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Story last updated at 7:09 p.m. on Thursday, May 15,
2003

Every pet deserves a
vacation
The Dog Days of Summer

By Nicole L. Shillings
Correspondent

Oliver reads through some of
his favorite travel books before departing on his
trip.
R.C.
Rique/Staff

Warm
weather and the end of school signify the time for families to get
away from the monotony of everyday life. So, why not include Rover
in this summer's vacation plans? Experts caution traveling with pets
requires doing a little research and planning ahead.

Road trip
Fluffy might be used to
traveling in the car around town, but taking a long road trip
requires extra consideration. Besides putting an animal in a crate,
owners can purchase ''seat belts for long car trips,'' suggested
Amanda Rodriguez, owner of Petropolis, an Athens doggy day care,
hotel and spa at 112 Athens West
Parkway.
Rodriguez stresses being considerate
of an animal's needs, especially when one is cooped up in a car.
''Dogs need frequent stops to go to the bathroom and to get some
water. There are some really cool travel packs for pets now too,
ones with separate compartments for water and food that are great
for the car,'' she said.
''Owners also need to
be careful about leaving dogs in their cars,'' warned Rodriguez. The
sun quickly can heat cars, leading to severe dehydration and even
death within minutes for animals. Also, animals are prime victims
for theft when left unattended in a vehicle.

Flying
Airlines require passengers
traveling with pets to give advance notice. Some airlines set a
limit on the amount of animals they accommodate on each flight and
many charge pet fees between $50 and $150 each way. Most airline Web
sites list rules and regulations for pet travel. This information
also is available through most airlines' phone reservation
lines.
Animals more than a certain weight
(check with your airline) must be checked as baggage, and in the
warm summer months, most airlines will not allow animals to be
checked below due to health risks.
However,
most small animals can be considered carry-on luggage and can ride
with their owners year-round. Also, for any animal to travel in the
United States and most foreign countries, a health certificate from
a veterinarian is required at
check-in.
Rodriguez suggested owners invest in
''a good crate, one that is airline-approved, sturdy and has good
ventilation."

Oliver awaits the departure of his
trip.
R.C. Rique/Staff

Rodriguez also said travelers
shouldn't give their pets sedatives. "If something happens, they
can't protect themselves, like if the crate falls over, they won't
be able to sit themselves up," Rodriguez added.

Accommodations
Besides camping in the
great outdoors, many hotels, motels and bed and breakfast
establishments are happy to put up Fido for the night. Large travel
Web sites, such as Orbitz and Travelocity, offer a pet-friendly
option when searching for hotels. However, it is best to call before
making reservations. Similar to airlines, most hotels will charge a
pet fee and have only so many rooms allotted for guests with pets.

Travel tips
In addition to current
identification tags, ''make sure to get a travel ID with the number
you can be reached at while you're on vacation. That way if your pet
gets lost where you are visiting, you can be quickly reached,''
Rodriguez said.
Packing for Lassie calls for
special attention. Taking his or her favorite toys and blankets will
help put an animal at ease in an unfamiliar place. Rodriguez tells
pet owners to ''take enough of their own food, because sometimes
food can be regional. And you don't want to change their diet
halfway through on vacation, possibly making them sick.''

Resources
Many Web sites and travel
books are devoted to traveling with pets. Petswelcome.com contains
information about hotels in every region of the world and has
information about animal-friendly activities, beaches, parks and
veterinarians.
Dogfriendly.com offers
comprehensive city guides including dog-friendly events, attractions
and restaurants for the U.S. and Canada.
Book
stores offer many travel guides for pet lovers. ''Pets on the Go:
The Definitive Pet Accommodation and Vacation Guide,'' by Dawn and
Robert Habgood, offers many ideas for various budgets and interests.
It is updated annually. Also, AAA Auto Club releases an annual
travel guide for pet owners, ''Traveling with Your Pet - The AAA
PetBook,'' available through Amazon.com.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, May 16, 2003.

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