Safe Travels: Essential Tips for Traveling with Your Pet

 Written By Katelyn McLaren | Owner of Nurse Kate Curates

Who wouldn’t want to travel and go on adventures with their best friend at their side the entire time? Especially when that best friend is your pet dog or even your cat! Believe it or not, many pets love traveling with their owners. Feeling the wind in their fur, meeting new people, smelling new smells, and just enoying the time together.

Traveling with your pet is very different from traveling with a human companion though, or even a child. Traveling with a pet comes alot to be considered before you guys hit the road. Utilize this blog post to ensure that you are prepared and well equipt to travel with your fur baby. So that you can have the best, stress-free time traveling together!

Planning & Preparation for Pet Travel

Planning and preparing to travel with your pet is only half the battle. Well, actually it’s probably 75% of the battle if we’re being honest. So that is why planning and preparing is the first step here.

Destination Research Ideas for Your Pet

Have you picked out your destination of travel yet? If so, it’s time to do some research on that destination. You know that you, as a human, will be allowed to do all the things you want to do. But your pet doesn’t have the same liberties at all locations unfortunately. So it’s important that you do some research to find out where you pet can and cannot go with you.

Such as hotels they can or cannot stay at with you, restaurants they may be able to join you at, and even the local leash laws of the area.

You want your pet to have just as much fun as you, so if you want your pet to be your travel companion it’s important to ensure that they can be involved in your travel adventure fully. Not just left in the hotel room or RV the entire time you’re out having fun.

Microchipping & Identification Prior to Traveling

Making sure that you have your pet microchipped and have the proper identification documents with you for travel is just as important as having your own license and passport.

The destination that you are traveling to is likely just as foreign to your fur baby, so in the event that they were to get lost they would have trouble finding their way back to you. Unlike when they are home and know where to go.

Veterinarian Visit Prior to Pet Travel

Seeing your vet’s veterinarian prior to travel is especially important in the preparation phase. You’ll want to inform your vet about your travel plans so that they an determine if you pet is healthy enough for travel with you. This varies from one pet to another of course, so that’s why it’s important for your vet to make that determination.

Some locations/methods of travel also may require certain vaccinations to be up to date. Your vet will know exactly what vaccines are needed and will ensure that your pet ready to go.

Make sure your vet gives you paper copies of your pet’s vaccine records once everything is up to date. That will come in handy for the next step of preparing for travel with your pet.

Pet Travel Documents

Again, this is just as important as having your own documents when traveling. Not only will you want to have your pets vaccine records handy, but also their general medical records. Has your pet had a surgery in the past, a history of seizures, or maybe certain allergies? Medical history as well as a list of any medications they take daily or even as needed is important to have on hand when traveling. This is important for domestic and international travel with a pet.

Choosing a Carrier or Crate for Transportation

Choosing the right carrier or crate for your pet to travel in is also a very important step in preparation, because you care whether your pet is comfortable for the many hours they will need to stay in their carrier while traveling.

You don’t want a crate that’s too small of course. You want to consider how you know that your pet likes to lay when sleeping and relaxing. You also don’t want a crate thats too big, that might be difficult to manuver or fit into various means of transportation. If you are flying with yout pet, be sure to check that specific airlines carrier/crate size limitations before purchasing a crate.

Safety needs to be a consideration too of course. You want your pet to be able to move and maneuver in their crate/carrier. You also want to get one that YOU can open with ease and don’t need to fight with, incase you need to hastily get to your pet. But of course one that doesn’t open too easily that they can get out of it on their own.

Training & Familiarization 

Once you’ve picked the proper crate or carrier, it’s time to get your pet familiar with it since they will be spending a significant amount of time in it while traveling. Using positive reinforcement has helped many pet owners to get their pet more comfortable and familiar with going into and staying in their new carrier.

Such as giving your pet praise and possibly some treats when they’ve successfully walked into their carrier/crate after instructed to do so, or didn’t put up a fight when being placed into it to stay for a designated amount of time to practice.

Transportation Considerations

The means by which you get to your travel destination is also something you’ll have to put some thought into when traveling with your pet.

