PETS: prepare your animal and pack their essentials during this holiday

By Ketsia Makola

It’s holiday time, which means your furry friend gets to travel with you or stay behind in pet-friendly accommodation. Whatever you choose, it is important to prepare your animal and pack their essentials, says Munnik Marais, CEO of Southern African Animal Cancer Association (SAACA).

Important points to consider if you take your pets with you on holiday this summer include:

• Make sure your dog has been trained and is sociable.
• If you travel by car, plan your route for stopovers. Have water in the car as well as pet treats. Stop regularly so your pet can drink water and have a wee.
• If you are travelling by air, make sure you know all the regulations about pets travelling with you on a plane. Again, make sure your pet is not a nuisance to the other passengers.
• Always take your pet’s own bedding and blankets with them as they will be calmer if they have something familiar with them. Also, take their favourite toys.
• Do not forget their leash.
• If you are travelling overseas, ensure your pet has had all the necessary vaccinations in plenty of time before the trip.
• Bath your dog at least three days before travelling and remember to take your dog’s own brush along.
• To ensure your pet is relaxed during the trip, EcoVet’s EcoStress, given two to three times a day while you are away will make sure they are stress-free.

Considerations if you leave your pet at home or place them in a pet hotel

If you decide to leave your pet at home while you go away, it’s important to use a trustworthy pet sitter or pet-friendly accommodation.

You can find reliable pet sitters through Ultimate Pet Care (UPC) care, or you can contact SAACA.

Preparing your pet to go to pet-friendly accommodation is important. You can help by going with them to the kennel or pet hotel and making sure they have all the usual comforts.

Don’t just drop your pet at the hotel and leave;  spend some time with them at the hotel or kennel before you go.

Take their blankets and toys to the pet hotel.

Helping your pet survive fireworks stress

New Year’s Eve means a lot of fireworks being set off. A good way to help your pets get through the noise and stress is to use something like EcoStress. Keep them inside with you and play music to distract from the fireworks.