Traveling with pets isn't a big issue for backpackers -- we're normally about as footloose and pet-free as travelers get. However, if traveling with pets comes up for you, there is plenty you need to know about pet travel. Get the whole scoop on traveling with pets...
Bringing Pets to Mexico
Along with Canada, the most likely country to which you might want to bring animals is Mexico -- since it's so easy to drive to Mexico, bringing pets to Mexico may very well come up for you. Find out what you need to know about bringing pets to Mexico from About.com's Guide to Mexico Travel, Suzanne Barbezat (and what you need to know about Mexico travel) before you go.Bringing Pets to Canada
I grew up in Washington state, and carting cats and dogs back and forth across the border has never been a big deal -- they do need a certificate of rabies vaccination after a certain age, though. You can get more info from About.com's Guide to Canada Travel, Jane McLean.Bringing Pets On Airplanes
Yep, there's plenty to ponder when considering bring pets on airplanes -- most of it things about which I'd never have thought (and note that among the toughest places for pet importation are Hawaii, UK, and Australia). Get the pets-on-planes skinny from About.com's Guide to Air Travel, Arlene Fleming (and learn what else you need to know about air travel before you buy the next ticket, too).Bringing Pets to Hotels
Bringing pets to hostels is pretty much not done. Don't bother. And hostels often have cats around if you're in need a of a furry fix. However, hotels *do* have lots o' traveling with pets provisions; learn what's involved with bringing pets to hotels from About.com's Guide to Hotels, Charlyn Keating Chisholm (and learn more about hostels, too).Traveling With Pets to the UK
The UK's a place where you're likely to spend up to a year if you're studying abroad there, and it's one of the more popular study abroad destinations. And a year's a long time to be without your pet. So if you want to bring pets to the UK, know what ypu're going to have to do in advance with this guide to traveling with pets to the UK from UK travel writer Ferne Arfin, and specialized info on traveling with pets to Ireland from Bernd Biege (and get the lowdown on UK travel for backpackers and students, too).Taking Pets to Hawaii
Going to college in Hawaii is soooo tempting, as is the idea of a winter off spent on Kauai. And because Hawaii's a state, you might assume taking pets to Hawaii is like taking pets to Massachusetts -- but Hawaii's an island, and quarantine rules apply. Long before you make the decision to spend the winter on the sand, learn what's involved in taking pets to Hawaii from About.com's Guide to Hawaii, John Fischer.Traveling With Pets in Europe
About.com's Guide to Europe, James Martin, has a good roundup of info on traveling with pets in Europe: And a few more detailed details:Traveling With Pets in Asia
Check out these About.com resources:- Bringing Pets to China
- Bringing Pets to Hong Kong
- Shizuko Mishima, About.com's Guide to Japan, knows a bit about bringing pets to Japan -- she suggests asking about it in her Japan travel forum
- You can do the same -- ask other travelers -- on the travel forums for Australia and New Zealand, India, and Southeast Asia.