There’s SO much to consider when planning to travel with your fur baby, so that’s why we’ve created this ultimate guide for you to use every single time you’re preparing for a trip.

Car Travel

In the car you will want to consider bathroom breaks, as well as breaks for food and water. Depending on where you are going and what the roads are like, you will want to make back up “potty plans” for your pets in teh car. Such as paper potty training mats underneath your pets for the ride, incase you aren’t able to get off the road at the time that they likely need to use the bathroom.

Also consider whether your pet has a tendency for car sickness or not, and be prepared for any clean up you might need to do. That being said, stopping as often as you can on your ride, for potty breaks or at least juts fresh air breaks will make a world of difference for your pet during travels.

Alternative Methods of Travel

If you decide to travel with your pet in a train, airplane, or boat, you have alot less control over the environmetn so there are a few things to consider here as well. Such as does this mode of travel allow pets? If so, do you have to keep your pet in a crate, and would that crate stay with you or in another area?

It goes without saying, any mode of travel will require you to have your pets shots up to date and have proof of them in time for travel. Your vet should be able to print a copy for you when you take your pet for a visit before traveling.

It’s imperative that you research your mode fo travel and find out what their guidelines are regarding pets traveling with you, as well as being sure to have all vaccines up to date and extra doses of medication to take with you on you travels if your pet has any that they take regularly. Your pet will likely need to be in a crate of some sort or on a leash, so it’s important to know what is expected on the mode of transportation you intend to take your pet on with you.

Conclusion

Traveling with a pet can be complicated, but if you take the time to do research and prepare well before hand, it can turn out to be an incredible adventure for both you and your pet.

Your vet can help you prepare for traveling with yout pet by ensurin that their vaccines are all up to date and providing you with a paper copy of vaccine records. Then, once its time to hit the road, by having a plan for the transportation process, as well as when you arrive to your destination, you will be set up for success.

Mable's Mission Bake Sale at
Ocean Republic Brewing for Medical Funding

By Heather McLaren | Owner of Advanced Animal Transport

Advanced Animal Transport had the opportunity to meet community members of the pet industry including Owner of Mable's Mission, Briana, and Karen from Mermaid and Bear Pet Concierge whom also formerly worked with Wagnolia's. A big Thank You to Ocean Republic Brewing for hosting as well!

Heather (Left) Briana - Mable's Mission (Right)

The bake sale proceeds are designed to help cover expenses for senior dogs that are on the euthanasia list and saving them through foster-based rescue. Unfortunately, senior care is not cheap and neither are the illnesses associated with aging, including cancer.

Ziggy, one of the fosters, is only 3 years old and is undergoing chemo treatments for B-Cell Lymphoma. Prognosis is better than T-Cell, what Advanced Animal Transport's golden retriever, Gus fell victim to, but it is still equally expensive with weeks worth of treatments. To pay for these treatments and to cover the other medical costs of fosters in care, this bake sale was created to help reduce those expenses.

Even though the sale has ended, here are some ways you can still support Mable's Mission.

Donations can be sent directly through their website: https://www.mablesmission.org/donate-1

Shirts and other products can be purchased through their store.

We obviously chose the black Heather addition as our favorite!

And if you can't provide funds, volunteering is always needed:

https://www.mablesmission.org/get-involved

To see what goodies were brought to the bake sale,
check out the photos below!

Couldn't make this one? Mable's Mission will be back!

Be sure to add them on Facebook to follow their next events!

Treasure Coast Wildlife Center Needs Fish and Here’s How You Can Help!

Treasure Coast Wildlife Center Needs Your Help

and Here’s How You Can!

By Heather McLaren | Owner of Advanced Animal Transport

First, guess how many fish the animals are fed, per day!

Was your answer between 100 and 250?

Because it’s definitely between 100 to 250 fish, every day!

To give a quick background, Treasure Coast Wildlife Center is a “501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, dedicated to the preservation of wildlife and the conservation on natural habitats. We are not a government agency. All funding for our efforts comes from public and private grants and from concerned citizens throughout our community.”

