I’m relocating to the US and plan to take my four-year-old Inde with me. Is there any travel precaution I should take? How do I get my pet ready for the long journey? – Shipra
Hi,
Very young puppies, old and sick dogs and certain short nosed breeds are not good candidates for travel. Make sure your dog is medically fit to fly. Your dog can travel either as accompanied excess baggage where in he can be checked in as your excess baggage and he travels in the same flight as you. This is relatively an easier option. Talk to a pet-friendly airline well in advance to book your dog’s trip along with you. Another option is where he travels in the cargo as animal freight.
This option will have a longer duration of travel. Either ways the dog will have to stay in the crate for long hours. Hence, the crates used for such travels have specifications issued by the International Air Transport Association depending on the size of the dog. Make sure you purchase the crate of the right size and specification.
Crate train your dog in advance and encourage him to stay inside crate for extended periods as part of the training. Get him used to being moved around when inside the crate so that he doesn’t panic or react adversely when moved around by the airline staff during transit. You can add possible noises to get him used the commotion and noise in the airport.
Make sure he feels comfortable and safe inside the crate.
Every country will have certain mandatory requirements including micro-chipping the dog, travel health certificates from the vets, vaccinations months in advance to be given and other formalities to be done before the travel. Make sure all these pre-requisites are in place. Regularly consult with the vet for the upkeep of his health before travel.
If you are worried about him being nervous during the flight, talk to the vet on your options for calming supplements or pacifiers for the flight. All the best for your travel!