Traveling through airports with pets has become a much more comfortable experience over the last few years, primarily thanks to new pet relief areas being built.
Are you planning to use one of these spaces the next time you travel in-cabin with your small pet? Each airport offers a different experience, and your time to frolic will probably be limited, so follow these basic guidelines to make the most of your pet's pet relief area visit.
Before arriving at the airport, familiarize yourself with the layout to avoid wasting time wandering around or asking for directions. These areas are not always well-marked, so doing some sleuthing online ahead of time will allow you to proceed with confidence.
This is good advice for traveling, but remember to have a few basic items in your doggy bag of tricks. A collapsible water dish, a familiar toy or two, and a leash will make your pet's experience safe and comfortable. The relief areas should all be supplied with waste disposal bags, but you should carry a few extras just in case.
You never know what you'll encounter in a pet area. You may be the only ones there, or it could be a busy place; if this is the case, keep your dog restrained until everyone gets along (particularly if it's an off-leash facility). Whether you encounter service animals, security dogs, or other pets, aim to be friendly and considerate by playing nice and cleaning up after yourselves.
A pet relief area can, in many ways, resemble a dog park, so make sure your pup is comfortable in such a situation. If you don't frequent any of your neighborhood hang-outs and don't often take your dog to new places in general, you might consider going a few times before the trip so that your little traveler can get used to the experience of being away from home.
There are various social media tools, so why not use them to pick up some advice? Through Twitter, Facebook, and, yes, sites like PetRelocation, you can connect to thousands of pet travelers and gather some of the information they've shared. Whether you spend a few minutes reading a great travel blog or ask a question on an organization's Facebook wall, there are plenty of ways to initiate a conversation with an experienced group of peers.