Traveling With Pets

Summary

The Wirecutter Show: Traveling With Pets

Release Date: October 30, 2024
Hosts: Christine Cyr Clissette, Kyra Blackwell, Rosie Guerin
Guest: Mel Plout, Wirecutter Staff Pet Gear Writer

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Introduction

In this episode titled "Traveling With Pets," hosts Christine Cyr Clissette, Kyra Blackwell, and Rosie Guerin delve into the challenges and best practices of traveling with pets. They are joined by Mel Plout, an expert in pet gear and an experienced traveler with pets, who shares invaluable insights from their extensive testing and personal adventures.

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Personal Experiences and Realizations

Kyra Blackwell opens the discussion by candidly sharing her experiences traveling with her nearly decade-old black cat. She admits, “Maybe I should have known that [traveling with a pet in a backpack] was bad. Am I a bad pet parent?” ([01:28]). This admission sets the stage for a deeper exploration into proper pet travel practices.

Christine and Rosie commend Kyra’s efforts, with Christine humorously noting, “I am impressed that you can even travel with your cat. My cat freaks out if we even open the door of our apartment” ([00:32]).

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Expert Insights: Mel Plout’s Pet Carrier Testing

Mel Plout joins the conversation, bringing a wealth of knowledge from Wirecutter’s rigorous testing processes. Mel explains their comprehensive approach to testing pet carriers, which includes:

• Durability Testing: Using simulated pet behaviors to test carrier resilience. For example, Mel describes rubbing a “vomit concoction” inside carriers to assess cleanliness and resistance ([06:18], [06:33]).

• Comfort and Safety Assessments: Mel carried a 15-pound bag of rice in each carrier to evaluate human comfort and structural integrity during simulated long hours of travel ([07:33]).

• Ventilation Measurements: Adhering to International Air Transport Association guidelines, Mel meticulously measured ventilation areas to ensure carriers meet or exceed safety standards ([08:34], [09:31]).

Mel also shares amusing anecdotes from testing, such as nearly adopting 20 new cats at a rescue organization after observing their interactions with different carriers ([09:44]).

Notable Quote:
“We have to hold them snugly so they don’t become projectiles in case of sudden stops or crashes” — Mel Plout ([13:11]).

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Traveling by Car with Pets

The hosts transition to the specifics of car travel. Mel emphasizes the importance of restraining pets to prevent distractions and ensure safety:

• Carrier Size and Fit: Mel advises measuring pets based on manufacturer guidelines, ensuring they can sit, stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably within the carrier ([11:55], [12:57]).

• Securing the Carrier: Utilizing tie-down hooks or seatbelt attachments is crucial to prevent the carrier from moving during transit ([19:38]).

• Risks of Unrestrained Travel: Kyra admits to previously allowing her cat to roam the car, only to learn it poses significant safety risks, such as becoming a projectile or causing driver distraction ([13:11]).

Notable Quote:
“Some form of restraint is better than none. No pet should be roaming around” — Mel Plout ([11:01]).

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Flying with Pets

The conversation shifts to the complexities of air travel with pets. Mel outlines the key considerations and challenges:

• Airline Policies: Each airline has unique regulations regarding pet carriers, including size restrictions and the number of pets allowed in the cabin. It’s essential to verify these details in advance ([25:11], [26:34]).

• Carrier Requirements: Choosing a carrier that closely matches airline specifications while ensuring pet comfort is paramount. Mel highlights the difficulty in standardizing carriers due to varying airline rules ([27:39], [27:41]).

• Handling Accidents: Preparing for potential pet accidents on the plane involves bringing wet wipes, pee pads, and plastic bags. Mel stresses the importance of being conscientious toward fellow passengers and managing clean-up discreetly ([28:14], [28:27]).

Notable Quote:
“Each airline likely has its own size requirements for a carrier for in-cabin travel” — Mel Plout ([25:50]).

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International Travel with Pets

Traveling internationally introduces additional layers of complexity:

• Health Certifications: Most countries require a vet-issued health certificate within a specific timeframe before travel. Mel recounts the meticulous process of obtaining these documents, including microchipping and vaccinations ([35:08], [35:13]).

• Country-Specific Regulations: Each destination may have unique requirements. Thorough research and advance planning are critical to ensure compliance and the pet’s safety ([35:31]).

Notable Quote:
“For international travel, most countries will require your animal to have a microchip” — Mel Plout ([35:08]).

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Controversial Topic: Misuse of Service Dog Certifications

A particularly sensitive segment addresses the inappropriate use of service dog certifications to bypass pet travel regulations:

• Abuse of System: Mel strongly criticizes individuals falsely using service dog status to bring large pets on flights, highlighting how it undermines genuine accessibility needs ([37:03], [38:45]).

• Impact on Genuine Service Animals: Misuse leads to stricter regulations and increased difficulties for individuals who truly rely on service dogs for assistance ([38:51]).

Notable Quote:
“No, it's not okay. It ruins it for the people who genuinely have to travel with actual trained service dogs” — Mel Plout ([37:03]).

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Final Takeaways and Recommendations

As the episode nears its conclusion, the hosts and Mel summarize actionable advice for listeners:

• Securing Pets in Vehicles: Ensure carriers are appropriately sized and securely fastened to prevent movement during travel ([41:02]).

• Preparing for Air Travel: Equip carriers with necessary hygiene supplies and consider behavioral strategies for anxious pets. Mel recommends using pheromone sprays and consulting with a vet for anxiety management ([41:21], [41:45]).

