There are various reasons why people travel with their pets. Some of the common reasons are for vacation, relocation or it could be that people have these pets as service animals. But whatever reason you have for taking your pets with you, it's very important to keep them safe, especially when you travel by plane.
It wasn't that long ago when a giant rabbit named Simon, that was supposed to grow as the world's largest rabbit, died on a United Airline flight. With that reason, it's really necessary for a pet owner to know a few things about the dangers of air travel and the ways on how to combat them so here are some tips that might help you.
Visit Your Veterinarian. Taking your pets to a vet before you travel will help determine if the animal is in a healthy state to fly. Flying can be stressful for animals especially if they're in the cargo hold for long hours. It's advisable to have your pets visit the vet regularly so you can have them treated as early as possible.
Choose Your Flight Routes Well. According to Pet Travel, it's recommended that you take non-stop flights if possible. There's a big number of pets getting lost during transfers between connecting flights. Plus, non-stop flights would be less stress since there would be fewer layovers.
Check Your Airlines' Pet Policy. USA Today reports that different airlines have different pet policies. For example, American Airlines only allows a few breeds of cats and dogs on their flights. Meanwhile, United Airlines allow cats, dogs, rabbits and other household birds. It would also help if you'd know how airlines load pets into their cargo hold.
Prepare Necessary Identification And Documentation. If ever your pets get lost on a flight, having all the important documents would locate them faster than normal. These documents are usually attached to the pet crate so the staff can use them for reference.
Before you fly out with your pets, make sure you know these tips. It also helps if you do more research like asking people you know who have already tried flying with their pets.
