Living with animals on board

Why should you take your pet with you?

Our pets are a valuable part of the family. However, many yachtsmen will prefer to leave their dog or cat on land and go on a cruise without a furry companion.

But why miss a great opportunity to share pleasant moments when you can have a great time in the company of a pet? Here are a few reasons why yachtsmen take their pets with them on a trip:

• outdoor games with relative freedom of movement;
• a new experience for the animal;
• more time spent with your pet.

When it comes to outdoor play, most dogs will enjoy bathing. Add to this a Frisbee or other non-sinking toy, and see how much pleasure your dog will play with you. 

If you are traveling on calm waters without extreme sailing, then this cruise will be a great experience for the animal. Unfamiliar places that must be explored, a variety of smells, walks in the fresh air - all this will benefit your pets. 

However, the most important reason why people take animals with them is to spend time together. This is especially important for dogs, who almost always crave communication with their owner. Thanks to yachting, you can get a lot of pleasant emotions not only from pleasant sailing, but also from the company of your faithful pet. This is much better than leaving the animal at home alone.

If you are a proud owner of a guard dog, then a nice bonus opens up for you - the pet will not only brighten up your cruise, but will also guard the boat in your absence. 

Why is it sometimes better to leave pets at home?

The most frequent guests on board are cats and dogs. But quite a few yachtsmen keep birds, reptiles or small rodents (hamsters, rats, etc.) at home. More exotic animals can also be taken with you on a trip, but there are a few nuances. 

Make sure you can provide the right level of safety and comfort for your parrot or turtle. If this is not possible, then it is better to leave them at home in the care of relatives or neighbors. The same applies to well-known cats and dogs. The desire to spend time with pets should not outweigh common sense and safety regulations. 

Another reason “against” the stay of the animal on board is the nature of the pet. If your dog can't help but vanish at the speed of light every time he sees something new, then you should probably consider not taking him with you. If your cat loves freedom and independence very much, but does not really like the owner's company, then this should also be a deterrent. You won’t be able to devote all the time to your pet, but keeping it in a cage is also not an option. 

If your animals do not suffer from the above problems, are healthy, full of strength and burning with passionate love for the owner, then proceed to the next points!

Acclimatization of the animal on board

For an animal, a boat is something completely new and unfamiliar (if we are talking about animals that go somewhere for the first time on a yacht with their owner). Before planning a seven-day crossing of Biscay with a furry companion, you should prepare a pet. 

The ideal option would be to bring the animal onto the boat while it is in a marina or other safe anchorage. In silence and without too much noise, your pet will be able to calmly explore the yacht, get used to new smells and sensations. Moreover, you can safely control the process of exploring the boat.

Keep an eye on the animal while it inspects the boat. If you have any concerns about your pet being on board, please consult your veterinarian. When the animal gets to know the yacht better, you can take a short walk around the area on board. The best option would be to conduct several of these “expeditions”, gradually increasing the time spent on the boat to allow the animals to get used to.

Mandatory availability of fresh drinking water

On board a yacht, it is not only people who need drinking water. Animals can also be thirsty, so make sure your pet always has enough drinking water. 

The bowl of water should be in a safe but accessible place. This way the animal can calmly quench its thirst without unnecessary problems and fuss. If you walk in salt water areas, make sure your furry friend doesn't drink salt water from the sea. Symptoms of salt water poisoning will be similar to those in humans - upset stomach, vomiting and dehydration. 

Do not forget about the quality of fresh drinking water. It can also contain algae, a range of bacteria and even parasites. You should not allow health problems in the animal and check what kind of water you give him. 

Other liquids on board must be kept out of the reach of animals (and children) and securely closed. Check and monitor fuel, black and gray water, chemicals - all this should not get into your pet's stomach.

In order to prevent hypothermia or overheating of the animal, take care of the presence of a warm, dry or, conversely, cool place to rest. If you take reptiles or reptiles with you, then remember that they are cold-blooded. Their body temperature is directly dependent on the ambient temperature - overheating or hypothermia can be very detrimental to their health.