• Booking Pet-Friendly Accommodations: Advance reservations are crucial, as availability can be limited and fees may vary ([33:24]).

• Microchipping and Identification: Regardless of travel plans, microchipping pets enhances their safety and increases the likelihood of recovery if they become lost ([34:32]).

Notable Quote:
“Any medication that's new, do it at home when you're within spitting distance of your vet” — Mel Plout ([33:07]).

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with personal reflections from Rosie and Kyra, emphasizing the importance of responsible pet travel and the sacrifices involved in being a dedicated pet parent. They underscore the necessity of preparation, understanding regulations, and prioritizing pet safety to ensure enjoyable and stress-free journeys.

Final Thought from Kyra:
“For me, it's definitely restrain my cat when I'm driving upstate next time. And I also think I need to get a new carrier” ([41:02]).

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For more detailed recommendations and product links mentioned in this episode, visit nytimes.com/wirecutter.

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This summary captures the essence of "Traveling With Pets" from The Wirecutter Show, providing listeners with comprehensive insights and practical advice for pet-friendly travel.

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

This podcast is brought to you by Apple Pay. When you've got a gift list to finish, the last thing you want to do is take out your wallet a million times. Instead, pay the Apple way. With Apple Pay, you can pay with a phone you're already holding. Just double click, smile at face ID tap, and you're done. The people in line behind you will thank you. Apple Pay is a service provided by Apple Payment Services, llc, a subsidiary of Apple Inc. Any card used in Apple Pay is offered by the card issuer.

[Kyra Blackwell]

From the New York Times, you're listening to the Wirecutter Show.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Hey, everyone, it's the Wirecutter Show. I'm Christine Cyr Clissette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Rosie Guerin]

And I'm Rosie Guerin. And we work at Wirecutter, the product recommendation site from the New York Times.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Each week, we bring you expert advice from Our newsroom of 140 journalists who review everyday products that will make your life better.

[Kyra Blackwell]

This episode of the Wirecutter show is called Traveling with Pets. Rosie. Christine.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Hello.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Hi. I'm a little bit ashamed to say that I think it's my turn to say that I don't think that I've been doing something right.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Really hot seat. Do tell.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah, I'm in the hot seat. So, basically, I've had a cat. He's a very large, black cat for almost 10 years now. I take him with me everywhere. But after reading Wirecutter's guide on pet carriers, I'm starting to think that maybe I've been traveling with him all wrong.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Oh, really?

[Rosie Guerin]

Your biggest mistake is reading wire cutter?

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Well, I am impressed that you can even travel with your cat. My cat freaks out if we even open the door of our apartment.

[Rosie Guerin]

That's impressive.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, he's my little road dog.

[Mel Plout]

He just.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I throw him in a backpack and I just go. But, yeah, no, I'm also. That's not the way. Maybe that's. It's too easy. And I should have known that that was bad. Am I a bad pet parent?

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Well, what are you doing? What exactly is happening?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, I drive upstate with him almost once a month, and I will just let him roam free in the car and sit in my lap because otherwise he just cries the whole time.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Right.

[Kyra Blackwell]

It drives me crazy.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

I mean, if traveling with pets is anything like traveling with kids, I think that's probably a no. No, Right? Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

I'd like to say I don't think you're a bad mom. I think you have good intentions. But I perhaps think Maybe it's time to rethink the approach.

[Mel Plout]

Fair?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Fair.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Well, being Wirecutter, we do have the perfect person to talk to. We're going to bring Mel Plout on today. Mel is Wirecutter staff pet gear writer and they are so knowledgeable about this topic. They've written about all types of pet gear for Wire Cutter and for their most recent guide, they tested a ton of pet carriers. Mel interviewed vets, crash test, safety experts, and service dog organizations to lear about what you should be looking for in a pet carrier and basically about pet travel in general. Mel also has a lot of experience traveling with pets. They've traveled to Italy with three cats, which is wild.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Wow.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

And also traveled across the country with their dog, Dave.

[Rosie Guerin]

Dave.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

I'm looking forward to learning more about Dave.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I love when pets have people names.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

It's funny.

[Mel Plout]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I think Mel is going to be great to talk to because they can tell us about all the things you absolutely can't do or take shortcuts on when traveling with your pets and the things that you you didn't even know you were doing wrong.

[Rosie Guerin]

This sounds juicy and I'm just excited to hopefully figure out some more information about what the rules are because I know that there are rules out there, but they're not clear. There's not clear guidance on what's best, what's most convenient, but also what's safest, both for you and your pet.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah. And you know, the rules change depending on how you travel. So we're going to start talking about car travel and then later we'll talk about flying with your pets.

[Rosie Guerin]

Let's do it.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

All right, we'll take a quick break and be back with Mel Plout, our pet writer. See you in a sec.

[Podcast Announcer]

This podcast is brought to you by Apple Pay. During the holidays, I'm a big online shopper thanks to Apple Pay, and that's because I don't have to waste time typing all my info into those long checkout forms. Plus, Apple Pay is made to be secure thanks to the built in technology of Face id, which is designed so that only I can authorize payments this season. Do what I do and pay the Apple way. Apple Pay is a service provided by Apple Payment Services llc, a subsidiary of Apple Inc. Any card used in Apple Pay is offered by the card issuer.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

What I like about the New York Times app is how much variety it gives me. I start my day with a cup.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Of coffee and wordle and connections, which.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Is all in the New York Times app. It's well organized it's multimedia.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I can also save my articles easily in this area.

