Quick Tips For Animal Transportation

Added: 06/16/2007

Animal transportation can be an equally stressful venture for both the animal and for the owner. Whether your pet is a cat traveling in his or her crate to the vet or a performance horse going to a competition there is always a certain degree of risk involved. There are however, a few things that you can do to make the process easier and less stressful for you and your pet.

If you have show animals, pets in your home or animals that are part of your living, chances are that you will need to get them from one place to another at some point. Animal transportation is quite common but despite the fact that it happens all the time, it still manages to be a source of stress for all involved. If animal transportation is something new to you, your best bet is to get some help from a friend, professional or even a family member who has some experience with it. In most cases, it is easier to travel with your pet when you have an extra person to help you. That way, if you run into a problem while you are driving you reduce the risk of an accident as the other person can attend to your animal while you continue to drive or until you are able to safely pull your vehicle over.

The safest option for animal transportation is always to have the animal confined in a suitable travel crate. Many owners would like to have the pet travel beside them or in their lap with the thinking that this will comfort their pet. In actual fact, this is not a safe option at all. The potential scenarios you could face in this situation include:

-Your animal getting loose and running around the vehicle while moving
-The person that is holding the animal could become injured is the animal reacts on fear by biting or scratching
-The animal becomes ill in the car
-The animal manages to get loose from the car when the car has stopped

To prevent these scenarios, you are best to make sure that your pet is restrained safely in the car. Currently there are many tools on the market that can help you achieve this. There are gated devices that enclose the rear end of station wagons or SUVs, dog seat belts for the back of the car and of course a variety of crates. If you are traveling with more of the unusual pets such as a reptile, you will definitely want to speak with you vet first. Usually your best option for these pets will be a crate that is deigned for that particular species. As with small children, it is always best to transport your pets in the back seat of your car as opposed to the passenger seat due to the power of the air bags. If you did become involved in a car crash, your pet would be at risk if they were in the front seat when the air bag became deployed.

Animal transportation becomes easier the more frequently you do it. It is always best if you can remain calm during the process. Your pet is likely very sensitive and is able to pick it up when you are nervous or anxious. If your pet however, is particularly nervous when traveling you may want to have a conversation with your vet about this. There are some products available through your vet that can ease your pet’s anxiety during transport. Another great option is to bring some things from home that can comfort your pet during the ride. These items may include a stuffed toy, a chewy treat that will occupy some time or even a blanket. All in all though, the thing that will best calm your nervous pet is your attitude and approach. If you are calm and confide you will exude this to your pet and will ease the worry of traveling.

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