Joey’s Tuesday Tip – Travel Tips

By Scott Lackenby | Dated January 6, 2015

Hey everyone! How was your New Year?? Hopefully you’ve had a great start to 2015. We’ve started the year off in the same way we said goodbye to 2014 – BUSY!! And I’ve been a busy Pymble Vet clinic cat with all of the boarders. The cattery has been full of cat boarders which means extra socialising, I mean work, for me. But it got me thinking about the animals that don’t go to kennels or a cattery and instead get to go on holidays with their humans. A lot of planning needs to be done in order to have a pet friendly holiday, and the article we posted last week about the dog harness’ got me thinking about all of the safety measures you need to take as well. So, I thought I’d have a quick chat to you about some of the things you will need to do if you are planning on travelling with your pet.

1. Harness’ and carry boxes: By law, dogs and cats must be safely restrained in the car. This means that cats need to be in a carry box and dogs need to be secured in a harness or in a crate. There are huge fines if you get caught driving with an unrestrained animal in the car. Aside from being illegal, it is much safer for your pet to be restrained when you are driving, regardless of the length of your trip. In an accident, an unrestrained animal becomes a missile in the car, potentially causing damage to both you and them. So please, restrain your pet for ALL trips. This includes dogs on the back of the ute who also need to be harnessed in.

2. Pet friendly accommodation: There a more and more places that offer pet friendly lodgings. There are books listing them and the NRMA also can help you out. By researching your options before you leave, you will be able to find accommodation that suits both you and your pet.

3. Stop, Revive, Survive: This is not only important for you humans, but also for us travelling pets. Take a break, get some fresh air and if possible, let us stretch our legs. This is also a good chance to give us a drink and maybe something to eat.

4. Research: Make sure you know about any potential hazards for us at the holiday destination. Are there ticks? Snakes? If you haven’t been to the destination before, call a Vet in the area to check to see if there is anything important you need to know. You will also now have the contact details of a local Vet should your pet need medical attention.

5. ENJOY!!! Holidaying with pets certainly takes a little more planning, but what could be better than being able to share a relaxing experience with your 4legged friend?!?

Well, better go. If I’m lucky I may be able to scam myself a second dinner! Meows for now, love Joey xoxo

Helping unpack the order