LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor:

We may be ready to travel this holiday season, but what about our animals? Here are some tips from PETA that can help. 

 If animals would have to spend most of the trip in stressful transit and/or staring at the walls in a hotel room, they are likely to be happier at home with a trusted caretaker. Don’t board them at the vet, where they could catch viruses and get upset listening to the sounds of distressed patients. 

 Choose a cat or dog sitter the way a French chef chooses vegetables—with the utmost care—as  your animal’s life is in their hands. A smile isn’t a reliable reference, and a distracted teenager won’t do. Have the sitter video-call you from the house daily. Leave out multiple water containers, and never lock animals in a cage in case of fire or flood.

 If you must take animals on a ‘plane, the only safe way to do it is in the cabin with you—never in a cargo hold. Temperature extremes, lack of oxygen, shifting baggage, and other hazards can make cargo holds deadly, not to mention terrifying. In a car, cats should always be in a carrier, not loose. They have slipped out at tollbooths and drive-throughs, never to be found again.

 Make sure your animals are microchipped and wear a collar with a current ID tag as well as a harness. For more advice, please check out 250 Vital Things Your Cat Wants You to Know, available on Amazon.com and PETA.org. Happy holidays to all!

Very truly yours, 

Ingrid Newkirk 

President 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 

Author of 250 Vital Things Your Cat Wants You to Know