Travel by car

If you choose to travel with the pet in your own car, here are a number of tips:

1. Do not carry puppies that are not immunized.

Qu Xiaoping, a veterinarian from Beijing Companion Animal Hospital, recommends not taking a puppy without immunization because long-distance driving will decrease the pet's resistance to disease. Even a healthy pet should be taken to an animal hospital for physical examination, and to check if the vet has any specific recommendations.

2. Take care of your pet's diet

In order to reduce the possibility of vomit, give your pet little food before starting off. Arriving at the destination, remember to give it some water rather than food. Do not change the types of food it has been used to. One thing you have to bear in mind is to ensure that during the journey, the pet can drink water freely.

3. Guarantee ventilation

• Remember that ventilation is crucial for the pet's health.

• Keep it with you all the time, and never leave it in the car trunk.

• Don't allow the pet to stretch its head out of window.

• Stop for a rest every few hours.

• If your pet is easily carsick, feed it some motion-sickness drugs in advance.

• Do not lock the pet in your car. This is particularly dangerous when the car is in the sun.

4. Carry any necessary medicines

Take some anti-stress medicine, and drugs for external use such as iodine tincture to deal with slight injuries.

5. Others

Prepare enough plastic bags and papers to clean up the pet's excreta;

Keep the pet on a chain to restrain its movements and muzzle it if necessary; do not take it into crowded places;

If it is noisy and you do not want to give it tranquilizers, just praise and reward it when it behaves well.

Do not take your pet out when it is too cold. If anything abnormal happens to it, consult a veterinarian quickly.

Your options:

• Get a health certificate
• Traveling with your pet by train
• To travel with your pet by plane
• Pet foster care