[Mel Plout]

I can add politics or Paul Krugman for Jamelle Bowie. I like him.

[Rosie Guerin]

I like that the cooking tab on.

[Mel Plout]

Top is really easily accessible. So if I'm on my way home and I'm just thinking, oh, what am I going to make for dinner? I'll just quickly go on to cooking and say, oh, I've got this in my pantry.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

The photos are just phenomenal. I have my saved articles, my entire.

[Mel Plout]

History, which is actually very interesting. I'm just scrolling through the home tab. There's already so much stuff. I'm like, oh, interesting. I spent a lot of time too on Wirecutter.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

I like that it's just right there. I loved how much content it exposed me to. Things that I never would have thought to turn to a news app for the New York Times app, All the times all in one place. Download it [e-mail] app.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Welcome back to the Wirecutter Show. With us in the studio today is Mel Plout. Mel is a Wirecutter staff writer who covers all things pet gear and of course, a longtime pet owner and lover. Mel's tested over 100 products for pets like dog beds and pet water fountains. But More recently, their 65 pound dog, Dave actually joined them on several long road trips across the US which is basically firsthand testing at its best.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Mel, welcome to the Wirecutter Show.

[Mel Plout]

Thanks for having me.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

It's great to have you here.

[Rosie Guerin]

So, Mel, I know you recently wrote a guide for Wirecutter about pet carriers for cats and small dogs. Before we get into the recommendations, I want to know, how did you test these things? What was that process?

[Mel Plout]

So initially, so I get all the bags and, you know, I do a lot of like, what I can do without an animal. So I'm like recreating a vomit concoction.

[Rosie Guerin]

Sorry, what?

[Mel Plout]

Vomit?

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, concoction, concoction.

[Mel Plout]

And it's not as bad as you might think. I take a pretty smelly dog food and I like mix it up with water. And dog food's very oily and gross to us, not to them. And so I kind of would rub that inside of each carrier on the walls and on the bedding. And this time I didn't do the fake cat pee. I've emulated cat pee, but I didn't have the materials. You have to like, buy this stuff that I feel like puts me on a Homeland security list somewhere. I was like, I did that for like the litter guide and I did that for other things. But I didn't have the. The ability to do that this time. So I get it all disgusting. I let it sit. Then I do a bunch of spot cleaning. Then I wash whatever I can in the washing machine. So there's a lot of cleanliness testing. I take these meat shredder claws. Make you look like wolverine.

[Kyra Blackwell]

What are they actually supposed to be used for?

[Mel Plout]

Meat shredder.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Literally just make shredded chicken.

[Mel Plout]

Yeah, exactly. And they're really sharp. They're plastic.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And then you just take them to.

[Mel Plout]

These carriers and I go to hunt them. Yeah. And so I see if there's any tears, if the mesh will hold. Like, this is your worst nightmare. A cat. Especially like dogs are. I mean, I don't want to say dogs are dumber. I love dogs. I have a dog. But cats are like, very good at ruining your plan, correct? Oh, yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

They're ruining anything. They're ruining my attention.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

My cat ruins my entire apartment all the time.

[Mel Plout]

Exactly. So you don't want a cat to break out of the mesh. So I'm gripping the mesh or trying to rip the mesh as best I can. I'm trying to poke out from inside with the zippers to see if the zippers are secure. I was also testing for human comfort. Like, how comfortable are these to carry around? So I got a 15 pound bag of rice, because no animal should be subjected to this. And then I took each carrier, put the 15 pound bag of rice in, and I walked up and down hills in summer in Los Angeles for 10 minutes per bag. It was like the worst CrossFit workout I've ever done in my life.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Getting that workout during work. I like that.

[Mel Plout]

Yeah. And then the other thing I did was I also measured all the square inches of ventilation. I based my benchmark on the International Air Transport Association's guidelines. They have very solid, clear guidelines for kennels that you're going to put in a cargo hold in a plane. They want your carrier to have 16% of the carrier to be ventilation. But it's 16% of the four sides, not including the top or bottom. I'm not sure why. So I did all these. All this kind of math. I did a lot of calculations and like there with my tape measure, measuring each mesh panel and then measuring the whole thing and then doing percentages. That was really fun. That was a great spreadsheet that no one should ever have to look at. But basically they all either met or exceeded that. So nobody was under. There was one that was at 16%.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And not below because you know, you don't have cats anymore. I thought I read in your guide that you had gone to the local shelter to enlist some pet help too. Right?

[Mel Plout]

Day of my life.

[Kyra Blackwell]

That's so fun.

[Mel Plout]

I almost ended up with 20 new cats.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Of course you did.

[Mel Plout]

Yes. I went to a rescue organization in LA called Kitten Rescue LA and just set the carriers down. Like, I had my sense of what would be the picks, but I was like, well, let's. Let's let some cats go at these. And I did have, like, two different dogs sort of come in and give their opinions as well. But cats are more opinionated typically, of course. But yeah, these kittens and cats were, like, biting at the straps and, like, clawing at every possible thing and, like, fighting in and out. And then there was, like, a party and the one that expands. So then there was, like, as many cats as you could fit in them. They're like, oh, I want to get in there. I could fit in there. And then somebody sitting on top and trying to. It was really fun. I really did almost leave there with, like, several new cats.

[Kyra Blackwell]

It's worth doing the math when you get to do something like that.

