7 tips for the perfect road trip with your pet
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Are you dreaming of a relaxing
weekend escape with your cat or a beach holiday with your dog? Then you are certainly
not the first one, because 13.7 million cats and 9.2 million dogs are an
integral part of german households.
Here are 7 tips on how your
dream road trip with your beloved pet becomes reality.
1. Before planning: Animal welfare first
But before you get into a holiday feeling and start planning, you'll have
to slow down for a while. Because, of course, animal welfare takes precedence.
That's why you should first think whether your pet can travel. To assess this,
you can orient yourself to the following questions:
What is your pet's attachment to you?
A strong bond with the owner reduces stress for your pet. If it trusts
you, it will be easier to overcome stressful situations while travelling.
Have you ever travelled together by car?
Before you spend a lot of money on a Mercedes E class without knowing how
your dog will react, you should have gone at least for a short spin in advance.
The reaction varies from animal to animal, not every dog likes to travel, and
there are cats that are used to it from an early age.
How does it handle frequent changes of locations and sleeping places?
Frequent changes of location and new daily routines require a certain
conversion, both for humans and for animals. How well your four-legged friend
can cope with changes, you have to know the best. In this article, you'll find
important tips on how to reduce stress for everyone involved.
For dogs, how well is it educated?
If your dog does not listen to you at home, that will not change on
vacation.
If you can answer all these questions positively, the planning can start
now. And if not, then you should look after an animal care as soon as possible
(hotline of the Animal Protection Association for holidaymakers with pets,
which helps with the search: 0228/604 96 27) and plan your next road trip with this post.
2. Choose an ideal destination
Whether hiking to the Allgäu or rather swimming at the Côte d'Azur. There
are countless resorts, but not all will be possible, if your pet accompanies
you. You should pay attention to these two factors when choosing your holiday
destination.
The distance
If you want to make a road trip along the legendary Route 66, you should
think twice. Long-haul flights are extremely stressful for pets. No wonder: no
one wants to spend 12 hours in a tiny box in the cargo hold. For short-haul
flights, the same question arises as when driving a car: How will your pet
react? If it is already very stressed during driving, it will probably not be
relaxed during flying. Large crowds, loud noises and much more are inevitable
at the airport and are an additional stress factor. Therefore, we generally
advise against flying and recommend alternative means of transport instead. If,
nevertheless, a flight is inevitable, you will find an overview of the
animal friendliness of different airlines on this site.
The local temperature
Taking a husky in midsummer to the sticky, hot Turkish Riviera is not
advisable. So that the holiday won`t become an agony, you have two options. Either
avoid the heat completely by driving to a region with mild temperatures. Or you
travel in the heat, but you accept that you have to orientate the entire daily
routine strictly to the hours of sunshine. This means avoiding the blazing
midday sun, finding an air-conditioned accommodation and car, and taking plenty
of water and sun creme.
3. Check formal requirements
Now that you know where to go, unfortunately you have to deal with the
boring part of planning: the legal regulations. But don`t worry, we have
selected the most important information and links for you.
Travel throughout the EU
In the best case, you can fulfill the regulations throughout the EU in
the following three steps.
Pet passport
The issuing of a pet passport is a must. The good thing is that every
veterinarian can issue this. The cost of the passport depends on the fees for
veterinarians. The current fees can be found on this site.
Anti-rabies inoculation
But to get the pet passport, an anti-rabies inoculation is necessary.
Microchip
Finally, the implantation of a microchip is required, which is again the
task of the veterinarian. Then your pet gets a chip number, which is entered in
the pet passport. In an emergency, then it can be identified.
Further details and regulations can be found on this website of the
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Special country regulations
Watch out: You should pay attention to the following countries:
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain / Ireland / Malta,
Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Cyprus.
The different regulations can be found on this website of the German Animal
Welfare Association.
Do you still have countless other questions? Then call the holiday advice
hotline, which the German Animal Welfare Association provides: 0228-60496-27.
Travel outside the EU
When travelling outside the EU, we recommend that you contact the embassy
of your destination country for complete information.
4. The perfect rental car
Anyone who thinks you cannot
get a rental car with a pet is wrong. Large car rental companies like Sixt long
ago have been promoting this service. More important is the question of which
car model is best for your adventure. The motto "less is
more" does not apply here. Because more space for your four-legged friend
means more comfort. Therefore, spacious cars such as estate cars, SUVs and
compact vans with an air conditioner are particularly good. Also conceivable is the transport
in a trailer, especially if you take several animals with you. You should look
for a rental car with a coupling device.
Pay attention to safety and
cleanliness
You are responsible for the
traffic safety of the vehicle, including your pet of course. In the trade you will find
various products to secure your four-legged friend. In all cases, it makes
sense to take its blanket with you, because on the one hand your pet feels
better and on the other hand you keep the car clean. For cats and large dogs, the
transport box is the only solution, while it represents another transport
option for small dogs. They are available in different sizes starting from just
8 € in every pet shop. We recommend owners of small
dogs the purchase of an animal security seat. With prices between 190 and 200
€, this alternative cannot compete with a transport box pricewise.
Nevertheless, the acquisition is worth it, as it offers the best protection in
case of an accident, which has been checked by DEKRA. Additional protection can
also be provided by an Isofix anchorage.
Note: We strongly discourage the
use of dog safety belts because they do not protect the animal in the event of
a serious accident.
Important tips for driving
Always park the car in the
shade and never leave your pet trapped in the car for long. If you do, make
sure it gets fresh air and watch how long you're gone. It is best to take your
dog with you. Because it is important that you often take breaks and provide a
lot of exercise. In case of cats, the whole thing can be a little different. We
recommend taking cats on shorter, more relaxed road trips, so fewer stops with
a shorter distance, e.g. a weekend trip.
5. Your dream accommodation
Finding accommodation with a
dog or cat is no longer a problem. There are several hotels where pets are not
only tolerated, but expressly desired. On the Internet you will quickly make a
find. In addition, you will find countless additional services from garden
connection to pet care. Camping is a bit more difficult. With cats even a
matter of impossibility. With your dog, you should only dare camping as a
seasoned camper and a safe plan.
6. Check liability insurance
Unfortunately your cat has
scratched the entire car or your dog has caused an accident? This can be
expensive, because you are liable for any damage caused by your four-legged
friend. For dogs, there is a dog liability insurance, which is even required by
law in some German states. It costs only a few Euros a month. There is no
special liability insurance for cats. That's why you should check your personal
liability insurance. If your cat is not insured, have the contract extended. In both cases, according to
experts, the insurance should cover a sum of at least five million Euros.
7. Don`t forget the essentials
Now everything is packed and
booked, but one question remains unanswered: What happens if your pet gets sick
on holiday far away from your well-known veterinarian? Take advantage of the
digital age with the free app VetFinder (IOS / ANDROID) and find a veterinarian in your area
also abroad. Even offline you will be provided with addresses and office hours
of the veterinarians. There are many more extras, such as a dog beach finder.
Have you ever made a road trip with your pet? Then leave a comment and tell us about your experiences. We`ll be glad!
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