This means all their funding and volunteer help comes from YOU!

What does Treasure Coast Wildlife Center do with these funds and volunteer help?

They “rehabilitate and return injured, ill, and orphaned animals to the wild, as well as offer educational services to the public at large.”

Here’s Where You Come In And How You Can Help The Native Animals!

Most of these residents are fish-eating creatures. Treasure Coast Wildlife Center needs help from the community with legally caught, fresh fish to feed their birds of prey, pelicans, alligators, and turtles. Fresh fish is the most nutritious because frozen and cooked eliminate excess vitamins, thus resulting in supplementation (which can also get expensive). BUT frozen is always super helpful!

Finger mullet, thread herring, and smelt are the most commonly used fish to feed everything on site.

Last week, a request for fish was posted with over 200 shares and many comments, but not much fish came through. They really need the help of having more fish donations! Advanced Animal Transport can also help with this. Have a boat and all the fish, but no transport? We can help! We can personally meet you at the dock!

If you’re looking to drop fish off personally, especially tilapia, drive on up to the wildlife drop off area. There is a large freezer that excess fish can safely be kept in for future use, since they consume 100-250 fish a day!

Did you know visiting Treasure Coast Wildlife Center is FREE to the public?

YES! Thursday through Sunday 11am-3pm. Based in Palm City, it’s about a 30 minute walk around the facility to see the rehabilitation residents. Our favorite was the Blue Jays! They are so beautiful up close!

There is a paid tour also available that runs about $5 for kids and $10 for adults (prices may vary). This is a more personalized tour, provided by the staff and will go into detail about the wildlife residents. Schedule about a half hour to an hour based on questions and group size. These will have to be planned in advance too.

Contact Information:

Treasure Coast Wildlife Center

8626 SW Citrus Blvd, Palm City, FL, 34990

772-286-6200

info@tcwild.org

 

If you see an injured, ill, or orphaned wildlife, please contact

Martin County Animal Services

772-463-3211

References: https://www.tcwild.org/. About Us. Retreived June 6, 2024 

To view some of our most recent visit, check out the photos below!

If you’ve read this far, ask them what’s different about their white pelican!

 

 

Three Stooges Rescue Quarters for Kindness Auction Event

By Heather McLaren | Owner of Advanced Animal Transport

Advanced Animal Transport had the opportunity to attend Three Stooges Rescue Quarters for Kindness Auction on June 6, 2024! Not knowing anything about it, we gathered a couple rolls of quarters and headed to the Moose Lodge of the Palm Beach Gardens. Below you’ll be able to see photos of the event! If you see yourself in the photo, please feel free to save it!

Three Stooges Rescue Mission and How Quarters for Kindness Came About

Three Stooges Rescue is a “501c3 non-profit dog rescue organization dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of dogs in our South Florida community. Our mission is simple yet powerful: to provide a loving haven for furry friends in need, while alleviating the strain on overcrowded county shelters.

With a blend of compassion and comedic charm, we are deeply committed to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming dogs, ensuring their tails wag with happiness as they find their forever homes filled with laughter, joy, and care.”

Quarters for Kindness is an organization that successfully raises funds for a charity through a fundraiser and also provides a chance for others from the community to win prizes as well. The charity fundraiser event includes a quarter auction, basket raffles, and a 50/50 split raffle at the end of the night. In Three Stooges Case, this resulted in a very successful night for not only raising funds, but also awareness of their mission to hopefully get more dogs adopted. Three Stooges Rescue Goal is 40 dogs and it’s definitely not cheap. Every bit helps, especially for emergency veterinarian visits.

The quarter auction consists of purchasing $2.00 paddles with a number associated with a chip that has the same number. As for the quarters, these will be used to throw in a basket for a chance at a drawing of your number that matches your paddle. Each raffle will be assigned a value of 2 quarters to 6 quarters with some of them going to charity. A more detailed description of this type of auction is described through Westlake Wanderer.

If attending early enough, in our case, there was food and drinks available and tons of venders to view prior to the auction. All of the tables were surprisingly full and the energy was fantastic! Advanced Animal Transport even got lucky to win some prizes as well!