[Mel Plout]

Oh, absolutely. Yeah.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Okay. So, Mel, let's talk about traveling with your pets by car. Um, I was actually recently on this road trip, and I feel like everywhere I went, I saw a dog with its head out of the window, just kind of like hanging out there in the breeze, living their best life. But I kind of think that this is probably not the right way to travel with your pet. Right?

[Mel Plout]

Yeah. I. I mean, the consensus is you, Your pet, should always be restrained in the car, and that some form of restraint is better than none. So no pet should be roaming around. Nobody should be sitting in your lap in the front seat, and they shouldn't also be in the passenger seat. Cause they can get injured by airbags. Now, it depends what your pet will tolerate, what you can afford and what kind of car you have. But you should be putting them in something, especially cats. Like dogs, it's best to put them in a kennel. It's the supposedly safest thing. But there are some harnesses that you could, like, try to attach them to the seatbelt with.

[Kyra Blackwell]

What about, like, I have a really big cat, and I've had a problem where I've bought a carrier that seems like it's a little bit too small. Should I have been measuring him, literally, from, like, head to tail to see what size carrier I should get?

[Mel Plout]

You should measure according to what the manufacturer says, because, again, there's this kind of hole in the research where, partly because it's underfunded, it's not like the government is funding this kind of stuff. They don't do the same for pet travel as they do for kid travel, like kids in cars and car seats. So each manufacturer kind of has its own ideas about what a good fit is. What the consensus is for sizing, to the degree that there is any consensus, is your pet should be able to sit, stand up, turn around, and lay back down. They should have that much room. But the other caveat is, like, especially for dogs, the sizing should be smaller for a travel kennel than it should be for a home crate. Because if there is, like, a hard stop or an emergency maneuver or, you know, a crash, you want kind of a smaller space for them to bang around in, but just enough still that they can be somewhat comfortable.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Can you tell me, because I am one of those bad pet parents that I really do let my cat just sit in my lap because he cries otherwise or whatever. But after reading your guide, hearing you say it today, that is very bad. Can you tell me why?

[Mel Plout]

Because they'll become a projectile. Number one, in the event of something terrible happening, even if you, like, have to just hit the brakes, you know, they'll maybe hit the steering wheel. And number two, they're like, a huge cause of distracted driving. So they may actually be the cause of that crash because you're just like, oh, look how cute you are. And I will say, don't beat yourself up too much, because, you know, when I was writing this carrier's guide, I was like, I texted my wife, and I was like, do we have pictures of, like, you know, one of these road trips with the cats? And so she. She sent pictures. I mean, this is, again, like, now I know too much. And so it's more. Almost more stressful of, like, one of our cats. And there's, like, me driving with her in my lap, and she's looking out the window, and you think it's cute. But I actually think now, in retrospect, that she was probably just. Just as stressed out in my lap as she was in the carrier.

[Rosie Guerin]

What's the concern about the window specifically?

[Mel Plout]

So a cat, you're probably not gonna let, like, she was looking out the closed window. I would never open the window for a cat. And a lot of people open the window for dogs. And through my reporting, you know, I spoke to people at the American Kennel Club, AKC and vets, and they see a lot of injuries of one Eye injuries from debris in the road, getting kicked up into a dog's eyes. And number two, dogs falling out the window.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh my God.

[Mel Plout]

And in fact, that's like one of the vets was like, this is. We see this way more than just crashes. Right. I mean it's much more common for a dog to get injured that way. And she did say if your dog can fit their nose out the window, they can get their body out if they really want to. Sorry to be a buzzkill for everybody.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

But it kind of feels like the state of traveling with pets right now, regulation wise, is maybe a little bit like being a kid in the 80s. Cause you could just like right around without a seatbelt right in the back of the truck, which I did a lot. But you mentioned earlier that it's rock and roll.

[Mel Plout]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Just like hardcore fun. That's super fun as a kid, honestly.

[Mel Plout]

Look, you're here today, so what do we even talk? Your safe case closed.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

But to your earlier point, you mentioned that there really isn't any federal regulation around things like pet carriers or how you even travel with your pet.

[Podcast Announcer]

Right.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

There's no rules about this. Which brings me to the question.

[Mel Plout]

Well, there is for air travel.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

For air travel. Okay, so we'll get to that in a few minutes. But when we're talking about a pet carrier or a crate to travel with your pet, what are you looking for? What are there safety certifications or something that when you were figuring out what to test that you were looking for?

[Mel Plout]

There is one organization that we're aware of and there could be some like much smaller outfit doing this, although I highly doubt it, cause of the expense involved, that is doing this. One organization that's independent, nonprofit, that is doing crash testing for carriers, kennels and harnesses to a certain degree. And manufacturers that make these things can pay them a fee to have them coordinate this crash testing. It's called the center for Pet Safety. And so that is the only one I am aware of in this country that is doing anything like that independently. A lot of companies will say our thing is crash tested and they're not doing it through the center for Pet Safety. And that may be all well and good. It doesn't mean it's bad crash testing. But the center for Pet Safety has its own set of standards where if a company does crash testing and passes with them and they make any changes, significant changes, non aesthetic changes to the product, they have to recertify. When I was looking, it was a very good sign that a company was willing to Invest in doing it with an independent entity. So they could say, we've been crash tested by the center for Pet Safety. Is it a perfect system? No. And they'll be the first to tell you that too. There's no way to recreate all the variables involved.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Does getting one of these carriers that has this certification from the center of Pet Safety, does it increase the cost of a pet carrier? Are those usually more expensive?

