Some may call me crazy, but I just love my animals and want to share my life with them so I bring them everywhere I can. It can prove a little bit more challenging for travelling with a parrot, especially into the states, but for Canada-wide trips it’s fairly do-able. And believe me it’s been done. So here are few a tips and tricks I’ve learned about travelling with my pets (dog and bird) over the years.
Please note when I say travelling, I mean road-trips. I’ve never travelled by air with them.
Have a checklist outlining all the things you need, i.e. poop bags, leashes (boy, have I forgot this one on an occasion), collars, bed, jacket, water bottle, food bowls, food!, water, treats, lifejacket, toys, tick remover, natural bug spray, nail clipper (you never know when you might need it, better be safe than sorry). I like to have a checklist for each pet as their items are specific to them. For example, my bird doesn’t have a collar, but he does have a travel carrier which requires extra paper to change out, a foldable playgym, etc. Make the lists specific to each pet that way you don’t forget anything. Even if you have two of the same animal.
I always travel with a first aid kit both for humans and animals. At the beginning of a trip or a new camping season I review the contents and throw out expired meds and replenish. I visit my vet once a year prior to a trip and ask for a fresh supply of meds to hold me over in the event of a bout of diarrhea, vomiting, allergy attack and so on. These meds are your emergency stash in case you are too far away or the vet is closed for the weekend and you need relief right away. I should note I’ve done this every year since we began camping over 7 years ago and have never used them – it’s a just a nice safe guard in case. There are also some over the counter meds that are safe to give your pet such as gravol and Benadryl – if you go this route be sure to ask your vet for the correct dosing for your pet.
In addition to my first aid kit I like to have a printed copy of a few of the vets closest to where I will be staying. I always call ahead and ask what their hours of operation are, do they offer emergency care and if not so what are their emergency numbers. Calling ahead is good practice as sometimes the information on the internet can be outdated. I like to have a few numbers and maps printed on hand in case one clinic is closed and the hard copies are in case technology fails. Google maps is a great source to print directions and a general overview of the area.
Note: It’s also good to know where the closest human hospital is as well. My husband once had an asthma attack and we needed to get him emergency medical care. You live and learn.
This may seem excessive but honestly I’d rather have peace of mind than for something to happen where I wasn’t prepared when travelling with pets. I’ve witnessed a very tragic event where a puppy was having a wonderful day at the beach with his family and suddenly and got hit by car following his owner across the street. The car that struck him didn’t stick around and the owners had no idea where the closest vet was (turns out one was about 5-10 mins up the way). The puppy ended up passing away. It was a very tragic end to what started as a beautiful day. I never want to be put in that position of helplessness for my pet and that’s why I’ve been practicing these steps ever since.
When planning trips also try to schedule in some down time for your pet and establish a routine. Pets can get exhausted and need to rest as well. Some quiet time in the afternoon or early evening may do them well allowing them to rest up and be ready to go again the next day.
I hope you found this information helpful for the next time you’re travelling with your pets. I’ll continue to write about my experiences and journeys. Ontario Parks has a great list of dog friendly parks and beaches. You can also check out my blog on my top dog beaches in Ontario.
Until next time!
