18 Things You Should Know Before Traveling with a Pet

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Traveling is a lot of fun, but it’s even more fun, to travel with your furry buddies. I have a delicious little Yorkie named Peanut and when I lived in Miami last year I got him. It was my first time having a dog and I had no idea what are all the requirements for traveling with him. A few months after getting him, I had moved back to Los Angeles. I did all the research in the world to find out, how I can get him to come along with me to all my adventures. I have since traveled with him a lot! I learned a few things along the way, that will help you not make the same mistakes as I did and help you be prepared.

traveling with a pet

While it may seem nice to bring your furry buddies with you along for the ride, there are many things to consider before doing so. There is a lot of prep before hand to insure it all goes “according to plan”. It will be pricey! But well worth it!

Here are 18 Things You Should Know Before Traveling with a Pet.

-Prepare your pet: Get your pet a purse carrier to travel in. Take him/her around with you 2 weeks before hand in it, so that they get used to it.

-Do your research 2 months in advance.

-Make sure you have all your pet’s vaccination up to date.

-It’s a lot easier to travel with a pet through domestic flights. (Less requirements)

-Pet must have micro-chip for international flights.

-Check Hotels policy for pets.

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-Make sure he/she goes to the bathroom before the flight and right after.

-Don’t forget he/she is one of your carry-on items, so take that into consideration.

-Check on Pet Travel what requirement the country you’re visiting has.

-Make sure to bring treats and food with you and something small to give him/her water in. But don’t over feed them so they won’t have to go to the bathroom on the flight.

-There are sleeping meds to give your pet through long flights, but they do have side effects and are not recommended by vets.

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-Some countries/destination require a health letter from the vets, stating that your pet is healthy and in good condition to fly.

-Some countries/destination may also require a Blood Titer Test, which takes between 6-18 weeks to get the results and is very pricey.

-Hawaii and Australia has the strictest pet policy in the world!

-If your pet is less than 15lbs you can bring them with you on the plane.

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-Some countries don’t allow certain breeds to enter.

-You will have to pay for his/her ticket, which will cost you $100-$125 each way (unless he is a service animal)

-Lastly, you may very well have all the requirements done and still might not be able to bring your pet. Some countries have the right to reject your pet from entering their country, for whatever reason it may be.

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14 Responses to 18 Things You Should Know Before Traveling with a Pet

    • Thank you! Yes its def something to consider because it’s a lot of time and money but again worth it! Thanks for stopping by

    • Yes! That is very true! Although there are A LOT of preps for international flights. I spent over the summer about $1000 and many hours to get my puppy to come with me to Israel and after everything I did, 2 days before my flight I found out he wasn’t qualified 🙁 it was sad and very stressful to find a last minute arrangement for him. Thanks for stopping by 😉

    • WOW! She is kinda big, in compare to my dog who is only 5lbs! But if you’re going for a month or longer, it’s nice to have them with you. 😉

  1. I had a friend who traveled a lot with her small dog and it seemed like it was always expensive and always risky. Thanks for the tips in case I am ever in need.

    • It does get pricey for sure! If I was only going for a couple of days, I wouldn’t recommend it. But if it’s for a month or longer its a different story. Thanks for stopping by! 😉

  2. I have two under 12 pounds and I would love to take them with me one of these days on a trip to see grandma. It’s a lot of work carrying your bags and having your dog with you as carry-on. I worry about the stress it puts on the dogs, so I haven’t done it yet. My oldest one loves to go in her bag and be carried around the house.

    • It is! But if you’re going for a long time, it’s worth it and will save you the worry of not having them with you and the money. To be honest my dog was pretty great. He didn’t freak out his first flight at all. He slept through most of it and was very chill and relaxed.

  3. This is great information! We’ve been surprised to meet so many people in Europe who have brought their furry family from places far away…it’s so nice to see the pets everywhere, especially since we’re currently traveling pet-less! 🙂 Thanks for the tips!

  4. You say to plan 2 months in advance, but of course this depends on where you’re going. Some countries require 6+ months between the required injections and being allowed to travel. If your dog isn’t rabies-vaccinated for example, and you’re visiting Australia, you’ll need at least 180 days of waiting time (source: http://www.pbspettravel.co.uk/pets-australia/). I’d start by checking my destination so I know how much time I need and work back from there in terms of planning.

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