13 Jul Essential Pet Products for Your Pet’s Safe and Smooth Journey
Humans have an unsaid protocol of always ensuring that we carry all our essentials while traveling based on the destination, climate, culture, etc., be it via any mode of transportation and for any number of hours or days. Then how can we ignore the necessities for our pets while they travel!? Pet owners care in abundance about their pets’ safety and comfort while traveling with them or transporting them alone. While arranging for pet travel essentials might not be an easy task as it would mean the pet parent hovering from one store to another and all the effort and time taking researches, it makes the travel preparation all the more convenient and hassle-free with the help of a pet relocating company such as Carry My Pet which is well versed with all the requirements of the pets during their journey, that is with or without the owner. There is a list of essential pet travel products that should be on your checklist while preparing for your pet’s safe and smooth journey based on whether the travel is via air or road.
Most common and essential pet travel accessories for your pet’s stress-free fun trip
1) Pet passport
A Pet passport necessarily means a certification of your pet’s health signifying that your pet is healthy to travel. This passport is NOT an actual passport with your dog’s or cat’s paw prints, but a collection of documents that primarily include a health certificate issued by a recognized vet for your pet. This also contains your pet’s vaccination record, your pet’s journey details, pet’s insurance documents, and their pictures. This is one of the most essential accessories for your pet’s travel as it contains all the necessary documents for their health and safety during an international journey. While this passport-like journal/bag might not be necessary for interstate travel within the county’s borders, it is very much mandatory when your pet is traveling overseas.
2) Pet Microchip
Microchipping is an integral part of your pet’s international journey. A Pet microchip is a small rice grain-like chip that is safely implanted inside your pet before the vaccination and travel. The function of this chip is that it helps to locate your pet if in case you lose them while traveling or sightseeing. This is a safe method of reuniting with your pet if they run away and end up in an animal shelter or animal control or a veterinary clinic.The microchip has an identification number specific to every animal and that number can be scanned via scanner to contact the pet parent and safely return the pet. Pet microchipping is a service that is provided by many animal shelter organizations and veterinary clinics. So, if you are afraid of losing your pet during travel, don’t be and get that furry friend of yours microchipped.
3) Pet Leash Harness And Collar With Tags
This is the most basic accessory for your pet that they should always have on them irrespective of travel or not. Leash harnesses are a comfortable vest for the pet’s security checks at the airports and even, in general, to prevent them from running loose. The pet can step in the harness that can be attached around their back and easily removed. If you are planning to travel with your pet as cabin baggage, this leash and harness can make it convenient for both the pet and their parent to travel. Pet collars and tags usually have the pet’s name and owner’s details like their name, address, and contact number. Collars and tags are essential because in case you lose your pet there are chances that your pet might not end up in an animal shelter or veterinary clinic. Also, the person who finds them might be unaware of their microchip status and the rescue process based on the microchip. In such cases, it is always easier to read the information from the tags and collars and return the pet to the pet parent.
4) IATA Approved Crates
What better way than to arrange a pet carrier especially when your pet’s travel itinerary includes air transport. These carriers with specifications laid down by IATA (International Air Transport Association) are inevitable for transporting your pets and are available in sizes ranging from 21 inches to 48 inches to accommodate cats and dogs of all sizes.
Be cognizant of such specifications that mandatorily need to be followed for the pet’s travel or else there are chances that your pet’s boarding might be rejected by the airlines.
Does your pet have enough breathing space in the crate/kennel to sit, stand, lie and turn comfortably? Does your pet’s crate have strong doors and windows so that they CANNOT be broken, unlocked, or chewed upon? Is there enough ventilation for the pet in the crate? Does the crate have the animal’s and owner’s details with attached food and water bowls on the outside? The pet parent needs to understand these requirements, comply with the specifications and then arrange for an IATA-approved pet crate.
5) Absorbing Mat
An absorbing mat is primarily used to keep your pet’s skin dry. These mats are lined in the pet crate especially for pets traveling via a long air journey. Manufactured from a highly absorbent, instant drying material, these mats keep the pet crates dry thereby keeping the pet comfortable throughout the journey.
6) Spill proof Food and Water travel bowls
When your pet is traveling, looking after their hunger and thirst requirements are an essential part of their comfortable travel. Often, animals tend to be noisy and irritated if they are unable to eat or drink at a specific time. To cater to this requirement, food and water bowls should always be intact from the outside of the crate while your pet is traveling via air. In case of a road journey, a separate water bottle/dispenser which has a proper locking system and is leakage proof should be arranged to quench your pet’s thirst with fresh water and avoid dehydration.
