According to veterinary clinic head Jakov Šengaut, people want to bring their pets travelling because they are considered family members, and so this practice has become acceptable. Pet health is also important – when travelling with pets, you avoid the negative impact of stress on the pet.
Pets left without their owner experience stress
Jakov Šengaut, veterinary clinic head of Jakovo Veterinarijos Centras, explains that every pet has feelings and endures stress and longing, and so lengthy separation from owners, especially if the pet is left in the care of unfamiliar people, has a negative side – the pet is anxious, sad, and their appetite and activity levels decrease. According to the doctor in veterinary medicine, when owners return from holiday, the pet can even display discontent over being left behind. “As a display of anger, they can refuse to interact with their owner, or even refuse to eat,” the doctor says.
The stress level of a pet left behind as their owners go on holiday can differ depending on breed and character traits: “Dogs have very different personalities. Some can get accustomed to unfamiliar people very easily, and in such a case, the stress is minimal. Other dogs are especially sensitive and fearful, and – such animals struggle to get accustomed to unfamiliar people, and so the stress levels they experience are far higher when their owners go away on holiday the veterinarian says.
J. Šengaut says that stress levels also depend on whom the animal is left with when the owners leave: “If the dog is left in a familiar environment with familiar people, if they have activities to do and aren’t left bored, they experience less stress. Yes, they might cry a little, or feel sad, but it can be worse if the dog is left with unfamiliar people.”
While travelling alongside pets is becoming ever more popular, the veterinary specialist and emphasises that you must take into account what pet you wish to bring along: “Cats travel alongside us much more infrequently, and most cats don’t leave the home because their owner lives in the city in an apartment. If the cat is unaccustomed to travel, it will feel greater stress due to travelling than if it is left at home in the care of other people. Matters are completely different with dogs. A dog will feel far more comfortable when travelling than if they are left in the care of unfamiliar people because, for them, the home is where their owner is.”
Pets best brought on car and ferry trips
In order to minimise the stress pets and their owners have to experience when travelling, it is essential to review what documents the pet needs for travelling, and whether pets are welcome in the planned accommodation. “I advise all pet owners to review prior to the trip whether a hotel or other place of residence welcomes pets,” says J. Šengaut.
When planning a trip, it is also important to choose the right mode of transport so that the attempt to not cause stress by leaving the pet behind would not become something that builds stress through travel. “I always ask my clients to evaluate prior to the trip that whether during it, the pet can be near its owners, and whether they will be separated. Aeroplanes have numerous pet transport restrictions, and if a pet is to travel in the luggage hold, that’s harmful to their stress levels,” the expert says.
Bringing pets on an aeroplane is not only very difficult, this mode of transport also generates stress for both the pet and the owner. According to J. Šengaut, it is easier to bring pets along to trips when travelling by car or by ferry because such modes of transport allow the owner and pet to remain in each other’s company: “A dog always feels best when with their owner. The best solution is to travel together with your pet for the entirety of the trip. You should just take note whether the animal does not get nauseous, and if the pet suffers from nausea, they can be given special medicine.”
Cabins for pets
Travelling with pets is on the rise around the world – a survey in Great Britain found that up to 53 per cent of people choose to travel with their pet. This shows that animals kept in the home are becoming an inseparable pet of the family, without which a family holiday is unimaginable. “A comfortable journey alongside your pets is no longer the exception. Quite the contrary – it’s a standard,” says Vaidas Klumbys, public relations and communications chief for the Baltic States at DFDS.
The DFDS communications chief for the Baltic states notes that it is convenient and safe to travel by ferry alongside your pet, and you no longer need to separate the pet and the owner: “Cabins intended for travel with pets are no different to the standard, bar that they do not have carpet floors so as to facilitate cleaning and avoid the accumulation of allergens. Animals can also freely walk around certain spaces on the open deck with a leash and muzzle on.”
Vaidas Klumbys reminds that from January 2021, the policy for transporting animals by ship has changed – pets can no longer be left in the car, and they must travel alongside their owner in the cabin: “In order to encourage bringing pets along when travelling, we announced a discount for pet tickets – when buying tickets during the event, a 50 per cent discount applies to the pet ticket.”
From January 25 to February 28, DFDS is running a campaign, which allows the purchase of family tickets and tickets for travel with a camper van with a 30 per cent discount, as well as a 50 per cent discount for pet tickets. Upon purchasing the advance tickets, DFDS guarantees that if travel plans change, the journey date can be changed once free of charge.
The best time to plan your travels is now!
