Planning a big vacation is fun — and a little stressful. What do you pack? Should you check a bag? How much time should you allow for getting through airport security? (Answer: Who knows?) And if you’re traveling with dogs or cats to the big family reunion, things get even more complicated.
To help your flights with Max or Luna go super smoothly, we went ahead and consulted top pet resources and experts. We came away with this advice above all: Plan ahead. First and foremost, you’ll need to find out where you’re going and what kind of documentation, if any, is required for traveling to your desired destination.
“The destination will give you the basis of not just the paperwork but potentially the days, weeks or months of preparation that’s needed to get your pet to that destination,” says Dr. Keston Smith, Medical Director at BondVet Hell’s Kitchen. “Pre-travel is going to be the most arduous, could be what takes up the most time and the most stressful for the clients.”
Certain domestic destinations require documentation, and traveling to some destinations has gotten more difficult than it once was. And, if you’re planning to travel internationally with your pet, some destinations require six to 12 months of preparation time, Smith says. Above all, your pet needs to be in good health to travel, which your vet will be able to help you determine.
Smith recommends going to the APHIS Pet Travel USDA website as a place to start. There, you can figure out what kind of documentation you might need to travel with your pet, depending on where you’re traveling from and where you’re traveling to. Alternatively, BondVet also offers a concierge-type service that collects the type of documentation you might need in addition to scheduling any necessary appointments for a stress-free travel experience.
Once you’ve secured the required documentation and your pet has passed any necessary health checks, book your ticket and the reservation for your pet early, since airlines typically allow only a set number of animals on each flight.
Airlines generally offer two options for transporting a pet: in the passenger cabin or below in the cargo hold. You can bring a cat or a small dog — generally weighing less than 25 pounds — in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. (That measurement can be found on your airline’s website.) If you have a bigger dog, your only choice is to fly them in a crate in the cargo hold.
“Look at your specific airline,” Smith says. “They’re going to potentially have some restrictions that aren’t from the country or the USDA. Those sometimes supersede any other restrictions because they won’t let you on unless you’re following them. A lot of these restrictions will involve weight, size of carrier and consistency of carrier.”
Separating from your pet during travel inherently involves some risk, but consulting veterinarian for Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Dr. Zac Pilossoph says, “Most pets will be OK flying cargo — except for brachycephalic ones.” Those are the smush-faced breeds, including mastiffs, boxers and bulldogs. “Those breeds usually have some sort of breathing issues, which higher altitudes exacerbate,” he says.
Amazon
Roverlund Carrier and Travel Bag
Whether flying in cargo or in the cabin with you, the unfamiliar environment and sounds of air travel is anxiety-provoking in most pets. Dr. Karin Sullivan, medical director for the Arizona Animal Welfare League, has a tip. “Place the carrier, with some blankets inside, in their environment at home for about a week before your trip,” she advises. “If your pet gets accustomed to the carrier, they will be less anxious on the day of travel.” Also, right before you leave, trim your pal’s nails so they don’t get caught in the carrier, and ensure they’re properly groomed so they don’t overheat, adds Pilossoph.
Finally, to help your pet remain as calm as possible during the trip, you may want to talk with your vet about whether an anti-anxiety medication might be a good idea. “It’s ideal to experiment with these medications at home before you travel to have an idea of how your pet will be affected. They don’t all respond the same,” advises Mark D. Freeman, assistant professor, community practice at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Also, be sure to pack your pet’s rabies vaccine certificate, he adds.
As you can tell, it’s extremely important to plan ahead. “What’s most important is that the owner doesn’t take this lightly,” Smith says. “Traveling with a pet, you are traveling with an animal, and it’s not going to be easy for them or for you.”
With that in mind, we’ve zeroed in on 25 products — some recommended right from the vets we talked to — that can help make flying with pets as easy as possible.
“Here’s a good example of a carrier that could be used for a small dog or a cat,” notes Erin Askeland,
Camp Bow Wow’s animal health and behavior consultant. It fits cats and dogs up to 15 pounds and “has multiple mesh windows for breathability, and a sturdy base for support when lifted.”
