Travelling with pets in Australia

I have taken many Australian holidays with pets. Like you. I have also had to create the dreaded moving checklist when our family has moved house from one state to another with our pets in tow. 

Pet couriers 

There are a number of companies that will pick up your pet from your home, transport it through a carrier, and deliver it at the other end. This option is one I took, when sending my rabbits interstate. This option can be expensive, but with delicate animals, it might be the best option. Information about Australian pet carriers can usually be found on the airport websites in each state.

Checklist for pet travel

However, whatever option you choose, you might want to consider the following ideas when organising pet travel:

• Check with your airline and the local airport for the rules that apply to pet travel in each state.  
• Ask what fees they charge and the different requirements for drop off and pick up.
• Find out when the pick up area for pets closes at your destination.
• You may not be able to pay the fees for the pet travel on line, so make sure you ask about how you pay.
• Ask the airline if you can put a small bottle of frozen water in the cage.
• You will need to get an approved cage.  You can find the description and dimensions of the cage that is right for your pet on your airline's website. 
• There are a number of cages on the market that are not approved for air travel so save yourself some money and get the right one. 
•  If you don't have the right cage the pet will not be allowed to travel which could cause delays and hickups when you are trying to get to your flight.
• Ask your veterinarian to check the animals out and make sure they are fit to travel.
• The vet will also give you some ideas about sending them interstate.
• While you are at the vet you could check that you have all of their injections up to date.
• You may need to board the animals at the other end and most boarding kennels require that animals injections are up to date.
• If you are travelling overseas with your pet, you will need to check with the airline and the consulate in the receiving country about any particular rules that apply to your pet travel. 
• You may want to consider getting some help in sorting through all of the information and arrangements for your needs.
• on and rules.are . make sure you put a bottle of frozen water in with them. I use a 2ltr frozen milk bottle filled with water. Rabbits need to stay cool and will lick the condensation from the bottle to get the right amount of water they need. Check with the airline to see if they allow this.
• When organising your pet travel yourself, the airline will advise you that your pet will be travelling on the same plane as you.
• Create a checklist for your trip to the airport so that you are not held up and miss your flight.
• If you can put a bottle of frozen water in the cage, the animals will lick it and this will help stop them dehydrating.
• Try to organise the trip at the time of day where the temperatures won't be extreme.  Where you are travelling on more than one plane you will need to think about when your pet will be out in the elements at each airport.
• Have a back up plan, just in case you miss your connecting flight, and your pet ends up at the other end with no one to pick them up. 
• Have a bottle of water with you when you get off the plane so that you can give your pet a drink as soon as you pick them up at the other end.Happy travels - do you have any more to add from your experience.  We would love to hear about it.