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Your guide to help you successfully travel anywhere with your dog during Covid-19
26 August 2020
| Last updated on 26 August 2020
Dogs have long been one of the best travel companions for their owners
They are always up for an adventure, are always ready to have fun, and can keep you company, no matter where you are.
However, with the Covid-19 pandemic, travel (with or without pets) has slowed down dramatically. Many travel options were essentially shut down for months as the world tried to get the virus under control by quarantining and socially distancing.
While Covid-19 is far from gone, some areas are beginning to open back up and we will soon see travel restrictions relaxed in many more areas. But what does this mean for travelling with your dog? What sorts of things do you need to keep in mind to keep everyone safe and have an enjoyable trip?
With that in mind, this article is going to go over a few things to think about and know for travelling with your dog in a post Covid-19 world.
Be aware of how Covid-19 impacts dogs
First and foremost, you need to educate yourself on how Covid-19 impacts dogs.
While dogs rarely get the virus, there have been some cases reported. In addition to low case numbers, most dogs who get the virus are completely asymptomatic, so you may never know your pet even had the virus.
While your dog doesn’t need to wear a mask, you should consider socially distancing your dog from other people or animals.
Dogs don’t easily spread the virus to other dogs, but it is not impossible that they could pass on the disease to humans or even be infected by someone else. No direct evidence of this transmission exists, but it is possible that the virus could find it’s way onto your pets fur, and then be picked up by you.
While risk is low, you don’t want your pet getting sick and certainly don’t want them helping transmit someone else's sickness to you.
If travelling with your dog, we recommend using a dog carrier if possible, to limit your dog’s exposure. Of course, be sure to get the right dog carrier to ensure your dog is comfortable and safe.
Know the restrictions
Once you are familiar with how Covid-19 impacts your dog, you need to be aware of the restrictions that may exist in the travel industry for dogs.
For example, some airlines have outright banned pets, while others have restrictions to stop them from entering the cabin. If you’re not aware of these potential restrictions, it could really mess up your travel plans.
Many places like restaurants, hotels and other places you will likely head to on your trip may have reworked their pet policies. Also, certain countries may be slower to open their borders and may have tight restrictions regarding pets, so always do your research.
Plan ahead and be flexible
Another tip for travelling with your dog after Covid-19 is to plan ahead.
First of all, many vet clinics are inundated with appointments, which could make it hard to get your pet the shots or vaccines it needs to safely travel.
Last minute travel with your pet during these times is likely not possible. Also, you need to plan out where you are going to go, to make sure pets are allowed and accepted right now.
However, even with careful planning ahead, there are no guarantees everything will go to schedule. The travel industry is likely going to be all over the place for a little bit as it deals with these never-before-seen situations. So be as flexible as possible and roll with the punches.
This is uncharted territory for many people, companies and industries, so there are bound to be some issues.
In conclusion, hopefully the information in this article is able to help you successfully travel with your dog in a post Covid-19 world.
Article contributed by Ashley Lipman
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