Traveling with pets: Better keep them back at home

7 June, 2007:

Owners of pets have been advised to consider carefully whether to take their animals with them on holiday or not because not all pets like to travel.

An animal protection association based in Bonn, Germany, has said it is often better for the animal to be left in good care, the website earthtimes.org has reported.

Cats, in particular, are most comfortable on their own territory. Therefore, the ideal solution is to have a fellow cat-lover stay in the home with the cat or come by to feed and stroke it regularly.

Only when the cat and its owner are inseparable, is it a good idea to take the cat on holiday. In such a case, the best situation for the animal is a long stay at a known location.

It is best to leave rodent pets at home or in the care of a knowledgeable person, according to the animal protection association. Heat and drastic swings in temperature are things what rodents tolerate find hard to tolerate.

Birds should also be left in the care of a friend. Birds should not go along with the owner because altering their surroundings and taking them into a different climate could cause them to suffer circulation problems or diarrhoea. Also, free flight in a strange area is not good for birds.

By contrast, many dogs are relatively uncomplicated when it comes to travel. They typically love to go everywhere with their owners. Some breeds, however, are not comfortable in some climates, and in some southern countries exposure to illnesses can threaten their health and well-being.