How to Find Veterinarians When You’re Traveling
Are you one of the 161 million Americans traveling this holiday season?
If you’re also traveling with your pet, do your homework
before you leave!
Holiday Travel 2021
Holiday travel is predicted to reach pre-pandemic numbers this year with nearly 63% of Americans aged 18 and older! After two confining years with the pandemic, millions are expected to travel for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other holidays.
Of those travelers, 7 in 10 will be driving to their destinations and 38% will be including their pets in their holiday travels and the majority will likely be women. Those numbers reinforce the fact that 42% of Americans find traveling with a pet appealing.
With 23 million American households acquiring a pet during the pandemic
(one in five households), that’s a lot of furry friends traveling for the holidays!
But before you grab your luggage and lock that front door on your way out, be prepared!
Make a List and Check it Twice!
Road trips with our furry best friends can be a fun adventure! But it’s important to be prepared before hitting the road in the event of a pet illness, injury or emergency. The best time to find a vet is before you need one!
While no one likes to think of the worst happening, it’s best to be prepared for your peace of mind especially when you are traveling outside your local town or community. So how do your find vets when you’re traveling?
· Start with your regular veterinarian and ask for recommendations in the areas you plan to visit.
· Word-of-mouth is often the best way to find a good vet:
- Seek out local breed-specific clubs for referrals.
- Contact local rescues or humane societies.
- If you’re already staying in a town and need a vet, ask the locals for assistance.
Online Resources: Vets and Hospitals
Today there are a variety of web resources to help a traveling pet owner locate veterinary clinics and hospitals along their route. Create a list beforehand or at a minimum, print out this list and keep it handy.
· Area Vet Practices: Use the AVMA website to search state veterinary medical associations for local vets.
· Local Vets by State/City/Metro Areas: GreatVet
· Local Veterinarians: Pets Best
· USA Veterinarians Directory: USA Veterinarians
· Emergency Vets by State: Emergency Vets USA
· Holistic Veterinarians: American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) website.
· USDA Accredited Veterinarians: USDA
· Accredited Pet Emergency Hospitals: AAHA-Accredited Pet Emergency Hospitals.
· State Veterinary Boards: Find your state and search for the local listing of veterinarians.
· Bring Fido: Search under “Pet Services” for the area
· Veterinary Organizations and Associations
Download an App!
There’s another great option for vet support while on the road. Vets-on-Demand mobile apps can be easily downloaded to your iPhone or Android for instant access at your fingertips! Below are just a few of the Vets-on-Demands apps available.
· Banfield Pet Hospital
· Airvet
· FirstVet
· Fuzzy
· PetCoach
First time traveling with your pet?
Check out the extensive AVMA Checklist and FAQs for getting prepared for the best travel experience for you and your pet!
Traveling this Holiday and Need to Board Your Dog?
Make your reservation for our Family Style Boarding or our Board to Train before space
fills up for the December holidays!
Call 480-382-0144 or send us an email to schedule.
Serving Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe and East Valley areas of Arizona.
