tank has to be checked every day. Is there bad algae? Is the ammonia level too high? And what about heaters and filters - are they working right?  What if something happens while you're off swimming in Barbados?

Water that's too hot or too cold can kill your fish, and problems with your filter can lead to a buildup of harmful bacteria. It, too, can kill.

Also, if a fish dies, the situation can become precarious for the rest of your water community. 

Now, if all that has scared you into staying home, don't despair. All it means is: 

Get someone to check on your tank on a regular basis.

Ask them to remove any dead fish or decaying matter.

Problems with automatic feeders: They give fish too much food and can lead to buildup of bacteria. They also break.

Weekend feeders: Fish only nibble at the feeder, consuming what they need and leaving the rest. One feeder is good for about three fish. 

Problems: Not good for fish over the longer haul.

Options: If away for only a couple of nights, don't feed them at all! Give them a good meal before you leave, and then the minute you return. Fish don't have to eat every day.

But for longer journeys, find someone to care for them - a friend of the family, a neighbor, a kid. Being a fish-sitter isn't that hard!
 
 

Most experts feel cats are better off staying behind -- preferably with someone who really knows them and is willing to move in with them.

That's not always practical, however, and so the best alternative is to get a friend, sitter or a neighbor to stop in -- at least once a day, but twice daily is better.

The cat-sitter should: Change the water, play with your cat, and pet it -- not just empty the litter box and change the water and give your cat a meal.

If you can't find someone you know, a friend or your vet can probably suggest somebody.

If your cat has to leave home and stay somewhere else, help your cat adjust to his new surroundings. If it's a friend's house, perhaps they can keep him in a small room.

And whenever using kennels, be sure to check references and ask lots of questions. It's best to go with references from friends and people you trust.

Also don't forget to leave emergency numbers or the number where a friend or family member can be reached.