My daughter and I recently traveled with her pet rabbit for the first time. Traveling with a pet may seem stressful, especially the first time. You are likely concerned with the process or how your animal might respond to traveling. I know I definitely was!
Here are some things to be aware of prior to traveling with your pet.
If you are flying with your pet, it is important to note that many airlines do not allow animals in the cabin with their owners unless the animal is a registered service animal. In some cases, like with a rabbit, it could be dangerous for your pet to go underneath the airplane with the rest of the cargo as that area is not as cool as the cabin.
Not all airlines that accept cats and dogs will allow rabbits in the cabin.
Bunny Friendly Airlines:
Here are a few that we found would allow Ollie to stay with us. ote fees vary based on the airline.
Frontier
Alaska Airlines
Avelo
Spirit
It’s important to do your research and find an airline that will let your animal on the plane with you as long as it’s in an approved carrier under the seat. Having it in a carrier under your seat also allows you to pet and calm the animal if need be during the flight
We chose the Smiling Paws Pet Carrier for Ollie. This carrier met the airline guidelines and also offered expansion that gave him lots of room to spread out while waiting to board.
When flying with a rabbit or other small animal, you will be asked to take them out of their carrier at TSA and walk through the metal detector with them. Depending on the animal, this may be one of the most stressful parts for the owner prior to traveling, but it is truly such a fast process. It is also important to communicate with the TSA agents that you have a pet that you’re going to be removing from the carrier. At one of our airports, they even mentioned that our rabbit should be taken out if possible. For Ollie, it was no problem, but if you have an animal that may not be able to come out of the carrier, TSA may be able to work with you to make sure that everyone is comfortable, especially the animal.
Bring something small and familiar from home. Traveling is stressful for humans, so it’s important to remember that it will also be stressful for animals. Bringing something that they’re familiar with will help calm their nerves.
We put Ollie’s favorite blanket from home inside his carrier and packed a little tupperware container of his favorite treat (fresh blueberries) to make sure that he was as comfortable as possible on the flight. If you’re traveling with an animal that has a favorite toy, bring that. Whatever you can bring that will make the flight less stressful is a good idea.
A stressed animal may refuse water or food. Fresh fruits are a great treat to bring as they naturally contain water to help prevent dehydration. Ollie was not drinking, but he rarely refuses a blueberry!
Traveling with an animal can be stressful, both for the pet and the owner, but there are so many little things you can do to make it less stressful. Bringing something small and familiar from home, communicating with airport staff to make sure everything goes efficiently, and booking your flight on an airline that allow you to keep your pet with you will all help minimize the stress. If you follow these simple tips, you will be surprised how well your animal does on their first trip!
