26 June 2012 - Car insurance, Travel
Holiday-goers want to take their nearest and dearest – and this often includes pets as well. Taking your four-legged friend abroad with you means considering a few things – for the sake of both the animal and the carrier.
First, the dog. Safe transport by car takes priority. Experts advise using a transport box in the boot. This means that the dog always has his place and does not try to bite or scratch the interior of the car. Fixed installed boxes are considered to be safest; however, transport boxes that can be especially mounted for the journey are considered safer than other systems. Certainly, tested dog safety belts are also better than their reputation. Their advantage over simple divider bars and nets: If the dog owner opens the doors at a rest stop or the doors open due to an accident, the dog cannot jump out onto the road.
When crossing borders, formalities can arise depending on the country – and here it is good for the dog carrier’s nerves to have made some precautionary arrangements. This involves finding comprehensive information about conditions at the holiday destination, for example the required permits or health certificates, vaccinations and treatment against parasites, tagging with microchips or the prohibition of certain species; conditions can be many and varied. And depending on the country, these could have changed since your last visit, for example if the rabies situation has changed since that time. It is best to gather this information at least two months before your departure. The brochures provided by the Federal Office for Veterinary Matters offer useful insights.
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