Easter Travel with Pets: Flying, Driving and Staycations

Travelling with your dog or cat over the Easter holidays? You’re in luck. New Zealand is perfect for taking a plane or road trip with your cat or dog. Pet friendly accommodation options are plentiful too.

In this article, PD Insurance outlines several tips for travelling with your dog or cat. We look at how to travel with your dog or cat on a plane and by car. We’ve also rounded up some options for pets staying home.

Let’s get that Easter holidays itinerary out!

Pet friendly getaways over the Easter holidays

More and more Kiwis are choosing to take pets along for the holidays. Our society is renowned as a nation of pet lovers; more and more holiday destinations are becoming pet friendly to accommodate our furry family members.

In our latest research, we asked 2,000 policyholders if they take pets on holidays and 52% said a resounding “Yes”.

If you’re one of the pet owners planning on travelling with your dog or cat over the Easter holidays, here are some great spots to visit and stay:

• 5 Purrrfect Pet Friendly NZ Airbnbs
• 5 Top Spots for a Luxury Pet Vacation or Pampering
• Dog Friendly Camping: Top Tips for a Great Getaway
• Our Top Tips for Pet Friendly Accommodation in Taupo

Prep your pet for travelling over Easter holidays

Travelling with your dog or cat by car or plane takes a bit of good prep. You don’t want your pets getting overheated, dehydrated or experiencing intense cabin fever, for a start. Additionally, there are a few pre-travel health steps you can take to keep them happy and healthy across the Easter holidays.

Here are some must haves for prepping your pet:

• Check cat microchip or dog microchip data is up to date (if they dash you want to be reunited easily)
• Get pet vaccination schedules on course (a requirement for some pet friendly accommodation)
• Check on their worming medication schedule (in our puppy health care milestones article)
• Ditto for flea treatment (who wants to come home itchy and bitey?)
• Crate training is good for car and air travel plus trips to the vet – read about choosing a pet carrier

Once you have your pet and their health checks ready, it’s time to rock and roll over the Easter holidays! Oh and since you’re planning for pets and Easter, keep in mind that chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats so keep those Easter eggs locked away.

Also be sure to have your pet insurance in place so if you need to rush Bella or Fido off to an unforeseen vet visit your plan helps cover the costs. After all, expensive vet bills aren’t subsidised like human health care, but pet insurance can help fill the gap.

Travelling with your dog or cat in a car

Travelling with your dog or cat by car is a great option. You can stop along the way for water or pee and poop breaks. And you get to tuck into scenic lookouts along the way at your leisure (if you’ve time). Essentially, car travel gives you ownership over your course and your choices because you’re the pilot.

While cars tend to be easier on pets than air travel, your dog or cat may still feel a bit cooped up. Not to mention they may do some strange things to your car. (Like nibbling the leather upholstery or leaving a poopy present on the seat).

Easter road trip holidays

Here are a few handy tips to make a road trip with your dog or cat smooth sailing:

• Pet proof your car. It’s a good idea to pet proof your car to protect both your pets and your vehicle during for road trips. Trust us, you don’t want to try getting rid of pee or poopy vibes that have gotten between the seats and through the upholstery.
• In-car pet safety. Read our tips for pet safety while driving. We cover cats, bunnies, big and small dogs, car sickness, animals in utes and more.
• Leashes and leads. Check out dog or cat leashes and leads that provide the equivalent security a seatbelt gives us humans. You might need a different type of leash for exiting the car and going walking.
• Pet travel Easter road trip guide. Check out our pet travel itinerary, including pre-travel vet visit tips and what to bring along for your fur baby.
• Pet road safety. Pet safety when you enter and exit your car is an important part of any road trip with your dog or cat. Not every pet will automatically know how to behave in these transitional moments. Read how to achieve pet safety on NZ roads so you can pave the way.

Also be sure to watch this PD Pet Care vlog for some fantastic pet safety tips for the car with Dr Cath Watson:

How to travel with your cat or dog on a plane

If you’re bigger fish to fry you might be travelling with your dog or cat by plane. This of course comes with a few requirements. For example, be aware NZ airlines might place travel restrictions on brachycephalic breeds.

Safety first

Flat-faced pets like the Pug and French Bulldog dogs and Burmese cats often struggle with breathing problems. This can lead to overheating. Both conditions can be unsafe for air travel. If you’re the proud parent of a flat-faced pup or puss, then a road trip with them may be the safer option.

Pets on board

If you’re travelling with dogs or cats by plane they’ll be stowed in the cargo hold. The only animals allowed in cabin are assistance dogs because they’re a medical support. Speaking of which, read about the best breeds for assistance dogs.

If you’re flying with a pet, be sure to book early and make sure they have capacity for your pet before booking your own ticket. The number of pets a flight will carry is limited so even if you have a seat this doesn’t guarantee a spot for your fur baby.

Contact the airline well in advance (not all carriers take pets) and find out what their requirements are. Our article on flying with pets outlines a checklist, rough costs and more on restrictions for travelling with dogs or cats.

Travelling with your dog or cat from NZ to Australia

If you’re taking your dog from New Zealand to Australia then that article 👈 will cover your questions. Read about some great pet friendly accommodation across Australia:

• Pet friendly accommodation in WA
• Pet friendly accommodation in NSW
• Pet friendly Airbnbs

That being said, not everyone is planning to take a road trip or fly with their cat or dog. Let’s take a look at solutions for those pets staying home over the Easter holidays…

Pet staycations

Our survey shows that 19% of our policyholders have had to cancel a holiday (or not booked it at all) because they couldn’t find care for their pet.

Not to worry, more and more innovative options exist to satisfy your pet’s needs if they’re not joining you over the Easter holidays. We’re well aware leaving your cat home and leaving your dog home alone can lead to separation anxiety in pets. No-one wants that for pets!

Read about options to see what suits your pet, your budget and you:

• Pet boarding
• Kennels vs pet sitters
• How to find a good pet sitter
• Pet sharing

We’ve also rounded up some great pet technology like a pet tracker to help keep pets safe when you’re away for the day. For those of you staying home over the Easter holidays, read about top dog friendly beaches in New Zealand. We’ve also rounded up five fabulous dog walks in Auckland for those in the North.

Safety with award winning pet insurance

Heaven forbid anything nasty should happen to your pet over the Easter holidays. But if it does, consider getting pet insurance in advance to provide them with a soft landing. Whether they break into your chocolate Easter egg stash and get chocolate poisoning or get lost and hurt by a car or another animal, vet costs can be high.

Accidents, illness and dental (you choose)

From medication to overnight stays, surgery and more – the skill and equipment is on par with that of human health care and the costs require careful planning. Award winning dog insurance and cat insurance means you won’t need to make head over heart decisions. You can rest easy knowing you’ve got your pet covered.

Third party liability

Besides covering a wide range of medical expenses across illnesses, injuries, allergies and more, pet insurance also offers third party liability cover. If your usually well-behaved dog bites the pet sitter, or your always-innocent cat scratches the couch cover off at your Airbnb, you’ll be financially covered too. Great for peace of mind at home and when you’re travelling with your dog or cat.

One or more months FREE

See how much we care! Your pet insurance covers your pets and your pocket. Plus, you’ll get one or more months of free insurance when you sign up. Click below to get a quote and decide when you’re ready.