[Mel Plout]

Yes.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah. Okay. And are there other things that you should be looking for inside a carrier to look like, secure your animal inside the carrier, or is it just fine that they're kind of like moving around in there?

[Mel Plout]

They should not. So a lot of the carriers, like the smaller, you know, soft sided carriers for cats and small dogs will come with like a leash tether. But that is not something you should actually attach while you're in motion, especially in a car. It's something to sort of say, okay, I'm gonna like, I'm in the airport and I wanna like reach in and pet you and make sure you're okay, or give you a drink of water treat, but you're attaching them to that so that they can't bolt.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Got it.

[Mel Plout]

My nightmare was like a cat breaking out and being somewhere JFK loose in the airport. And then I end up on the COVID of the New York Post.

[Rosie Guerin]

I would option that article, I'd make that movie and I'd watch that movie.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Cats on a plane that happened to be at Amtrak.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Actually, my cat got out because I had a terrible carrier that had a zipper on the bottom. For some reason, he dropped through the carrier while we were on the train and he bolted just down the train and somebody at the end of the train, I ran through the entire train. Somebody had him, they just picked him up and they were like, I guess this is yours.

[Mel Plout]

You're like, stop that cat.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, that's the end of the trailer for the film. We'll sidebar.

[Mel Plout]

Yeah, I think there are a couple of other things I would look for though. So, like, you want it to be comfortable for your pet. The carriers, especially the kennels, you're gonna have to like kind of supply that yourself, putting a bed inside or something. But most of the carriers come with some sort of soft bottom. Ventilation is another good thing, but also especially for cats, like the ability to like close. Like we've been calling them privacy panels, where you're like, you have all this ventilation, but you just wanna dissociate and you wanna pretend that this isn't happening. Like, I get it, like let's make it a dark little den for you. So you can just pretend Derek, my.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Cat would like that.

[Kyra Blackwell]

He doesn't.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yes, Derek, bless him.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay, so let's say that you have a rowdy pet, or specifically a dog, I would think, and you know that you need to put them in a crate in the back. Can you just explain, like, does that need to be strapped down somehow or is it fine as is?

[Mel Plout]

It should always be strapped down. How so if you have like, you know, like a SUV or a crossover SUV or a minivan, something like that, it's much easier because you have that cargo area. And so often, you know, car manufacturers will have these, like tie down hooks in the back that you can like put ratchet straps through or like straps with cam buckles. You know, it's meant to secure cargo because really anything can be a projectile in a car crash. So there, you can make use of those. But there's other things, like the things on the back of the back seat called like the latch system, which is built for child car seats.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, we use them in the car seats. They're like those anchors and you. Yeah, exactly.

[Mel Plout]

So you can, you can like put your straps through those as well. If it's in the backseat, it's a little bit harder. So you sort of have to do what you can and you just like find what's in your car. You know, it's again, like, it's just not perfect because every car is different. The car manufacturers are a little bit less invested in like the strength of the hooks for your cargo and your dog than they are in your latch system for your child. Like, they will do that, but you know, they will test those and care about that. I think it's a little bit harder for them to figure out how to, how to do it for pet travel.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Mel, in our pet carrier guide, you feature six pet carriers that are good for traveling with your pets. And we've linked to all of those in the show notes for listeners. But I'm curious, our top pick, it is actually not crash tested. Can you tell us what that pick is and why? It's okay that it is not crash tested.

[Mel Plout]

So that pick is the sturdybag pro 2.0.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

And is that for cats and dogs? Is it just for cats?

[Mel Plout]

It's for cats or cats and small dogs? Yeah. It has a weight limit. So crash testing is all well and good. It's again, not perfect. So how much can we weight it against other features? And what the sturdy bag had that from personal experience, I know to be important is that it is the only one where almost all of it can be machine washed.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, yes, that's nice.

[Mel Plout]

So you have to take, like, these flexible rods out, and there's like a hard little foam core board in a pocket at the bottom underneath the pad. And you take all these little things out, and you can put the whole thing in the wash. Wow. And in the testing and in my personal unfortunate experience, that is incredibly important, especially for cats. For dogs? Yes. Like, their pee is gross, their poop is gross. But there is nothing. I mean, I don't think this is a controversial statement. If you've ever interacted with a cat, there is nothing quite as noxious as cat pee. It doesn't go away. Correct. It has, like a half life of, like, eons. Like, we're never. There are houses that are imbued in cat pee that just need to be torn down because there's no way to machine wash your wood floor.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

So the convenience of being able to wash that carrier made it okay that it didn't have the crash testing. You felt like it was still safe enough. But the convenience factor, people can use it and use it well and not be kind of like have to throw it away if their cat pees in it.

[Mel Plout]

Yes, exactly. And, you know, I asked the head of the center for pet safety about this, and I was like, what do you do if it's not crash tested? What's your recommendation? And she said, look, if it's. Even if it has, like, buckles for a seat belt or something that can attach in, she's like, I don't trust those unless they've been crash tested. Those could fail. The best place to put it would be, in her opinion, on the floor behind the driver or front passenger seat. Kind of keep it snug in there so it doesn't really fly around in case something happens. And, yeah, you don't want to put your cat on the floor, but you also don't want your cat or your.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Dog becoming a projectile.