“Carriers should be well ventilated, sturdy and easy to hold,” notes Askeland. This Roverlund model is for pets up to 20 pounds and has a flexible rear frame that can compress to conform to seat requirements on most smaller aircraft. It also has storage pockets and a removable fleece-lined bed.
“I usually recommend a soft carrier as the most appropriate if your pet will be in the cabin with you, as the areas you’re trying to fit it into aren’t always going to be boxy,” notes Pilossoph. If you’re wondering how to travel with a cat, this carrier is perfect for cats up to 16 pounds and checks all the boxes without being boxy: mesh windows for ventilation, locking zippers, two entry options and a vacation budget-friendly price.
“I also recommend considering an airline-approved backpack carrier,” says Pilossoph. If the idea of toting a kitty or your Chihuahua on your back is appealing, you might consider this airline- and
TSA-approved option. It holds cats or dogs up to 25 pounds and has a waterproof bottom (whew), and a tether inside to latch onto your pet’s harness to keep them extra secure.
If you’re wondering how to travel with a dog in the cargo hold, a super-sturdy, hard-sided crate will be required. This solid model is for dogs up to 50 pounds and is made of steel, aluminum and reinforced plastic and has three doors. A carrier that opens several different ways will be easiest to access while traveling, says Sullivan. This one also has two really convenient features: a bottom tray that pulls out for cleaning and a handle-wheel design that lets you pull it behind you with ease.
“Many pets exhibit anxiety in the car that is actually nausea from motion sickness disguised," explains Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM. "Motion sickness can manifest as restless behavior, panting, drooling and sometimes vomiting. If your pet is anxious in the car, try giving them some anti-motion sickness medication (Cerenia, available from your vet) to see if that reduces the anxiety." If medication isn't an option for your four-legged friend, consider a towel to help your pet. "If your pet travels in a crate in the car on a car seat, use a towel to prop up the crate so that the surface is level," says Wooten. "That way the pet isn’t traveling on a lopsided surface that can be stressful."
"Consider how long the flight is and how your pet's bathroom behaviors are," Smith says. In addition to making sure your pet uses the bathroom before the trip, consult with your vet to see if they're healthy enough to fast before a flight. "In the carrier, you can consider lining [it] with incontinence pads, or 'wee wee pads,' to make sure if they do go, it's not going to make a mess."
“You’ll be asked to remove your cat from the carrier and carry him through security,” observes Sullivan. “It’s wise to have your cat in a harness with a leash attached so that they can’t slip away from your arms and become lost in the airport.” Believe it or not, cats have disappeared into the bowels of airports, sometimes not found for days, in just that way. Made of cooling mesh, this harness has a buckle that is double fixed to make it incredibly difficult for a feline to escape.
Dogs should be in well-fitted collars with an ID tag, insists Askeland. This one not only looks great but will last forever. It’s stain-resistant and cut in a special way so that it won’t fray. Plus, it’s pull tested to 800 pounds and has a heavy-duty steel D-ring to hold an ID tag. The Daydream print is shown, but there are many other designs available. You can also get a
coordinating leash.
If you’re traveling with a big buddy like a retriever or husky, a kennel outfitted for cargo holds is a must. This top-flight model is made for dogs up to 90 pounds and meets the requirements of most airlines, featuring a raised floor for your dog’s comfort and special holes for crew to secure the tie-down straps.
“I would suggest keeping pets in a crate or buckled up while in the car," says Dr. Megan Conrad, BVMS. "This keeps your pet safe in the case of an accident or even just a hard stop." Conrad adds that it may also make them feel less anxious and more secure. And if you go the route of crating your pet, Conrad recommends a cover to help further reduce anxiety. "If you choose to crate your pet, keep the crate covered on three sides to help with carsickness.”
By and large, cats freak out when being pushed headfirst into a carrier. This one, built for cats up to 25 pounds, has a smart design where the whole side opens up, which your feline will surely feel much more comfortable with. It includes a machine-washable and dryable bed insert and folds for easy storage.
Conrad suggests layering the area under your pet's crate. First, use a trash bag or tarp, then place towels and finally place the crate on that — and don't forget to place a blanket in the crate. “This helps if your pet has an accident or gets sick and is much easier to clean up,” she explains. “You’ll want to keep trash bags and cleaner handy too.”