For the next quarter auction, please subscribe by emailing Three Stooges Rescue newsletter to stay up to date on the next one!

Want to help Three Stooges Rescue? Please feel free to donate or contact them!

They need help with fish based dog food:https://amzn.to/3VazoOq

that can be sent to: 861 Enterprise Way, Stuart, Florida, 34997

 

 

How to Maintain your Air Conditioner and Why it’s Important with Pet Ownership

How to Maintain your Air Conditioner and
Why it’s Important with Pet Ownership

By Heather McLaren | Owner of Advanced Animal Transport

Consult with a professional Air Conditioner HVAC company first to see what works best for your unit.

As summer heats up in South Florida, so does the electric bill and maintenance of your air conditioner. With pets, it’s especially important to keep up with tasks that can save your AC and possibly the life of your pet! Should it fail during these record-breaking temperatures, your pet may experience signs of heatstroke.

Hiring a professional pet sitter, like Advanced Animal Transport that has NAPPS certification, can help spot these issues and correct them before the air conditioner causes expensive damage from leaking and growing mold. Think of having a pet sitter as alternative insurance!

Pets Increase Maintenance Needs for your Air Conditioner

Air conditioner strain is not only contributed by the outside elements such as pollen and close fires that produce particulates and make their way into the home, but inside factors of the home can clog filters too. Dust and allergens can accumulate on the air filter, creating a fine layer, reducing the flow. Unfortunately pets, hair, and dander also play a role in reducing air flow.

Simple Tasks to Reduce Strain on your Air Conditioner

Change the air filter often. Without quarterly changes or monthly with pets, a clogged filter can restrict air movement, causing strain on the unit to circulate correctly. With pets, it’s best to consider a HEPA filter to capture more pet dander or one that has the capability of catching smoke, bacteria, and more, like these Amazon Simply Filters (20x20x1) MERV 13.

Build up occurs not just on the filter, but also the metal screen and joints. Hair and dust will accumulate, restricting flow. Make sure to take a vacuum to remove any loose debris around the grilles and registers and wipe the surrounding area with a detergent to kill any bacteria.

Clean around the unit. Check the surrounding area outside to make sure vegetation and yard items are removed from the path of air flow. Wash the fins to clear the unit of any dirt and sand build-up. If there is a question on this process, it’s best to consult with a professional AC company to make sure you don’t run the risk of damaging the unit.

Suction the condensation line. Invest in a shop vacuum that allows you to easily maintain your home AC. If it’s too large to maneuver, chances are, it’ll stay put. Thankfully, there are smaller shop vacs available and make clean-up quick and easy. Advanced Animal Transport owns this Craftsman Wet/Dry Shop Vac.

Start by vacuuming the outside drain line first. This uses gravity in your favor and will pull most of the water out of the line. If condensation continues to build, it will back up into the home, causing mold and flooding issues. Once complete on the outside, take the shop vac to the drain line located near the air conditioner, normally located inside the garage, and suction until it sounds like the remaining water has completely been removed.

Add vinegar to the drain line. Be sure not to get this confused with the location of the safety switch. Condensation buildup can be caused by algae growing in the PVC. By adding vinegar, which is safer than bleach for pets, this will kill algae, allowing the water to freely drain outside. You want to make sure you purchase at least 5% Acidity Vinegar to help kill bacteria.

Edwin Restrepo with True Temp LLC

Establish a professional relationship with a local AC repair company. This is especially important with the Florida heat. A professional company such as True Temp LLC will be able to help with tune-ups. Other services can sometimes include a deep cleaning of internal components by a technician. While performing tune-ups and deep cleaning, a technician will be able to observe deficiencies and potential damage.

Actions You Can Take With Your Pet To Protect Your Air Conditioner

Regular pet grooming. Grooming will minimize shedding and reduce dander created by your pet. It’s important to work with your veterinarian on bathing frequencies and recommended products to reduce your pet’s skin reaction. No time to groom them yourself and can’t get them to the groomers? Advanced Animal Transport is more than happy to help transport.

