Traveling with your pig
In the summer a lot of people travel which often leads to our pets traveling with us. Traveling with small animals can be difficult but a little information can make the trip go more smoothly. Over all I recommend people find sitters to care for them while they are gone. Some of the places we visit on vacation are just not safe for pets. Of course sometimes you need or want to travel with them. If you are traveling with your piggies how you are traveling is very important– flying, driving etc.
Flying
First you will have to check with the airline and make sure that they will fly skinny pigs. Then you have to see if they can fly in the cabin or if they have to ride in the cargo hold. The cargo hold is considered less stressful than in cabin flying. It is heated and air conditioned but most importantly it is dark and quiet compared with the noisy cabin. Most pets just take a nap. Still, people seem to prefer in cabin but remember that counts as a carry on and you will have to check more bags plus you should not remove the carrier from under the seat during the flight to “comfort” you skinny pig. You will just stress them out more. I find that it is owners who are the ones looking for comforting not the pets.
Second you can only fly if the temperatures are in a safe range. That can mean that you may find out when you arrive the airport that the pet can not fly due to temp. It is your job to call the airline the day before and check if it is safe for them to fly. You will have to be flexible on when you arrive to your destination.
All animals need a health certificate to fly. You will have to go to your vet and they check your animal and fill out the form. The health cert is only good for ten days so can’t get it a couple of weeks before your trip. You will have to fit it in the same week your traveling. It will be expected when you check in at the front deck and they will tape a copy to the top of the kennel with other information.
The type of kennel you choose is very important. It needs to be rated for flying; if you look closely at the tags it will state whether it is airline approved. Also look to make sure it comes with a food and water dish. Flights can be long and skinny pigs need to eat and drink often. You will want a small bag of extra food taped to the top and a small water bottle filled and secured to the front.
Lastly you must arrive two hours before your flight if you are traveling with a pet. If you are late and show up an hour before your flight they will send your pet on a later flight! A lot of people hate waiting at airports. Bring a good book and be prepared to spend up to an hour getting the kennel weighed, paper work filled out, and filed. I know as that is how long it takes me on average when I fly my pets.
Bob in a Carrier
Driving
Cage or carrier? That is often the question we face and I just bring a smaller sized travel cage. All of the bowls and water bottles need to be locked in place so they can’t move around. The easiest thing to do is to take everything out except the bedding. This includes the food bowl. Then lock the water bottle on the side and just put the food loose on the floor. That way nothing will shift that could injure your piggies.
Also some piggies can get car sick. Sometimes a small kennel fan blowing air around helps. Just remember we do not want them getting cold so always include a sleep sack. The cage needs a good lock. You do not want doors or lids opening unexpectedly. Do not take them out in the car. I know for a fact that it is very expensive to have your driver side chair removed and the foam ripped out to retrieve a piggies who got out. The mechanic will get it but your chair may be destroyed in the process. The pig was fine, but not the car.
Bring a large two liter bottle of what ever water you use at home. A change in water could make them ill by giving them loose stool. Don’t forget to pack plenty of clean bedding and food. Never put them on the ground outside when traveling. Hotels use law services who put down harmful chemicals. Do not trust your friends or families lawns they may think because they put the treatment down months ago it is safe but many of the lawn products are time-released.
Bob in a harness
Many hotels allow pets, but always call ahead of time to check. If you are finding one last minute don’t mention the piggies. We know it will not damage the room and you do not want to be driving when you are over-tired because they said no. Try to plan your stops so that does not become a problem.
Hotels are great and often once the car is unpacked you want to give you pig some attention and time to run. Letting them run on the floor or on the bed may seem like a good idea. Skinny pigs are sensitive to chemicals and they can develop a rash and even sneezing issues. What I like to do is rinse the tub with warm water and dry it off with a towel then with the tub dry let the piggies loose. Take the towel out, it too could trigger a reaction. Never leave them alone in the tub; once play time is done place them back in the travel cage. Not every piggies will have a reaction to new detergents and cleaners. But I try not to take risks while traveling. Not being near my local vet means a rash or reaction would be difficult to treat and could even mean having to go to an emergency clinic in the area.
Lastly check the laws of the states you will be driving through, some states require health cert. on pets traveling through the region you may even have to show it in the pet friendly hotels.