Traveling With Pets to Alaska

Alaska is very pet-friendly. RVing with your pet is pretty much a breeze. You do need to do a little bit of planning to make sure everything goes smoothly. We travel everywhere with our dog. Here are some tips to make your fur baby welcome wherever you go.

Pets and Border Crossing

This blog focuses on traveling with dogs and cats. People with other pets will need to do some research on traveling with them, especially birds and pets that fall into the realm of agriculture. The challenges will be in transporting your pet through Canada or for Canadians entering the US. Check with US and Canadian customs. Biosecurity is very important to both countries. With the outbreaks of diseases such as avian flu, border crossings with your bird/exotic will involve some extra steps.
We absolutely love parrots but decided to not to travel with a bird since we frequently pass through Canada on our way back and forth to Southeast Alaska. It was a tough decision, but one that has made life much simpler. If you are planning to visit Alaska with a bird, You will need to do some serious research so that your border crossings will be smooth.
Here are some resources to point you in the right direction:

Bringing a Pet into the United States
pdf Article about entering the US with pets and wildlife
Bringing a Pet into Canada

Do you need more border crossing information? Check out our informational white page. It is a 3-page pdf sheet with information that we found helpful for border crossings between Canada and the United States. Register to our community and you will have free access. We will do our best to keep,” Border Crossing For RV  Campers” updated.

Dogs and Cats

Before leaving home:

Traveling to Alaska involves crossing through Canada. You will need to have a current health certificate and proof of a rabies vaccine. I suggest that you also update any other immunizations such as parvo. There are parvo outbreaks in Alaska. You may also want a kennel cough vaccine if you will be mixing with other pets.

Health

A little prevention will keep most problems from ever occurring. Alaska has a low risk for common concerns such as heartworms and fleas. The best way to ensure that your pet stays healthy is to limit exposure to other animals and high use areas such as dog parks.

Exercise

Keep your pet healthy with exercise. Road trips are fantastic for getting out and about with your pet. Alaska is a great place to explore with your dog. Respect leash laws and be sure to carry some pooh bags for quick disposal of waste.
Be aware of your surroundings for wildlife. Bears and moose can pose threats to your pet and you. By keeping your dog on a leash, you will eliminate any scary moments of wildlife encounters. Off-lead can be a great way to let your pets be themselves. You may want to limit off-lead time or at least plan carefully because:

•  New surroundings can be confusing for a pet, and they can get lost.
• Wildlife encounters can be deadly or involve expensive vet bills.
• Strange pets may threaten your pet’s health and safety.
• Trapping is prevalent in Alaska. Hidden traps for other animals may lure your pet into a deadly situation or one that includes the amputation of a limb.

Food

If your pet eats a specialized diet, stock up before leaving the lower 48. Anchorage and other large communities have large selections, but rural areas will be thin on some brands.

Activities

Many events in the summer include pets. Do some research about the places that you plan to visit. You may want to time your arrival for a pet-friendly event. There is no good reason to leave your pet at home when you come to Alaska. There are plenty of pet-friendly activities. The only areas that may have the “no pets allowed” signs will be in some parks. Be sure to plan around those few issues. For the most part, if the pet stays in the RV, you will be fine. We avoid pet-unfriendly places on principle.

Breed Ban Lists
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Alaska is one place where we have not encountered breed ban lists. If you want to be welcome everywhere, make triply sure that you clean up after your dog. That is the leading cause of “no pets allowed” signs to spring up.

Our dog is an essential member of our family. We plan a little bit more and have had very few unfriendly encounters in our Alaska travels. The most important item will be your dog’s leash. That will prevent almost all of the problems that pets typically encounter. So, bring your pets, their leashes, and pooh bags!