Frequently clean floors and furniture. Over time, loose hair and sand can clog the filter, as mentioned earlier. It’s best to keep up with this as frequently as possible. Investing in a robot vacuum will help keep up with this task. Wiping down furniture will help trap loose hair and keep it from transporting into the filter.

Performing these simple tasks will improve the air quality in your home, increase its efficiency, and reduce the risk of breakdowns and repairs which happen most of the time when pet owners leave.

If you liked this article, please share it with your friends.

If you have suggestions on other simple tasks that can be done to help your AC, add it below.

Thank you!

Check out these other articles!

Beating the Summer Florida Heat: How to Keep Your Pet Cool This Summer

What to Prepare for your Pet During a Hurricane Evacuation

 Awin

 

 

 

Update May 28, 2024

Advanced Animal Transport is excited to announce,
Animal Transportation Association has approved our membership! 

Advanced Animal Transport has been working on making this happen since the end of February. Due to the abundance of scams, Animal Transportation Association takes it's due diligence seriously and works hard to reduce negligent harm caused to animals, in addition to protecting their image. 

With the support of former professional work relationships (Thank you Alisha and Shawndra!), affiliations with NAPPS and PSI, and approval from the USDA, all thanks to them, this membership was able to come to fruition.

Thank you Kyle from the Animal Transportation Association for being patient and working with our hurdles after being rejected from other established businesses.

We are beyond excited to take this journey to the next level!  

National Pet Parents Day

By Heather McLaren | Owner of Advanced Animal Transport

    Pets offer a bond that can be irreplaceable. To celebrate this, National Pet Parents Day falls on the last Sunday of April. According to NAPPS (National Association for Professional Pet Sitters) this day was started thanks to Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI). This holiday recognizes that pet parents consider pets as being a part of the family. 

Ideas to Celebrate National Pet Parents Day

    Spoil your pets through their favorite activities. This can be in the form of walks, extra playtime, special treats, and toys. Cats enjoy playing with hair ties and shower curtain rings. Dogs love going for walks and enjoying the elements of being outside. Feathered friends enjoy safe toys that are chew friendly and extra fresh veggies. Reptiles will enjoy extra food and cozy habitat updates. 

    Other ideas include taking your pet to find a new toy at a local pet store or giving them a spa day. For pets unable to leave the house, Advanced Animal Transport can help with this! A quick visit to a local park to smell new smells or visiting family members and pets they're familiar with will brighten their day.

Giving Back to Shelter Pets During National Pet Parents Day

    Don't forget that there are lots of pets in the shelter that would love a new home. This may not be feasible, but that's okay. Some ideas to help them feel loved includes visiting a shelter and just taking them for a walk. New humans equal new smells and new adventures! 

    Have a little extra time to spare beyond a walk? Reach out to the shelter to help volunteer. Shelters are often overwhelmed and filled to capacity. This would ease the load on staff and allow you to socialize with the pets.

    No time available? That's okay, if you have the availability to donate, shelters always need donations. This doesn't just mean money. Animal shelters are in constant need of blankets, towels, toys, and food. Reach out to friends and family if they have excess items that they would like to help donate. Advanced Animal Transport is more than willing to help bring these items to the shelter as well!

    If you would like to help donate money, this would be most helpful as vet bills do accumulate when it comes to saving pets from euthanasia and performing emergency surgeries. Three Stooges Rescue https://threestoogesrescue.org/donate is a local rescue to Port Saint Lucie, FL and has been instrumental in saving pets from euthanasia. However, they do need help with veterinary bills. You can learn more about each dog's story on their social media pages. 

Don't Forget the Important Part of Pet Ownership During National Pet Parents Day

    Review annual health information and certificates. Schedule physicals and updated vaccinations with the veterinarian. This information will be important especially if evacuating during hurricane season. 

Whatever you choose for celebrating National Pet Parents Day, Advanced Animal Transport hopes that you create happy memories with your loved one. Don't forget to take photos and share with us what you did below or catch us on Facebook!