4 Questions to Ask Before Taking Your Pet On Vacation

You love your pet, and you want to take them everywhere with you. So, when it’s time for a vacation, you want to see if your pet can come along. The thought of leaving them behind breaks your heart, not to mention how expensive it can be if you need to pay to leave them in a kennel or get someone to look after them. 

Still, you aren’t sure if you can take your furry friend with you. In fact, it’s a good idea to ask these four questions before making a decision as it will avoid instances when you may put your pet in danger!

 

Is it safe?

Is it safe for your pet to come with you? Generally, the main issue here is traveling with your pet. If you are flying, can you ensure your pet will be safe during the flight? Small dogs and cats can fly with you in the cabin, so this is completely safe as you’re able to watch over them.

Unfortunately, bigger dogs might need to be confined to the cargo area in a protective carrier. The same can be said for cats, depending on what the airline allows. If this is the case and the flight is long, it’s not too safe for a pet to be in the cargo. They should be okay, but it can be a terrifying experience for them. Most of the time, it’s best to take your pet on short trips!

 

Is it suitable?

Traveling somewhere with your pet can be safe, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s suitable. Can you find a hotel that lets you bring your pet with you? These days, you can find a decent number of hotels allowing dogs and cats, but many still don’t. 

If you’re traveling to a city that doesn’t have any pet-friendly hotels, where are you going to stay? The trip itself might be safe, but you can’t find somewhere for you and your pet to settle down while you’re on vacation. In which case, it’s not going to be a good idea to bring your dog or cat along with you. You’ll have to leave them at home or plan a different trip to a more suitable location. 

 

How much will it cost?

Figure out how much extra it will cost to take your pet on holiday with you. Believe it or not, there are plenty of extra things to pay for when your little friend comes along for the ride. To start, you need to pay for the vet bills to get them a health certificate and pet passport. Then, you have the administration fee for bringing them with you on the plane – if you travel by plane. You’ve also got to take into account the cost of buying them food while you’re away, as well as the costs of staying in a pet-friendly hotel. It may cost more to book a hotel that allows dogs/cats, meaning your entire trip is more expensive. 

Compare this to the cost of keeping them at home. You might figure out that it’s actually way more affordable to leave them with a friend or dog sitter. 

 

How long are you going away?

It may sound counterintuitive, but the longer your vacation is, the less suitable it is for a pet. Keeping your pet out of their home environment for too long can be hard on them. They won’t be able to do what they usually do, they find the new place strange, and it can also be very expensive to keep providing for them while you’re on holiday. 

Instead, it is probably better to bring dogs on short holidays. If you’re away for a few days, your dog can come with you if it’s suitable. Otherwise, it’s better for their health and wellbeing to stay with family/friends or get someone to look after them. 

Realistically, there is no right or wrong answer when asked whether or not you should take your pet on vacation. What we will say is that dogs are way better suited to travel than cats. It’s not a good idea to bring a cat on holiday as they won’t like the experience and are likely to just wander off and get lost. With a dog, you at least have more obedience and can take them on walks, etc. Still, the best way to decide if you want to take your pet with you is by asking the questions above. They’ll help you figure out if this is a good decision or something you should avoid.