If You Are Traveling By Air

Learn the facts about your flight. “With so many components and issues regarding air travel these days, it’s important to review all rules,” says Susan Kerwin-Hagen, a marketing manager for Midwest Airlines and the creator of the company’s Premier Pet travel-rewards program. First you have to decide how your pet will travel: in cabin or as checked luggage in a special cargo area of the plane. The rules vary for each type of travel and with each airline. “It depends on how many pets they’re allowing, what they charge, what the criteria for health certificates are, types and size of carriers allowed, and reservation procedures,” she says. Another concern is whether your airline has any temperature restrictions. Some won’t transport animals when the weather is too hot or too cold. So be sure to look online or call and talk to someone well in advance of your travel dates to find out all the details and restrictions.

Make sure you have the right kennel. If you’re checking Fluffy as cargo, make sure you have a properly sized, sturdy hard-case kennel that is approved by your airline. (Check the airline’s website to find out.) “A cheaper kennel can warp, and the door will pop open,” warns Lisa Schoppa, manager of Continental Airlines’ PetSafe program, who recommends a thick-plastic model in which the animal can stand, sit, and turn around without restriction. “We recommend that when the animal stands with head erect, you leave about two to three inches.” If you’re traveling with your animal in the cabin, the airline may allow either a hard or a soft carrier, but it must fit underneath the seat in front of you, so call to get the dimensions of that space. And remember to carry a leash with you, not checked in baggage, so you can do some immediate damage control when you land. If your pet is traveling in cargo, Schoppa says, “put the leash and collar in a clear plastic bag and tape it securely to the top of the kennel. So if along the way the animal needs to be walked, someone will have the leash and be able to do that.”

Take your pet to the vet. In addition to just giving you peace of mind that your furry friend is healthy enough to travel, a trip to the vet is necessary to obtain proper travel documents. Some airlines and some states require that all animals traveling as cargo in planes (as opposed to in-cabin, under the seat in front of you) have a health certificate signed by a USDA-certified veterinarian stating that the pet is clear for travel. Major airlines generally require this certificate be obtained no more than 10 days before the flight, but it’s always best to double-check all rules with your carrier. “Continental’s has to be dated with 10 days — and that’s for the outbound as well as the return,” Schoppa says. “So if you go to Grandma’s for the summer, you have to go to a vet there to get a health certificate to come back with.”

Different U.S. states and foreign countries have varying health regulations and documentation requirements for pet travel, too, so call the embassy of your destination or look online for information. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service site has links to many useful resources, as well as a list of USDA certified vets (www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/pettravel.html).

Once you have all the proper documents, make several copies. “Carry one with you, give one to the airline, and tape one to the top of the kennel,” Schoppa advises.

If You Are Traveling By Car

Make sure your vehicle is equipped to keep your pet comfortable and safe. Kim Salerno, president and founder of Tripswithpets.com, recommends that cats be kept in carriers and that dogs be restrained to keep them from distracting the driver when they get excited. Mesh or metal barriers that keep canines in the backseat or trunk area work well, and there are also car seats and seat belts that attach to a harness worn by the dog. And remember: Never leave a pet unattended in the car. The interior can heat up quickly in the summer and cool down fast in the winter.

Also, consider food and exercise. “Do not feed your pet a large meal within several hours of travel,” veterinarian Kim Nicholas says. And for long trips, schedule bathroom breaks. “Puppies and old dogs might have to go more frequently,” he says. “I figure if I have to go, they have to go.”

For more pet-travel recommendations from the American Veterinary Medical Association, go to www.avma.org.