Local Travel Tip

I recently took 2 friends of mine with me to the pet store when I went to buy crickets for my pet tarantula. The excessive amount of cute puppies, birds, fish, and gerbils influenced them that it was time to fulfill there dream of having their very own pet. After a lot of consideration they decided that a gerbil would be a good option.

When we were standing in line a nice veteran (not veterinarian) very easily convinced these 2 girls that a rat makes a much better pet. They picked the most timid and pale of the litter and spent $40 on accessories to make their $1.50 rodent comfortable. While looking at Borat (thats his christened name) I remembered a story about some naive tourists who brought an overgrown sewer rat home from Mexico because they thought it was a Chihuahua.

I did some research and found several variations of the story. Some where duped by a man selling baby chihuahas, others rescued a drowning dog in San Francisco Bay. Some versions claimed that they took it to the vet for shots and the vet broke the news and others said that they came home from work only to find that their pet cat had been eaten. Even though there is alot of material online I still wasn’t convinced. I have always called chihuahuas rats but are there really any rats that could be mistaken for a dog, or tourists that are stupid enough to confuse them? Check out the pictures and tell me what you think.

Traveling with a pet seems like it would be a horrible experience- but if it must be done here are a few tips to help the situation:

- Ensure that your travel destination allows pets

- Take your pet on a long walk before leaving

- If you are flying or riding on a train, be sure to call your to discuss the company’s policy

- Pack some  dog treats and take enough water

- Consider sedating your pet for the trip, be sure to consult your veterinarian for an appropriate tranquilizer, and first try the tranquilizer at home

- Make frequent stops to allow for exercise, food, and water

- Never leave your pet unattended in a car, especially in the heat

Traveling Pet

This puppy sure looks cute- but will it look as cute after ten hours in the car?

Good luck traveling with your pet!