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Driving with your pet

If you’ve driving to your new home, you might decide to bring your pet along. Here are a few tips:

• Visit a vet first, and ensure your pet is in good health. Ask about vaccination for Lyme Disease, if your dog is not already vaccinated for Lyme.
• Ensure you make plenty of stops to allow your pet time out of the carrier or kennel (safely leashed of course).
• Ensure your pet is microchipped and wearing a collar with your current contact information. Sadly, many beloved dogs and cats have escaped their owners at busy rest stops, and not had current contact information on their tag or microchip.
• Check to ensure the accommodation you’ve booked really is pet-friendly, and bring your own water and food dishes. Pre-booking your accommodation will ensure you can find a pet-friendly place to stay.

Flying with your pet

Are you looking to bring your pet with you on your flight? Small animals under a certain weight limit can fly in the cabin with you. Typically this is a small animal in a soft-sided carrier, under 10lbs. Larger pets will have to fly in the baggage compartment in an airline-approved kennel or carrier, which should be lined with training pads.

You’ll need to call the airline to register your travelling pet and pay the additional fee, which varies by airline. Because not all aircraft are equipped with temperature-controlled and ventilated baggage compartments, animals can only fly cargo at certain times of the year.

It’s recommended that you book a vet visit in advance of your travel and ask your vet for specific travel recommendations. They can tell you when to limit food or water prior to the trip and may provide you with an animal sedative and any necessary paperwork.

Some airlines will have specific rules. For example, Air Canada will not permit your pet to travel with you in the cabin if you are seated in an exit or bulkhead row, require the use of a medical device that needs to be stowed underneath the seat, or are travelling in their Premium Economy cabin.

Shipping your pet

Airlines like WestJet and Air Canada offer a cargo option if your pet is flying, but you’re not. When we moved here from Alberta, we drove across the country over 10 days. A family member cared for our cat Lucy, and we arranged for Lucy to travel by WestJet’s cargo service once we had arrived and settled in. While we made the arrangements ourselves, there are pet transport companies that will handle all travel arrangements and documentation, veterinary arrangements and transportation, approved carriers, pet boarding near the airport, etc.

Certain short/snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds of cats and dogs cannot travel in the baggage compartment because they are susceptible to increased risks of heatstroke and breathing problems when exposed to extreme heat or stressful situations. Certain dog breeds classified as strong dogs by the airline must be transported in a special reinforced container or crate when travelling in the baggage compartment. If you have a pet with special needs, you may be asked to book your pet’s travel through the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association.

Safe travels!