[Mel Plout]

Yeah, exactly. So I think that's like, a good workaround for a bag like that, especially if, you know, your pet might be prone. And like. Like, Look, I traveled 18 hours with three cats, and two of them were in the 1.0 version of that bag, actually. And we had to wash it by the end. I mean, they. They could not hold out.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay, so to recap, it is important to get a carrier and to use that in the car with your pet because they definitely need to be restrained. And when you're looking for the right carrier, you want to consider the size of your animal and what might be comfortable for them and also if it's been independently crash tested.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

We're going to take a quick break and when we come back, we are going to talk about flying with pets and the number one thing you should not do when you are traveling with a pet on a plane. We'll be right back.

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[Kyra Blackwell]

Welcome back to the Wirecutter Show. This episode is about traveling with pets. So, Mel, we just talked about traveling on the road with your pets, but I want to really dig into traveling with your pets. The final boss, which is airplane travel. I have yet to do it because I'm terrified. So the whole reason that I haven't brought my cat on a plane yet is because I don't really know if it needs to be vaccinated, if the carrier that I have for him is going to be accepted on the airline. And like, there just doesn't really seem to be like a standard regulation across airlines for what you need to do to bring your pet on a plane. And I don't want to end up doing all this stuff and then get to the airport and I'm turned away last minute.

[Mel Plout]

You're not alone. I mean, it's very confusing. There's not a ton of consistency in how to approach this. Each airline likely has its own size requirements for a carrier for in cabin travel. So if we're just keeping it to in cabin travel, like for your cat or your small dog, the first thing you would do is first of all decide is it worth it to do that to yourself and to your pet? Right. I mean, I have done it several times because I've moved a bunch or gone away for six months and learned that nobody loves me enough to take my cats, three cats for six months. So they had to come with. There was no other option and that was an international trip. So the rules are different too.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah.

[Mel Plout]

The first thing you would do is call the Airline and find out if they even allow pets to travel in the cabin with you. Some won't. Most do. But they also will have a limit to how many pets can be on an aircraft, like in the cabin. So some will be like, well, there's already six pets flying, so that's that. Or something like that. And the number changes. It's different. So I don't have them offhand. So you have your reservation, and when you make your reservation, even if you made it online, you're gonna have to call in and be like, I'm bringing. Can I do this? They'll charge you. They'll probably tell you is required of you, carrier wise. Now, when it comes to carriers in the cabin, each airline also has its own size requirements. These change over time. It's really hard to buy for that because you could buy something today if your animal fits into it to begin with. And tomorrow the airline's like, well, nope, you know, we're. We're changing it. Or you're flying on an aircraft that actually has a slightly different size requirement.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, my gosh, I hate it when that happens.

[Mel Plout]

So there's. It's just so hard to plan. What I will say is you look at their guidelines, you ask them what they are, and then I would look for a carrier that is close to that. Yeah, as close as you can get with your animal still being comfortable. And, you know, there's some sort of informal kind of flexibility. Like, I've never had somebody measure the carrier. If it's close enough, they're gonna eyeball it and go, yeah, that's gonna fit under the seat. Like, that's fine.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So what if. And I hate to even think about this, but what if your pet has an accident while you're on the plane? Like, you're cramped up next to strangers. What do you do? How do you suggest people handle that?

[Mel Plout]

That situation is terrible. So you don't have, like, great options just being prepared, right? Like bringing wet wipes. Cause you can't bring fluids on. And they'll happily give you water to clean up your mess. We had paper towels, we had wet wipes. We had extra plastic bags to transport things to the bathroom if we had to throw them away. And really just, you know, obviously you want to be so conscientious to your seatmates and hopefully they're not allergic. And maybe let them know I have an animal in there just in case if you need to switch seats. The accidents are hard. You can't control it. You can just respond to it and try to be prepared and really just bring everything you can. Like, definitely bring pee pads. And I. I really prefer, in general, reusable pee pads, because why throw things away that you can wash? In this case, disposable pee pads. Just get rid of it. Get rid of the evidence, get it away from everybody and bring a bunch of those and line your carrier with it.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You recommend one carrier that has. What do you. You describe it as? Like a side panel that you can slide in and out?

[Mel Plout]

Yeah. I'd never seen this before. I was, like, pretty impressed with it. But I'm also, you know, I think it's gonna be animal dependent. It's the Diggs passenger. And it's a really nice bag. It looks like a duffel bag. It's cute. So it flies under the radar, pun sort of intended. So it has this little lower access panel where you could ostensibly, like, get your animal to stand up a little bit, put your hand in and, like, take the entire bed out. And the bed is hopefully lined in there. They have a system where you can wrap the pee pad that they give you around this piece of plastic that sits on the bed. I think that's going to be, like, how easy is your animal to move around inside the thing? But I can imagine that might make it better. But, you know, it was hard to get any of the shelter cats to, like, pee or poop on demand inside the carrier.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Mel, what else should you think about when you're traveling with your animals? What other scenarios should you prepare for? You know, like, situations where your pet.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Might not feel comfortable, Especially since you've traveled internationally with. You had three cats at one time, right?

[Mel Plout]

Yes. Oh, man. And we took all three to Italy.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Oh, so lucky, lucky kitties. I know.