Bringing a pet on board

If we are talking about medium and large breeds of dogs, then most often there are no problems with transporting them to the boat. And although putting a dog in the front passenger seat of a car is not the best idea, it is not uncommon for owners to do so. When you have brought the dog to the marina, then usually it is absolutely not against going on board the boat with the owner. 

Problems may arise with smaller animals. Cats and small dog breeds are quite picky about transportation methods, so make sure that the animal gets to the yacht safe, sound and comfortable. Also remember to ensure that the little ones are adequately safe while on board. 

First aid kit and first aid

Check with your veterinarian for a first aid kit before the cruise. A one-time consultation will allow you to assemble a universal first aid kit that you can take with you anytime and anywhere, and then expand the range of medicines as needed. 

Most likely, the first aid kit will include all the basic tools to help with minor injuries and diseases. Among them will be antibiotic ointment for scratches, medicine for motion sickness, saline or alcohol solution for washing wounds, as well as agents to accelerate blood clotting on open wounds.

If your pet is already taking some pills on a regular basis, then be sure to take them with you. It is good practice to take a course in animal first aid.

Sun protection

Despite having a dense coat of hair (depending on the breed of pet), dogs or cats can still be prone to sunburn and shock (overheating). There are special sunscreens for animals that you need to have with you. 

Sprays are an alternative to creams, but they should be odorless. Ideally, creams containing zinc oxide should be avoided. This compound is very harmful to the animal if ingested in one way or another.

If your animal spends a lot of time on the deck with you, then take care of cool and shady places with enough drinking water. If the animal wants to go down to the salon, then let him do it. Some surfaces on a boat can really get very hot under the sun, so in addition to protecting the paws, let the animal move freely to secluded places.

Seasickness

Did we already say that animals are like us? Yes, it's not just people who get seasick. The animal may be sick, the general condition will be unsatisfactory. Tablets for motion sickness and peace will come to the rescue. 

If your dog or cat has already experienced motion sickness while traveling in a car, then be aware that traveling by sea can cause a similar reaction. Before the cruise, consult with your doctor and find out which medications are best for your four-legged friend.

In addition to medicines, sailors often use flower essences or ginger treats. For some animals, such remedies really help. By the way, if your pet has long hair, then cut it before traveling. This is especially true for fur on the paws. So the animal can feel better on slippery surfaces and be more stable. This will help ease the motion sickness a bit. 

AOB (Animal overboard)!

This happens too. If you are on the go, and your pet has decided to explore the depths of the sea right now, then there are a few important points to keep in mind. You must as quickly as possible go to the place where the animal jumped into the water and put the engine in neutral. Then call the animal by name. Usually they swim much better than people, so the search for a pet can be delayed only because it is smaller than a person.

In order to make it easier to see your pet at any time of the day, you need to buy and dress it in a bright color life jacket with reflective elements in advance. About what life jackets are on the market today, we wrote in this article.

You should also have at least a large net (for catching small breeds of dogs) and a strip of carpet for the cat (some boaters hang the strip over the side and the cats manage to climb back).  

Either way, your pet should have a life jacket with handles for easy transportation. So you can quickly get your pet out of the water. 

Call of nature

This is also a moment that cannot be avoided. On board the boat, the animal will have to be re-accustomed to a new place to cope with natural needs. The key to this is patience. Many even trained dogs sometimes get lost in a new place.

Some yachtsmen teach their cats and dogs to relieve themselves on washcloths, special pieces of flooring, trays, and some even manage to accustom the animal to use the latrine for its intended purpose. 

Keep the litter box or other pet accessory in a shady and quiet area. Do not throw pet waste overboard. Dispose of them on land!

Identification

During the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many people were forced to move to other countries with their pets. However, at the border, the border guards often did not let the owners with animals that did not have the so-called. "chip". 

The chip is an alternative to a paper document. This is a great way to keep your pet safe and if it gets lost, find it relatively quickly. It stores all the basic information about the animal.

There are no worldwide laws on microchipping, but at the local level in different states there are requirements for microchipping animals. Before you go on a cruise and not get into a situation where someone is not allowed somewhere, check with local laws.

When crossing the border, you should also have a complete package of documents for your pet, including a passport and veterinary certificates.

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20.05.2023