If it is time to go on holiday or move house then your pet dog, long term companion and friend will have to be moved as well. Often, dog owners just simply put the dog in the family car and off they go. However, if the car is full of holiday baggage and family members then selecting a pet shipping company to help you out may be a wise decision.
It doesn’t matter whether you select road or air to transport your dog, a kennel of some type is a necessity. Placing your dog in a kennel which is locked will assist in keeping him or her secure while travelling. It will assist airline workers or your professional pet shipping service to easily deal with the moving of your pet. Also it would be useful if you have trained your pet to become familiar and feel safe in its new temporary cage which will become its very own territory.
Make sure the kennel is large enough so that your pet is able to sit down or stand up. If your pet happens to have a pug nose then the kennel should be a size larger than for one with a standard nose. Pug nosed pets need more space to facilitate adequate breathing.
The actual material of the kennel should be tough and not bend. The majority of animals insist that the kennel is made from metal, wood or plastic. Non rigid kennels may be permitted for pets who are carried with you on board or for road travel, but they are unsuitable for sending your pet dog as a freight item. If the kennel is bolted together ensure that these have been tightened enough so that they don’t come undone if there is a jolt.
Other kennel characteristics are that it should not have wheels. Carrying handles should be fitted in such a way that there is no physical contact made with the dog when the kennel is picked up, and the door should be securely fastened but not locked up completely.
The preparations are still not over; you should now go about placing the appropriate labels on the kennel. The first one is the live animal label and the next is the “this side up label”. You should now affix an up to date photo of your pet along with its name and any specific handling information. Some colourful paint daubed on the outside of the kennel will allow you or the courier company to quickly pick out the kennel when you or they arrive to pick up your animal. The kennel must be insulated with a comfortable bedding material which could be some soft material maybe one of your old t shirts which will have a familiar smell or simply newspaper. Bowls will be required to feed your pet and these should be affixed to the exterior of the kennel and not inside. Food should be placed in a sealed bag which can be tied to the kennel door along with a sturdy bottle containing water. It is necessary to provide feeding instructions to those transport staff that are responsible for feeding your pet.
The process of preparation is now over and your pet courier company can now come to your house to collect your pet to safely transport it to the next destination.