[Mel Plout]

Eating that Italian tuna under the Tuscan sun. They couldn't get enough of it. But they did not appreciate the journey, I will tell you that. So you're loading your. If you have a cat, you're loading them into a carrier. If you have a dog, you usually just walk them through the airport. And so the thing you have to do first is you have to remove a cat from the carrier to go through security. So that is, like, the first sort of challenge. All right. And you have to remove them and carry them through the metal detector with you while their bag goes through the X ray machine on its own. That is one of the more treacherous moments for human and cat alike, I think. Like, you can get scratched. You will be covered in fur. It will just be upsetting unless you just have the rare, very Chill cat who doesn't care. And then I think just keeping them in their carrier, making sure they know that everything's okay. You can spray some of these pheromone analogs that are on the market. Feel Away is one of the most famous ones.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

And you can just get that on Amazon.

[Mel Plout]

Yeah, you can get that at Chewy, Amazon, Petco, all of all the retailers. It's everywhere. And so they make diffusers, which you're not going to bring with you because it's a plug in. You can buy the spray. Your mileage may vary on that kind of thing. Like some cats just don't respond to it at all, you know. And if I have a long time before boarding, I will go to wherever the quietest place is. If I have to be at the gate, I will find like a corner where there's not a ton of foot traffic. I mean, I don't know how much that does for them, but it does a little bit, right? There's so much stimulus that they're freaking out. If you have a particularly anxious animal, you can ask your vet, as always, to see if they want to prescribe something. It's not great flying an animal when they're sedated. There can be kind of, you know, unexpected reactions to those kinds of drugs. So if you do do something like that and your vet will probably tell you this, give it a trial run before you go anywhere. And same for the car, right? Any medication that's new, do it at home when you're like within spitting distance of your vet. So God forbid something happens, you can just get, get the animal looked at right away. And you don't want that happening at 30,000ft. And then there's, you know, most airports in the US at least have air like pet relief stations.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

So let's jump ahead. After the airport, you've gotten off the flight. And this could apply to traveling by car as well. But you've traveled with your dog halfway across the country twice. You've also traveled, as we've talked about, with three cats. What are the things you should keep in mind when you have gotten to a new destination with your pets?

[Mel Plout]

If you never traveled with an animal before, you might not know that some hotels are pet friendly and some are not. And then the pet friendly ones might have different prices. So sometimes it's like, yes, we're pet friendly and that'll be $150 a night of a fee. And then others will be like, that's $30 a night or no dollars a night. And Some of them will have allotted pet friendly rooms. So you wanna make sure you're booking in advance. Right. So like you're on a road trip and you're like, yes, spontaneity is great. But you pull up and they're like, oh, well, we don't have any pet friendly rooms left. Right. Because they wanna keep those contained to keep em away from people who might have allergies. And then I think for dogs it's like bring in their bedding. You know, if they sleep on the bed with you, fine. You know, that's easy for cats. You want to bring their litter box in. You want to show them that when loading things in and out of a room. And this is the same at the final destination too. Lock your cats in the bathroom because you're going in and out of the door. You don't want them to just bolt out and run away.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

And tags, I would assume having some tags, that it's like, who is this animal and who does it belong to?

[Mel Plout]

Yeah, tags, certainly collars on dogs. If a cat will tolerate a collar, I never would, I'd find the collar on the floor, you know. But also microchips. For any animal, whether you're traveling with them or not. Microchip is a good idea.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Is that inserted into the animal?

[Mel Plout]

Oh, yeah.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Okay. I think so.

[Mel Plout]

It's very like sci fi.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yes.

[Mel Plout]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah. I feel like there's a whole Bible chapter about not doing that.

[Kyra Blackwell]

That's funny.

[Mel Plout]

I will say for international travel, most countries will require your animal to have a microchip.

[Kyra Blackwell]

O can you talk more about the international travel and how it's different from domestic?

[Mel Plout]

Yes, it's country dependent. So what you would do before leaving is like similar to what I said about any air travel, domestic air travel. But then you also will be required to have like a vet health certificate that is issued within 10 days of travel.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh man.

[Mel Plout]

So you have like T minus 10. And so you should call your vet first and be like, we're traveling in August. What should be due? The vet will then tell you and they'll schedule you for a day within that. And then what they will do is they will look up the country and they will fill out the forms and then they'll examine your pet and put in a microchip if you need it. Sometimes you might need a new microchip. If you have an older pet that was earlier microchip technology, they'll get all the vaccinations in order. They'll attest to the animal's ability to Travel. And then they will send that to the usda, and the USDA will stamp it and send it back. And now it's all digital, so you definitely have to get that handled. And that is country specific. I've traveled to Italy with three cats. I traveled to Argentina with one cat, and we had to do that each time. Wow. And it's not cheap.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

So, Mel, I have kind of a controversial question. I want to bring up a controversial topic. My kids have been lobbying for a dog. And part of the reason I don't want to get a dog is because I like to travel. And I'm not sure what to do with the. Do I take the dog with me? Recently somebody told me that they were like, oh, it's no problem. Just get, like, a comfort. What is it called? Like, a dog.

[Mel Plout]

Service dog.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Service dog certification or something. And I was like, oh, for a minute I was like, I could do that. And then I was like, wait a minute. I don't know why I would do that. Like, I don't need a service dog. What's the deal with that? I think I know why people do it, but is it okay?

[Mel Plout]

No, it's not okay. It's really not okay. I mean, like, the reason people do it is because especially if you have a large. A dog that's too big to go in a carrier under the footwell of an airplane in that tiny little area, and you don't want to put your dog in the cargo hold, you can bring them on the plane just wearing a harness.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Is it free to do that?

