Top tips for travelling with pets

BIG4’s recent decision to open up its caravan parks to dogs reflects a growing trend among grey nomads to travel with a furry friend, or two.

And it’s little surprise, given RV travellers are increasingly reluctant to give up any home comforts, including the company of their pooch. Not to mention the expense and hassle of finding alternative accommodation for your pet while on holiday.

However, travelling with Fido or Felix is not something to be taken lightly, with a number of things to consider to ensure the safety and well-being of the animal.

The South Australian Animal Welfare League recently provided a few tips for those wanting a hassle-free holiday with their pet...

• Whether it’s a cat or dog, the most important thing is to ensure it has a collar with an ID tag, and a microchip to ensure it can be identified by a local council or vet if lost.

• Also ensure microchip details are up-to-date; the South Australian organisation says around half of the 20,000 lost or abandoned animals that end up at its shelter each year have incorrect microchip details.

• As well as an ID tag with your mobile phone number, attach another tag with contact details for your next destination, if the area is unlikely to have mobile reception.

• Despite common opinion, cats can be good travellers, provided they are well socialised and calm. However, get the cat used to wearing a harness and walking on a lead before the trip so it can be exercised safely and without fear of it running away.

• Always ensure the pet is restrained in transit, either in an enclosed cage or bed (cat) or harness (dog). In many states it’s a legal requirement. In an accident, even a 5kg cat can become a dangerous projectile.

• To minimise stress, maintain the pet’s regular routine if possible. Pack regular food and keep to normal feeding times where possible. Other things to pack include water bowls and water bottles, cat litter trays and cat litter, bags for soiled litter and poo, bedding for carrier, cat harness and lead, as well as familar blankets or toys...

• Particularly for cats, cover the cage (while keeping it well ventilated) in the car as outside movement, sounds, etc can be quite distressing for animals if unaccustomed to them.

• For particularly nervous cats, Feliway (a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone), is available commercially. It provides a calming effect and is sprayed around bedding 15 minutes before travel. There’s also a version for dogs called Dog Appeasing Pheromone.

• Keep travel times relatively short. A good guide is a rest break at least every two hours, to allow a stretch and sniff. But always keep the pet on a lead. Even if a dog is good at recall, there are many distractions from trucks to wild animals that could lead to accidents.

• Guinea pig-style water funnels and water holders that clip onto the pet's cage are available to keep the cat or dog hydrated in transit. They also prevent messy spills from loose water bowls.

• Don’t feed the night before or morning of travel. Some animals can react quite violently to car sickness.

• Ginger nut biscuits and peppermint oil have been found to reduce incidence of travel sickness in dogs.

• Carry spare bedding and a carrier as it can be difficult to clean or replace these items en-route.

• Consider pre-trip crate training for a dog. It usually takes less than a week at home, and the dog will then be used to spending periods of time or sleeping overnight in the crate when required.

• Make sure all vaccinations, and worming and parasite preventive measures are up to date. Find out if regions you are travelling through have different type of fleas than normally encountered, requiring different treatments. Paralysis ticks are also a problem in some regions of Australia.

• Carry proof of current vaccinations, worming, etc in case you put your pet into a boarding facility or admit them to a pet hospital during the trip.

• A pet first aid kit, like that available from the SA Animal Welfare League, is good insurance for minor emergencies.

• Pack pet medication if required as it may not always be available en-route.

• If planning to go on a boat or any open water, pet life jackets are a good idea. Even if the dog loves swimming, it may get into trouble in unfamiliar environments.

• If you plan to travel more than three weeks, consider a health check from your vet to make sure the animal is physically capable.

• Finally, put the pet’s needs and well-being first. If you think Fido might not enjoy three months of campervanning in the Top End, consider alternative arrangements like a boarding facility.