For some people, your pets are your world and yes I am one of those people. So if you’re think I want to travel with my pet and take them everywhere!!! Well you can, but today we are going to talk about pet safety with traveling.
We don’t always think about the things that can go wrong when traveling with pets but the truth is a lot can and you have to take precautions to ensure your pets safety when they’re out of the house.
Cruising with Pets
I have looked into cruising with your pet however, other than the Queen Mary 2 which is a Trans-Atlantic crossing from New York to Southhampton in England no other cruise line really welcomes pets unless they are a service animal. The Queen Mary 2 is useful for people heading to Europe or from Europe to the USA with their dog or cat but who don’t want to fly with then and risk them being in cargo (if they are too large to fit in the cabin). This does mean the kennels sell out the fastest on the crossings with about a year of advance bookings. (Although a wait list does operate and sometimes last minute spaces become available. Onboard the Queen Mary 2 are 24 kennels, accomodating both dogs and cats. Small kennels are $800 USD for the seven-night crossing, while large kennels are $1000 USD. Cats need to reserve two kennels, one for general use and one for their litter box.
Driving with Pets
We as pet parents tend to think of the car as the safer route when traveling with a pet however what we do tend to forget is that pets tend to be loose in the car, what then happens in the event of a car accident? Click it or Ticket should apply to your pets as well people! There are many great seatbelts for pets on the market however personally I use Sleepypod ClickIt Sport Crash-Tested Car Safety Dog Harness it’s measured to fit your pet and crash tested to keep them safe.
Flying with Pets
Flying with my dog or cat is a scary thought because we have heard horror stories! However there are some airlines that also care about the safety of your pet so check the rules and regulations of the airline you are looking at because you may be pleasantly surprised. They might require your pet stay in their carry case but my biggest worry is my dog or cat being anywhere but with me in the cabin. I can honestly say if I plan for my pet to be in cabin and am told they have to be stowed away elsewhere I would probably walk off the flight, call me dramatic but it’s true. So I have listed the airlines that we know allow them in cabin unfortunately this is normally for smaller pets so if you’re planning a trip with a bigger dog you might have to explore other options.
- Air Canada
- Types of pets allowed: Cats and dogs small enough to fit and stay comfortably in their carrier under the seat in front of you (meaning they must be able to stand up and turn around)
- Maximum weight: 22 pounds including carrier
- Cost: $50 – $59 or $100 plus taxes each way, depending on destination
- International?: Yes
2. Air France
- Types of pet allowed: Small dogs and cats
- Maximum weight: 17 pounds including transport bag (guide dogs are authorized regardless of their weight); as of November 2017, crates are no longer allowed in the cabin, no matter their dimension
- Cost: If departing from the U.S. $153.56
- International?: Yes, but note that this airline does not accept pets in the business cabin on intercontinental flights. The pet must travel in the hold.
3. American Airlines
- Types of pets allowed: Cats and dogs over 8 weeks of age who are able to sit in a kennel under the seat in front of you for the entire flight
- Maximum weight: 20 pounds including carrier
- Cost: $125 each way
- International?: Yes, but no in-cabin pets on transatlantic flights or flights longer than 12 hours
4. Delta
- Types of pets allowed: Dogs, cats (domestic and international) and household birds (domestic U.S. only); must be 10 weeks old for domestic travel and 16 weeks for international
- Maximum weight: No limit, but pet must fit comfortably in carrier under seat
- Cost: $125 in North America and $200 international, one way
- International?: Yes
5. JetBlue
- Types of pets allowed: Small cats and dogs
- Maximum weight: 20 pounds with carrier; the carrier cannot exceed the following dimensions: 17 inches long (43.18 centimeters) x 12.5 inches wide (31.75 centimeters) x 8 inches high (21.59 centimeters)
- Cost: $100 each way
- International?: Yes
6. Southwest
- Types of pets allowed: Small cats and dogs
- Maximum weight: No limit, but must fit comfortably in carrier under seat
- Cost: $95 each way
- International?: No (with the exception of trained assistance and emotional support animals, though no animals allowed to/from Jamaica)
7. United
You hear United and you immediately think absolutely not, trust me I do too. However after drawing severe backlash for the death of a family’s dog and the airline’s cruel mishandling of animals, United announced on March 20 that, effective immediately, it was no longer going to accept new reservations for PetSafe travel (animals traveling in cargo) until May 1. This does not, however, affect animals traveling in-cabin.
- Types of pets allowed: Domesticated cats, dogs, rabbits and birds (excluding cockatoos) older than 8 weeks
- Maximum weight: No limit, but must fit comfortably in carrier under seat
- Cost: $125 each way with an additional $125 service charge for each stopover of more than four hours within the U.S. or more than 24 hours outside the U.S.
- International?: Rules for international in-cabin pets vary — contact the United Customer-Contact Center for info on specific flights; pets are not permitted on flights to, from or through Australia, Hawaii or Micronesia
8. Alaska Air
- Types of pets allowed: Cats and dogs (at least 8 weeks old and weaned), household birds and domesticated rabbits
- Maximum weight: 20 pounds including carrier
- Cost: $100 each way
- International?: Yes, to and from Mexico with the proper documentation from your vet.