7) Water, Pet Food, And Pet Treats
Availability of a regular supply of water and dog & cat food is essential when your pet is traveling either with you or without you. Be it a short or long-distance journey, the pet tends to be restless if there is an irregular supply of food and water. Pet treats play an important role in calming the pets down during their travel as some of these treats work well on the nervous system and control pet’s anxiety especially if they have been on the road for long or have been in the crate. Pet parents are advised to keep a regular and adequate supply of water, pet food, and treats during both air and road journeys.
8) First Aid kit and Toiletries
First Aid kit is one of the essentials for everyone because you never know when a certain untoward situation arises that would require immediate medical attention. Similarly, this caution and preparedness are required in the case of pets. The pet parent can create a customized first aid kit for the pet that includes cotton and cloth rolls, pair of scissors, bandages, antibiotic ointment for pet wounds, gauze rolls and pads, instant cooling packs, thermometer, tweezers, clippers, plastic gloves, waste bags, any prescribed medication, and mild sedatives. In case the pet has major injuries or feels sick then they should be taken to the nearest veterinary clinic during the journey.
9) Pet toys
Pets tend to get a little jittery when it comes to their travel especially when they feel confined in a closed space. Pets tend to get restless when they feel trapped inside a vehicle or crates for long hours, which is more often during road trips. Hence, it is always advisable to carry along some pet toys to channel their energy and hyperactivity by smoothening their journey. Certain toys like stuffed animals, sticks and balls, or any chewable toy can make an easy distraction and help in keeping the pets calm throughout the journey.
10) Seat Cover And Seat Belt Harness
These accessories are primarily for your pet dog’s road journey since your pet cats can be easily carried in the crates which can be placed on the vehicle seats conveniently. Instead of keeping that old towel, rug, or blanket on the seat which gets displaced every time your pet turns around, it is recommended to place a sturdy seat cover under your pet. These covers are pet-friendly, water-resistant, scratch-resistant, economical, and customizable. Seat belt harnesses are another accessory specifically manufactured for your pet’s road journey. Just like the seat belts are mandatory to put on for the pet parent while driving across that country road, their pets too require to be fastened by the seat belts as their safety measure. But of course, you cannot buckle your pet dogs in the seat with that seat belt like you would do with a human, and hence, seat belt harnesses come into the picture. These harnesses are like small leashes that attach to the seat belts. They allow the pet to walk around but not jump off the seat while being safely strapped to the seat belts and can be adjusted to a suitable length.
11) Litter box
This pet travel essential is specifically for your pet cat’s road journey since you can easily monitor your pet dog’s behavior and pull over to a pit stop. However, this is not the case with a pet cat and hence, a litter box is mandatory while traveling with your cat. A portable litter box can be of huge help during your pet cat’s journey. These portable trays fold up for easy storage and the content can be disposed of once the cat uses the tray. Apart from the road trip, these boxes can also be used if you are planning to stay at someone’s house or a hotel with your cat. Cats are trained to use the litter box but they can be difficult to handle if they are not familiarized with the new litter tray. Hence it is important to acquaint your pet cat with the litter box so that they are willing to use it without any apprehension.
12) Odour Eliminator And Portable Vacuum Cleaner
These accessories are necessary when you are on a long road trip with your pet. Everyone wants their vehicle to smell good at all times. However, despite all the efforts of cleaning and washing the pet, one cannot deny the foul smell that might make the vehicle stink. At times, when your pet is traveling with you for long journeys, it is advisable to arrange for an odor eliminator in your vehicle. The portable vacuum cleaner is essential during long-hour road trips with your pet. Despite using the seat covers, there can be times when the pet food can spill or dog hair or cat hair can fall in the vehicle. During such times, neither can you keep your vehicle dirty nor can you take it for washing in the middle of the journey. Hence comes the role of this portable vacuum cleaner which is smaller in size than a normal house vacuum cleaner but is rechargeable and works on a similar principle. So, the next time you plan a journey with your pet via road trip or think of relocating that pet dog or cat of yours across country borders via air travel, refer to this checklist before you make that final go!! Or even better, get in touch with Carry My Pet, an international export relocation, international import pet relocation, and domestic pet relocation expert based in Delhi, India, for a comfortable and hassle-free pet relocation service.