[Mel Plout]

Yes. Service dogs travel for free. The fact that service dogs are allowed on planes and travel for free is an accessibility issue that is incredibly important. It's part of the Americans with Disabilities act, and it's a great thing that we have that for people who need it. The issue is a lot of people use it who don't need it, which would be maybe not so bad if those dogs actually behaved even remotely like service dogs. And not saying it would be okay, because it's not, but it ruins it for the people who genuinely do need it. Because then you get on a plane and there's like, a dog that's wagging his tail and peeing and pooping or barking or crying or just not behaving like an actually trained service dog that is trained to do a task to help a person. And so it is an abuse of that system. And, like, more policing over that only makes it even harder for the people who genuinely have to travel with a service dog or service Animals. It's a really tough situation because I get it. Look, we all want, like, I have a 65 pound dog. Do I want him to ride in the cabin with me? Yes. Am I driving across the country instead? Yes.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Right?

[Rosie Guerin]

Yes.

[Mel Plout]

Is that inconvenient and expensive and like, not that fun and takes a lot of PTO and like, you know what I mean?

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

But that's part of being a pet parent, right? You gotta sacrifice sometimes.

[Mel Plout]

It's the commitment you make. And so, you know, I totally understand why people are doing it. It's free. I don't even think it's about the money. I think a lot of these people would pay. I think it's about the size. It's just getting them on. And it is terrifying to put your animal in the cargo hold. I totally relate to that. There have been a lot of really scary stories in the news about animals not making it. However, it does real harm to the people who actually have to travel with actual trained service dogs.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Thanks.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Mel. Before we wrap, we always do this thing where we ask our guest one final question. What is the last thing you bought that you really loved?

[Mel Plout]

So I think this is like so dorky, but I got like a Leatherman.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Oh, love a Leatherman.

[Mel Plout]

Right. And I like wrote to our colleague Doug Mahoney, who does the guide, and I was like, okay. So I don't really do like a ton of stuff that this is useful, but I like open a lot of boxes and I do a lot of screwdriver y stuff. You know.

[Kyra Blackwell]

What is a Leatherman?

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Oh, my God.

[Mel Plout]

It's a multi tool. Yeah, sorry, I don't.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

It's like. It's like a Swiss army knife, but better. You know, it's got pliers, it's got all sorts of tools that come out and it's like a transformer and it kind of holds up.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Got it.

[Mel Plout]

And if it's in your pocket, I ended up getting two. I got two different kinds because I couldn't decide. You know, it's like the curse of reading your colleagues guides. You're like, well, I kind of want them both now. So I got the right Leatherman Skeletool, which is a pick. And I got the Leatherman Signal, which I believe is also still a pick. And they have different use cases. Like the signal has a fire starter and like, you know, it has all different stuff.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

It is a. Yeah, it's like a primo thing that everyone should have.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But what are you using it for, Mel?

[Mel Plout]

Oh, I open a lot of my boxes. Oh.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Okay. Rosie, Kyra, I definitely think this conversation is putting, putting the dog conversation on pause for me because I'm not really sure I want to navigate all this travel stuff with that. That's a lot. It's a lot. Well, what did you take away from this episode?

[Kyra Blackwell]

For me it's definitely, definitely, definitely restrain my cat when I'm driving upstate next time. And I also think I need to get a new carrier. Maybe one that doesn't have a zipper on the bottom so I can't fall out. But definitely just putting him behind me in like when I'm in the driver's seat, he needs to be behind me on the floor instead of just letting him roam around free.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

The thing that I was this advice from Mel around testing meds for your pet. Like if you are gonna give them an anti anxiety med for air travel specifically, try it out perhaps once or twice before you board the airplane just in case you can't be too careful.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

You don't want that nightmare situation with something going bad on the plane.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah. Or them freaking out.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

I think the other thing for plane travel specifically I was thinking about, about Mel explaining all of the things that you need to do to prepare in case your pet has an accident. And I was like, huh? These are all the things that I used to prepare the last time I flew cross country with my babies. Lots of wipes, lots of pee pee pads, lots of bags, you know.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Consideration for your neighbor, all of that.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Very relatable.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah, very relatable. So I think that the big takeaway for me is understanding a little bit more of this issue with a service animal on a plane. Like I think if my children are listening, I know they are rooting for a dog. So if we do ever get a dog, that was a big takeaway for me that like that's not an actual okay thing. Yeah. You need to figure out a different.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Solution driving cross country.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

That's right.

[Rosie Guerin]

Maybe I more cross country road trip.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

I'll get a minivan and just drive across the country instead of flying.

[Rosie Guerin]

I love this for you.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Big.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Yeah. Why am I limiting myself to a so a minivan RV all the way.

[Rosie Guerin]

Well, that's it for us. If you want to find out more about Wirecutter's coverage on pet gear or if you want to check out the products we recommended Today, go to nytimes.com wirecutter or of course you can find a link in the show notes. We'll see you next time. Bye friends.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

Bye.

[Kyra Blackwell]

The Wirecutter show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel. Editing by Abigail Keel. Engineering support from Maddie Mazziello and Nick Pittman. Today's episode was mixed by Kathryn Anderson. Original music by Dan Powell, Marian Lozano, Alicia Ba Itupe and Diane Wong. Wirecutter's deputy publisher and interim general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Fruman is Wirecutter's editor in chief. I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Christine Cyr Clissette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Rosie Guerin]

And I'm Rosie Guerin.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Thanks for listening.

[Rosie Guerin]

It's time to talk about Anubis.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, my God. You remembered his name.

[Mel Plout]

The baby.