A worry-free and stress-free holiday out in the countryside with quadrupeds

Do you want a holiday outside the countryside with a quadruped? A little more complicated but not impossible. Of course it is preferable to travel by your own car, but sometimes, due to long distances, it is necessary to travel by plane.

As I said in the previous article, there are several steps to follow: On holiday with your quadruped

To leave the country with your pet, you need to take several factors into consideration.

In addition to the usual baggage that you bring with you regardless of where you choose to go on holiday, you need to make sure of several aspects:

– obviously, wherever you choose to go on holiday, you need to make sure that the hotel you book is pet-friendly. Even if this is specified on their site, it is good to have their confirmation via email to avoid any surprises

– check if in the destination country you want to arrive in, the laws of the country do not provide for the quarantine of pets for a certain period of time or if some dog breeds are not prohibited in that country.

– the animal must be microchipped

– the rabies vaccine is mandatory. This must be done more than 21 days and less than 1 year before the departure date.

– the age of the animal you are traveling with must be greater than 3 months because, as I was saying, the anti-rabies vaccine is mandatory and is only administered after 3 months of age

– the dog’s health card

– your passport

– the medical examination at the end of which the veterinarian will affix a visa to the passport certifying that the quadruped is clinically healthy and suitable for transport or entry into another country. This visa is only valid for 24 hours, so be sure to visit the vet the day before departure

– internal and external deworming. This must appear on the health card.

– if you choose to travel with more than 5 pets, you must demonstrate that these animals are participating in a competition, exhibition, sporting event and that they are more than 6 months old. In this case it is a good idea to find out in detail from the airline you will be traveling with.

Each airline has its own rules regarding the transportation of pets. On airplanes, some airlines allow pets into the cabin only if they are small and can be kept in transport cages of a certain size. If the company you are traveling with does not allow your pet to be transported except in the hold, you will need to request more details. Airlines, even for transport in the hold, require that the cage in which the quadruped is placed falls within a certain category (IATA), size/material, and has a certain lock.

It is also expected that the dimensions of the cage allow the animal to be able to stand and lie down.

Furthermore, the bottom of the box must be solid and not allow liquids to escape, as well as being equipped with food and water containers accessible from the outside to be filled. It is necessary to ask absolutely all the details so as not to start the vacation with the return from the road.

It is preferable if the weather is very hot to choose races as early as possible in the morning or during the night. When boarding, inform the flight attendants that you have a pet in the hold. It’s important. Preferably if it is possible to book direct non-stop flights. This way you avoid the risk of unexpected situations and reduce your dog’s stress on moving.

It is not recommended to give tranquilizers or sedatives to the dog transported by plane. These may rather increase his anxiety than relieve it. Consult a vet if you really want to sedate the quadruped during transport. We recommend a dietary supplement to calm stress and anxiety in dogs.

Attention, many airlines do not accept in any way the transport of dogs that are part of brachycephalic breeds (Pug, Boston Terrier, Pekingese, Boxer, Bulldog, Shih Tzu, etc.)
Going on holiday with your furry friend outside the country may seem more complicated, but if you inform yourself very well about the rules in force at the airline you want to travel with and respect them scrupulously, success is guaranteed. Happy holidays everyone!