How Much Does It Cost To Travel With A Pet
Introduction
My husband and I are traveling to Paris this summer, but we have a dilemma: Bring our dog or leave him behind? We don’t want to leave him at an unfamiliar boarding facility, but at the same time, he’s not exactly tiny. So we began doing some research on the cost of traveling with pets. Sure enough, there were lots of additional expenses that are important for pet owners—like us—to consider when planning their next vacation. Here’s what we learned about flying with a pet:
Food
Food is another cost to consider, but it’s not as simple as just buying the same food for your pet at home. In some cases, you might even have to buy special cat food or dog food depending on where you’re going and what your pet needs.
Because of this, it’s important to do some research beforehand about the food costs associated with traveling with a pet and whether there are any local brands that offer lower rates than others around town.
Emergency Care
Many people travel with pets. It’s often a family member that goes with them, but sometimes it’s just the pet alone. Emergency care can be expensive and sometimes more so than routine care. If you’re traveling with your pet, keep that in mind and plan accordingly.
Pet Sitter
One of the most important things to consider when planning a trip with your pet is how you will take care of them while you’re away.
If you have a dog or cat, there are several options: Maybe you can leave them with a family member or friend. Or maybe they will stay in a doggy daycare center or boarding facility. And if neither of those work for you, perhaps there’s also an option to hire someone on an hourly basis to come and stay at your home while you travel—a “pet sitter.” The cost varies by region and provider, but on average it costs about $30 per day for this kind of service (and sometimes more). Many people use sites like Rover.com or Care.com to find their own pet sitters; these websites list all sorts animal lovers who can help out with feeding and walking your dog or cat while they’re away from home
Grooming
While your pet may already have a good coat, grooming can be expensive. Groomers are professionals who have experience with different breeds and can help you keep your dog or cat looking great. Grooming helps keep pets healthy by removing loose hair that could cause skin irritation or infection, and helps prevent matting of the fur around their paws and tail.
If your pet is sick or injured, they may need regular grooming to remove mats in the fur before they heal so as not to create an obstacle for healing wounds. If you have an older canine companion who has difficulty shedding on his own, regular brushing will help keep him comfortable while getting rid of excess hair that might otherwise cause him discomfort. Cats also shed throughout their lives, but some cats lose more than others due to their breed or genetics; frequent brushing helps remove excess hair from these individuals so that it does not end up all over your furniture!
Boarding
Boarding is a service that your pet will need to get used to. It’s a lot like being left at daycare, except with more attention and affection from the staff. The cost of boarding your pet will depend on the type of facility you choose and the length of stay, but most facilities charge between $15 and $35 per night.
If you’re looking for a great place to board your dog while you’re traveling, try searching “pet boarding” or “dog boarding” in your city or town (and maybe even nearby cities). This will give you some options where you live as well as nearby cities if they offer reasonable rates or are closer than driving across town every day.
When visiting potential facilities, look for these qualities:
- Cleanliness: If it’s dirty inside there is no way I would trust them with my pup!
- Security: This includes things like cameras and fences around their property so that no one can just walk off with my dog! Also look for signs that say they have cameras in place because sometimes people assume everything has security cameras when only certain rooms do–it all depends on how big the building is too (like an old house versus something larger).
Having a pet is expensive and so is traveling with them.
Whether you are a pet owner or not, it is important to consider the costs of travel. When you have a pet, there are so many things that you have to think about as far as safety and comfort for them. Food, grooming and emergency care cost money. It is just one more thing to worry about when planning your vacation.
It might seem like traveling with your four-legged friend would be cheaper than traveling without them because they don’t need reservations or flights; they can ride in the back seat! However, depending on where you’re going (and how often), this could actually end up being more expensive than if you were flying solo with just yourself and no pets.
Unless you live close enough to visit home on weekends or plan on staying close by throughout your entire trip (which may still prove costly if gas prices rise), then bringing Fido along for his first taste of freedom will definitely take its toll financially in one way or another; whether it’s getting him into shape beforehand so he doesn’t get car sick too much from traveling long distances every day while being cooped up inside small spaces while driving around town/state/countryside during cold winter months
Conclusion
Hopefully the tips and tricks we have shared have helped you successfully bring your pet along on your next trip. It could be a stressful experience, but with enough planning, you can avoid all of it and have a lot of fun traveling with your furry friend!