Who his Dog or the cat with you Vacation If you want to take, you have to consider a few things, take care of safety and make sure you have the right vaccination when traveling abroad.
Many vacationers decide this year to drive to their vacation destination. In addition to avoiding close and contact-intensive situations, such as those that occur when traveling by plane or train, it is also comparatively easy to take a dog or cat with you.
Before it begins
Actually, it goes without saying: The on-site travel accommodation must allow you to bring an animal. Before booking a hotel room or holiday accommodation, it is best to ask whether you are allowed to bring Mieze or Bello and what the rules are, for example with regard to leash compulsory in the holiday resort.
Before starting the vacation trip, there is a training session to determine whether and how the animal can get along with driving. Especially animals that are rarely in the car - and perhaps only in connection with the usually stressful visit to the vet - have to learn that the journey is not a bad thing. In the case of dogs, the test drives can be combined with walks, so that the animal combines driving a car with a positive experience. There are dogs who cannot tolerate driving, they should be slowly accustomed to longer journeys. If that doesn't work, the vet can recommend a suitable remedy if a long car journey is essential. Their owners have to find out whether cats appreciate longer driving. Some fur noses have no problems with it, while others do.
If you are going to another EU country, you must have a pet passport with you. This is used to prove that there is effective vaccination protection, for example against rabies. Attention: The first vaccination against rabies must have taken place at least 21 days before departure, the timely booster must also be noted. In addition, animals that were marked for the first time from July 3, 2011, are required to have a chip. In Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Malta, tapeworm treatment is also required for dogs.
While driving
Simply letting the animal ride in the car unsecured is not a good idea. For its own safety and that of its people, the four-legged friend should be well secured. Basically, transport boxes for dogs and cats are the safest option. They must be securely fixed on the seat so that they cannot fall over, slide back and forth or fly around. Larger boxes for dogs are best placed in the trunk, where they are permanently installed across the direction of travel. As an alternative to securing the dog, there are special safety belts that are placed around the animal's chest and then either attached to the safety belt or directly to the belt lock.
On the trip you should plan enough breaks in which the four-legged friend can have a drink and stretch their legs and ease themselves during a short walk. It is important to have the animal on a leash so that it cannot run away. The distance at which you keep depends on the constitution of the animal. Of course, water and food bowls are kept within easy reach and not at the bottom of your luggage.
Good ventilation in the car must be ensured, especially in summer. The animal is never allowed to stay alone in the car when the family goes to the motorway service station to eat, for example: Even when the outside temperature is low, the inside of the car heats up strongly from the sun and the four-legged friend can suffer from heat stroke. Leaving the windows ajar is not enough.
At the Destination
In addition to a blanket and favorite toys, you should also take your usual food with you on vacation so that your four-legged friends feel at home right away. At their holiday destination, dog owners should definitely pay attention to the rules that apply to leash. They differ from region to region in Germany. Abroad, stricter requirements sometimes apply, as the ADAC points out, for example. In Italy, Spain and Denmark, for example, dogs have to be on a leash when walking in the woods. In addition, dogs are not allowed in restaurants in Spain and Italy. Dogs are also often prohibited on the beach.