Pet Travel Scheme

Crates

Organise the car so there's plenty of space for your dog or cat.  Don't expect your pets to just fit in somewhere.  A cat will obviously have a cat carrier and a crate is a good idea for a dog.  Dogs enjoy the security of having their own area and a crate makes your pet a lot easier to manage in hotels.

Some chew toys are a good way of keeping your dog occupied.

Sedation

If your pet isn't a good traveller don't sedate him; most dogs and cats struggle against it, many  overcome sedation and are left even more stressed; either accustom your pets to travel or leave them safely at home.  A few drops of Bach's Rescue Remedy are an effective non-sedating relaxant  - either straight onto the tongue or in water.

Feliway is effective at reducing stress in some cats - your vet will have some.

Food and Water

Take bowls and enough food and water for the journey; try and take food for the holiday as well - digestive upsets result from both stress and change of diet.  Unpalatable water is also a problem.  For a holiday it makes sense to accustom your dog or cat to a bottled water that you can either take with  you or buy when on holiday.

Splash-proof travel bowls are useful for the car, letting your dog drink whenever he wants.  For a cat, many cat carriers have clip-on water bowls.

Even if your pets don't usually wear collars, keep one on all the time with identity tags with your home and holiday addresses plus mobile number, as well as your pet's microchip tags.  Until they are confident about their surroundings at your destination, keep your pets on a lead.

Staying Cool

You may be going somewhere hotter than your pets are accustomed to, so bear in mind the heat within your pet's area of the car.  Heat reflective screens for car windows can be obtained from many High Street stores, and if your car doesn't have air-conditioning a wet towel draped over the part of his crate closest to a window will have a cooling effect.

Never leave your pet alone in the car in hot weather.  Dogs can't sweat to cool themselves, their only cooling mechanism is through panting, and they can become dangerously overheated very quickly.

If he does get overheated a soaked towel draped over him helps, as does a bandana soaked in cold water round his neck, though a bandana should never be left on an unattended dog because of the choking risk.  Putting a cotton t-shirt on a dog and keeping it damp by spraying with water is a good way of keeping him cool in exceptinal heat.

Exercise

Don't set ambitious targets for reaching your destination.  You will need to stop regularly to exercise your dog - and don't forget to clean up after him.

Sea Crossings

Your pets will almost certainly have to stay in the car for the crossing, so make sure your dog has been exercised before embarkation. 

Air Travel

Travel must be in an IATA approved crate and the crate must be of a size that your pet can stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably.  It must also have a fixed water bowl that can be filled without opening the crate.

Toys are not allowed because of the risk of choking, and collars have to be removed before flying. No food is given during the flight and it is advisable, for your pet's comfort, to give him just a light feed the day before flying.

Your pet can travel from the UK from any airport providing the airline is prepared to accept him, but must enter the UK by and Authorised Route and with an Approved Carrier.

Fitness to Fly

Your pet must have a Fitness to Fly Certificate issued by your vet; they remain valid for 10 days after issue, though some airlines require the certificate to be more recent, so check with the airline for their requirements.

Cargo or Excess Baggage

If the airline will classify your pet as excess baggage it is generally a great deal cheaper than flying as cargo.  It is not an option flying into the UK, your pet must be transported as cargo.  Animals are transported in a section of the hold that is pressurised, heated and dark to minimise stress.  Sedated animals are not allowed to fly as it can lead to dangerously low blood pressure in aircraft conditions.