More so than ever, pets are becoming part of the family. In many homes, pets are as loved and as pampered as children, and yet when it comes to holidays, many people are finding they have to put their pets in kennels or catteries to ensure they can actually take a break.
Cheap airfare has meant that more and more people are heading away by plane, assuming it will be the easiest and most cost-effective way to have a short break. However, in reality, the option that leaves you the most flexibility (and in many ways be the cheapest route) will be using ferry crossings, and going this route will usually mean that your pets can come along for the ride too.
For many, the family unit includes pets too and to be able to have a holiday with your pets in tow will make the time away even more rewarding. When you consider the cost of pet care for the time you are away, airport parking, transfers and the many other associated costs that come with flying, cheap ferries are suddenly even more appealing, especially when you consider that the cost of ferry crossings and petrol are shared between the whole family, rather than being a cost per person.
However, whilst this approach allows you to take your pets away, there are a few things you need to do before you go. If you are heading to the continent, you need to make sure that your pet has its own passport. To get one of these, your pet will need to be micro-chipped, vaccinated and have had all the relevant blood tests.
Once your pet has a passport, all that will remain to do is to book a crossing on cheap ferries and to ensure that you know the laws regarding pets in the country you are travelling to.