5 Tips for Traveling with Your Pet in the Summer 

Planning on taking your pet with you for your summer vacation this year?
That’s a great idea – your pet will no doubt have a fantastic time!
However, in order to keep your pet healthy, happy and comfortable during the heat of the season, here are five summer travel tips to keep in mind.

 

1. Avoid Cargo Travel

Need to take your pet on a plane?
If so, try to ensure that your pet is able to remain in the cabin with you.
Why?
Because the cargo hold of a plane can be unbearably hot for a pet in the summer months.
Some airlines do have summer embargoes in place. This basically means that they limit pet travel in cargo during the summer, due to the heat. However, the weather is constantly changing. Even with a restricted schedule, cargo hold can be quite dangerous for some pets in the summer, so this is something to avoid at all costs if possible.

 

2. Choose a Well-Ventilated Crate or Carrier

If your pet needs to travel in a crate or a carrier, you need to make sure that this is well-ventilated.
Yes, this is important in the winter months too, but even more so in the heat of the summer.
You may be best off opting for a size larger than what you would usually go for, as this will help to encourage airflow in the crate or carrier.

3. Keep Your Pet Hydrated

 

This can be a tricky one in the summertime…
Your pet is much more susceptible to dehydration because of the heat. However, you do also need to be careful about how much water you give to your pet while traveling, especially if your pet is going to have to wait for a while before his next toilet break.
Of course, the priority is keeping your pet hydrated, even if this means that you will have to go out of your way to schedule in more toilet breaks.
One tip to help with this is to freeze your pet’s water before you travel. This will help to keep your pet cooled down, while still limiting water consumption.

 

4. Don’t Over-Groom Your Pet

It may be tempting to clip your pet short before traveling in the summer. After all, won’t all of that hair just make your pet feel hotter?
No, not necessarily.
For the majority of animals, their coat acts as a cooling system, helping to expel heat from the body. Cutting this away can actually cause your pet to overheat more quickly.

 

5. Don’t Leave Your Pet Alone in a Hot Car

If you are taking your pet on a road trip, you may be tempted to leave your pet in the car for short periods of time.
This is a definite no in the summer months.
What if you leave the windows down and keep your pet restrained so he can’t jump out?
The temperature in your car can still reach 120 degrees in just a few minutes, even with your windows down. This can cause a number of health problems to arise in your pet, and could even be fatal. Plus, you don’t want to attract thieves either.
Summer travel with a pet does require more planning and organization. However, once you have all of that taken care of, you and your pet will be free to thoroughly enjoy your summer vacation together.