TravelPets

A Very Furry Holiday!

steve10988 — Thu, 3 Apr 2014 22:31:00 GMT

Pet industry's graph has seen a vertical rise in the past few years; 2010, alone, saw over $47 billion spent on pet related products and services. It is no surprise that these hotels have seen a ballistic bloom in past few years with more and more people sharing their vacations with their furry halves.

So, if you are planning to join the bandwagon and take a vacation with your pet, read on.

While all hotel chains have their own pet policies that are subject to change. Some of the commonly found amenities are listed below:

Regular dog friendly events/ activities
Al-fresco restaurants with special doggie menus
Fido bed fold-down
Offer of pet sitting, pet grooming, pet walking
In-room massage, pet accupencture etc.
Provision of bowls, toys, towels, natural organic treats, cleaning bags etc.

The following are a few helpful tips to make a dog-parent's experience smoother while looking for a pet-friendly accomodation:

Make sure your preferred room goes through a 'deep cleaning session'.

It is essential that the housekeeping 'deep cleans' a room that has previously been occupied by other pets, to make sure your pet does not catch any infections that previous pets have left behind. There is a specific process that takes into account the hair, saliva, dander etc. There are advanced methods such as carpet shampoo, heavier-than-usual sweep etc.

Keep in mind your pet's size before booking a room.

Yes. The prices of the rooms with your pooch may go rocketing with his/her weight, or worse still- may not be allowed at all! In their defence, they abide by the age-old conventions of 'bigger the dog-the mosre destructive he/she is'.

Check with the hotel if it can accomodate pets other than dogs and cats.

While most hotels have different policies pertaining to this, well established hotels do consider accomodating your other furry friends, as long as you get a prior approval from the concerned property.

Pet-friendly accomodations certainly do help the pet mom and dad a great deal, but at the same time, pose a lot of health threats. As long as precautons are taken, there is nothing that can come between you and your furry friend from enjoying a wonderful vacation together!

5 Things you Need to Do Before Travelling with Your Pet

steve10988 — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 23:57:00 GMT

Are you planning to travel with your pet dog, cat or ferret within the European Union or into it from another country?

To make life simpler, we have listed down the 5 most important formailities that need to be followed to take your loved one abroad.

1. Micro-Chipping

Your pet must have a micro-chip before it’s vaccinated against rabies. All you have to do is make sure that your vet records the code of the microchip on the pet passport or official third country veterinary certificate. Microchips that meet the International Organisation for Standardisation can be easily read by the transportation companies throughout the European Union. If incase your pet's microchip doesn't meet standards, you must bring your own microchip reader.

In case of tattooing the pet with the identification number, make sure that the vet records the tattoo number and the date of the rabies vaccination in the pet passport or official third country veterinary certificate.

2. A Rabies Vaccination

Needless to say, you must vaccinate your pet against rabies before it can travel abroad. Please note that you have to wait for 21 days after the vaccination before travelling.

Get your pet microchipped before the rabies vaccination or they will need to be vaccinated again.

3. A Pet Passport or Official Third Country Veterinary Certificate

It is compulsary for your pet to have a valid pet passport/third country official veterinary certificate authenticated by a certified vet.

4. Tapeworm Treatment (for dogs only)

Make sure to get your pooch treated for tapeworm and get it recorded, and duly recorded by your vet in the pet passport or third country official veterinary certificate.

5. Quarantin

On your behalf, the quarantine premises will help and/or deal with all documentation. There would be:

submission of an import licence application;
arrangement for the collection of your pet on landing
organising the clearance through customs
arrangement of transport of your pet to the quarantine premises

So, what are you waiting for? Pack you suitcase and go explore the world with your loved pet!

Image courtesy: outerbanksvacations.com

http://biobubblepets.com/

The Pet Parents' Dilemma-Travelling!

steve10988 — Thu, 6 Mar 2014 23:17:00 GMT

Taking a vacation can be a daunting task for a pet parent with too many things to take care of. While the dilemma of whether or not you should take your pet along is a long lasting one, most succumb to leaving them behind under the supervision of a pet-sitter or an assumingly reliable kith and kin.

So, what are your options?

While making decisions keep the pets' interest before yours. If in case you think separation will be hard and decide to take them along, it is highly recomended that they are not made to stay back at an unknown kennel or hotel room while you bathe in sun at the beach.Incidences like these, raise their anxierty level and do not do them good. They would much rather stay at their own home with a care taker. Cats, for e.g., are not much of travellers and would rather stay back with a sitter; unless, ofcourse, the trip is for an extended period of time.

So, if you do decide on taking your loved one along, keep the following 5 pointers in mind:

Veterinarian Consultation:

This is the foremost thing to do; the vet would duly provide a better picture as to whether or not your pet is healthy to travel. This examination is also a requisite for various formalities for many forms of travel.

Research:

Do your research well and if possible take short trial runs of the mode of travelling you're opting for. If you're taking the road, make sure you invest in a pet belt; if you are flying, keep in mind that breeds such as snub-nosed dogs don't travel well in cargo and are prone to breathing difficulties. Don't forget to book your pet-friendly hotel in advance so as to avoid last minute rush.

Sedation:

It is highly recommeded that you do not sedate your pets while travelling as it further increases their risks of heart and respiratory problems. In fact, a few airlines may require a signed statement to make sure that the pet has not been tranquilised prior to flying.

Things to Pack:

Besides the animal's usual food, don't forget to pack any medicines that the pet might need. Travelling for long distances can trigger existing ailments. Also, make sure you keep a used blanket (or your pet's favourite snuggle toy) with your sent, for that makes the pet feel comfortable and drops their anxiety level. Also, it is a good idea to pack two leashes and ID tags that'ddisplay contact information including your phone number and address.

Dog Training:

It is essential for your pet to be potty trained, and more importantly to be docile at public places. Before travelling for long distances, make sure you exercise your pet well so that they end up falling asleep dring the journey.

In the end, we'd just like to remind you that the pet is your responsibility and taking any decision that may work against their favour is ultimately your loss; for you are the whole world to your pet! So have fun and pat your dog from our side!

Bon Voyage!