You know how chewing gum helps you
when your ears pop on planes? “Bring a good chew toy for a distraction, and for during takeoff and landing especially,” says Askeland. “Dogs’ ears may have trouble adjusting just like ours.” These have a special chew-resistant lining and reinforced seams. These are actually designed to meet the same safety standards as children’s toys. We show the Fat Rooster, but
Skinny Rooster,
Elephant and
Flying Pig are also available.
If offering your pet an anti-anxiety medication doesn’t seem like the ideal option to your vet or to you, Askeland suggests considering a calming shirt. Available in versions for dogs and cats, they’re essentially little jackets that apply gentle, continuous pressure, which is calming. This one from the AKC is made of a comfy stretch fabric that resists fur sticking to it. It also comes in blue and gray.
This patented design applies gentle, constant pressure to calm the most skittish of kitties. (It gets its name from the abject terror virtually all cats experience during thunderstorms.) The fabric will stay snug despite being soft and machine-washable. That goes for
the doggie version too.
Pheromone sprays can be helpful in naturally limiting anxiety in cats, says Sullivan. “This is the product I typically recommend,” says Sullivan. Cats rub their face against things when they feel relaxed and in control of their environment. This mimics the natural pheromones cats use to mark their territory in that way.
Freeman urges pet parents to travel with something obvious yet so easily forgotten: “plastic trash bags in case of an unexpected elimination.” Even perfectly trained pups and cats can have accidents when stressed. These bags are more than up to the job; they’re liquid- and puncture-resistant, and come in different sizes.
You can purchase disposable boxes for your cat to use while you're on the go, but they might not always be the best option. According to Wooten, they are often biodegradable and may leak while on the road. Instead, she recommends collapsible, portable boxes. “If your cat urinates often or has a strong urine odor, consider lining the box with plastic or putting a plastic liner down under the box to avoid soiling the floorboard or floors of the hotel,” she adds.
While it’s best to restrict food and treats while flying to avoid an upset stomach, you should offer occasional sips of water, says Askeland. This clever, spillproof water server stands when full and rolls up compactly when empty.
If you haven’t already, Conrad suggests working on the “wait” command with your dog so they don’t jump out of the vehicle when you open the door. She also suggests keeping a collar and tags on your pet at all times. “Having your pet microchipped is highly recommended as well — and if you have a pet that likes to escape, consider using a GPS tracker on their collar,” she adds.
Your seat mates will appreciate that your dog is wearing a silicone tag rather than the usual metal: no jingling all the way there. These can be personalized with 12 characters on the front and 16 on the back, and with lots of colors and designs.
If you travel with your pet by boat, Dr. Alex Schechter suggests ensuring that your pet wears a life jacket at all times if the water is rocky or your pet is nervous. “You’ll also want to ensure to call the marina park ahead of your travel to check if they have a pet-friendly ramp,” he adds.
A fleece blankie is a must to comfort a pet and keep them cozy in cool aircraft temperatures, says Askeland. Each of these soft blankets — you get a set of six in different colorful prints — is just the right size and heft to slip into a carrier without taking up too much space.
“Make sure your pet has its own bags for toys and treats,” suggests Schechter. “You’ll also want to be prepared for questions and attention — both positive and negative. It's a rare day when someone doesn't stop to ask about your cat or dog at security!”
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you’ll want to continue to monitor your pet and their behavior, Smith says. Will they need help adjusting to their new environment? Have you ensured that your accommodation is pet friendly?
“People have so much planning beforehand to get their dog to the destination only to realize that they didn’t necessarily have everything set up on the other side,” Smith says. “If you’re going on vacation, make sure you are going to places that are dog-friendly… you’re at a pet-friendly hotel and that you can bring your dog to locations throughout the new city.”
Overall, traveling with your pet can be stressful — but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Smith recommends reaching out to your vet or a service like BondVet as soon as you know you want to travel with your pet to get started on any required paperwork and health checks. Being well prepared and giving yourself plenty of time will help ensure your — and your pet’s — journey is a smooth one.