Travel nursing is one of the most exciting career choices. You get to travel the country and help people of all kinds. Bring your pet along with you, and the experience gets even better. They provide the happiness, stability, and comfort you need to survive the tough days as a travel nurse.
However, the reality of travel nursing with pets isn’t void of challenges. From finding the right housing option and pet-proofing it to on-the-road challenges, you have a few hurdles to climb.
We’ll help you navigate the challenges of travel nursing with pets with practical solutions and advice for embracing the travel nurse lifestyle with your animal companion.
Tips for travel nursing with pets:
Take Your Pet to the Vet Before Your Trip
You arrive at the hotel you’re staying at, and the front desk associate asks for proof that your pet has current shots. You skipped the vet visit before your trip because you were sure you didn’t need it. But it turns out you did, and now you’re scrambling to find a place that will take your pet without this documentation.
Don’t let this story come true. The last thing you want to be doing is going back and forth with the front desk about your pet being able to stay with you. Instead, take your pet to the vet before your trip to ensure they’re healthy and to get the documentation to prove it.
Get a complete physical. Once the exam is complete, request physical copies of your pet’s medical records, a health certificate if needed, and documentation stating their current on their shots. Also, be sure to get any prescriptions filled.
You’ll feel a lot better traveling with your pet when you get a clean bill of health for them and have documentation on hand that proves your pet is healthy and safe to be around.
Thoroughly Prepare for Travel
One of the biggest concerns of travel nursing with pets is how they’ll navigate the travel experience. A pet that can’t settle down during travel is uncomfortable for them and presents safety risks.
So, it’s essential to prepare for traveling with a pet based on the transportation method you plan to use. For example, let’s say you’re traveling by car on your next trip. If they aren’t already, you want to make sure your pet is comfortable in your vehicle. Take them on trips of varied lengths to get them used to car travel.
When it’s time to take your trip, make sure you have their harness or carrier with you to secure them in the vehicle. Map out pit stops to ensure they get plenty of chances to go to the bathroom and stretch their legs. Bring their favorite toys and other necessities, as well as plenty of food and water.
Maintain a clean and pet-friendly vehicle during your trip as well. Clean up after them. Manage pet hair with a pet hair removal brush, lint roller, portable vacuum, or another specialty cleaning product. Finally, keep your luggage and other items organized so that your pet doesn’t accidentally get hurt by loose items rolling around in the car.
This article by Travel + Leisure is a good resource to read for tips on traveling with a pet by train or plane if you’re taking one of these transportation methods.
However you’re traveling, make sure you and your pet are thoroughly prepared and packed for the adventure.
Learn How to Pet-Proof Temporary Living Quarters
One of your first orders of business is choosing a pet-friendly housing option, like an extended-stay hotel, AirBnB rental, or a short-term lease apartment when you get a travel nursing assignment. But once you get there, you have the bigger challenge of ensuring your pet doesn’t do damage to your temporary living quarters.
Learn to pet-proof your space and bring those strategies with you to every temporary home. For example, store your garbage can inside a secure kitchen cabinet to keep your dog from getting into it. Install baby gates to keep them from getting into certain rooms. Or, keep your cat from getting into your potted plants and consuming poisonous leaves by hanging them from the ceiling.
Pet-proofing techniques like these will keep your pet safe and ensure you don’t come home to messes after a long day of nursing.
Travel nursing with pets can be incredibly beneficial for your health and well-being. So, it’s worth the effort to overcome the hurdles mentioned above that may make the experience challenging. Lean on the advice mentioned here to navigate them successfully.
We hope you found this article on navigating the challenges of travel nursing with pets helpful. Have you found ways to make travel nursing with pets easier? Comment your tips below.
Interested in a travel nursing job? Our job board is a great place to search for assignments, and if housing is an issue, our housing page can help. It’s time to make a difference!
