All Travel Talk

Generally, travelers opt to leave pets at home. This isn’t because the family dog isn’t loved or wanted, but because traveling with pets can be difficult, not to mention stressful for both the pet and its owner. Sometimes, though, there’s no getting around it and the animal has to be taken on a trip. If you have to take your pet with you on vacation, here are a few tips to ensure that the strip is successful and as stress free as possible.

Make an advanced booking.

Before assuming your hotel will accept your pet with open arms, it’s a good idea to phone and confirm that the establishment is pet friendly. Finding a pet friendly hotel or motel can be tricky, so to ensure that you’re able to secure a location for yourself and your furry friend, book in advance and be patient when it comes to finding the right location.

Purchase an approved pet carrier.

It’s easy to think that as long as you have a secure pet carrier, you’re good to go. As nice as this thought is, however, it’s often far from reality. Many airlines and railways have specific guidelines that pet carriers need to abide by. These can usually be found on the company website. Also, be sure to mark the carrier with your pet’s name, your name and number, and a tag that declares the carrier as containing a live animal.

Bring your pet’s medical records.

Don’t forget to pack your pet’s vaccination papers, medical records, and proof of any medication that he or she may be taking. Some airlines (and countries!) are strict with admission of foreign animals, so having these papers will increase your chances of being able to admit your pet onto the airline or into the country without any hiccups. It’s also a good idea to treat your pet with a flea and tick solution as a preventative measure before leaving home.

Avoid introducing new foods.

Pets, like their owners, are prone to digestion changes and upset as a result of new and unfamiliar foods. To keep your pet’s tummy feeling up to par, be sure to bring an adequate supply of his usual food along on the trip. Try t avoid switching foods while on the road, as it could cause stomach upset.  If you run out, try your best to find the same brand of food in a store within your immediate area.

Introduce the pet to its carrier.

If your pet is like many, it’s probably scared of being put inside of a carrier. To get the pet acclimated to tis carrier, try taking the top off and filling the carrier with your pet’s favorite blankets or comfort items and allowing the animal to lay inside of it without the lid. Once the pet is used to this, you could put the lid on but leave the door open while your pet is inside. Continue like this until your pet has no problem being inside of his carrier with the door closed.

For someone who has severe food allergies, traveling can be daunting. You’re never sure if what you’re eating is free of the food that makes you ill, and if there is any sort of language barrier, things are complicated further because it’s harder to ensure that the food you’re about to eat is safe for you. We know how hard it is, that’s why we’re here to help. Here are a few tips for traveling with allergies.

Know where emergency services are located.

As someone who could fall into anaphylaxis from a seemingly harmful dish of rice and mushrooms, it’s important that you always know where the nearest hospital is. As careful as you are, there is always a chance that you will  ingest something you don’t agree with. Knowing where the hospital is will help to ensure that you get medical attention quickly and without delay. You should also know the number for the local emergency services.

Bring your own food.

Whenever possible, bring your own food on your trip- even if this means lugging around a backpack full of healthy energy bars and gluten-free bread. By the end of the day when you get to your final location you might have a sore shoulder, but at least you won’t have spent the whole day at the hospital fighting to get air into your lungs because you accidentally ate a piece of bread with gluten in it.

Cook for yourself.

Even better than being up to date on what goes into your food, is cooking your food yourself. By taking some extra time to prepare your own meals, you know exactly what is going into your dinner and can make sure that it’s allergy friendly. Keep your hotel room or rental suite stocked with healthy, allergy-friendly ingredients, and opt to go out an hour later in order to make yourself a meal before you leave.

Speak up.

When boarding an airline with a potentially hazardous allergy in toe, it’s important to speak up to protect yourself. Phone your airline or railway ahead of time and inform them of your allergy, how severe it is, and what you need in order to be safe. Some companies have been known to remove potential allergens from food carts, while other, in order to accommodate a severe anaphylactic reaction, will allow the allergic passenger to board early in order to sanitize his or her area before being seated. Don’t be afraid to ask the service works or hostess to wash their hands before serving you, either- they should be more than happy to do so if it means that you will be safe and satisfied.

Use common sense.

If you know you’re deathly allergic to fish, avoid restaurants that serve primarily fish and seafood. It will be no fun for you t pick through the menu when next to nothing is safe for you to eat, and your servers won’t appreciate having to accommodate your request when it could have been avoided in the first place by choosing a different place to eat.