Take a pet friendly break

Hyderabad: With the sweltering summer on, families are making plans for a much-deserved vacation away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Humane Society International/India, an organisation that works for animal protection, shares few animal-friendly tips for a cruelty-free and animal-friendly vacation.

Travel safely with your pet:
Never leave your pet unattended in a parked car as temperatures will be high inside a closed vehicle during summer.

That can give your pet a fatal heatstroke. Besides, it’s illegal to keep animals unattended for a long time in parked cars.

Always keep your pet in the back seat, and don’t allow it to stick its head out of the window. Give plenty of rest stops and carry sufficient food and water.

On a beach trip with your dog, make sure you get him a shady spot. Never let him drink sea water as the salt will make dogs sick.

Call the airline well in advance and check if they will allow you to take your pet in the cabin.

Ask if they have any special pet-health and immunization requirements, and if they require a specific type of carrier. If the pet is flying in the cargo hold, make sure you use direct flights, travel in the same flight as your pet, and choose a flight that will accommodate extreme temperature.

A vet-visit before your vacation: Get an early summer check-up done for your pet and make sure your dog’s vaccinations are up-to-date before your trip. Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes which carry heart worm disease are more prevalent in warmer months.

Ask your veterinarian for an effective preventive step to keep these parasites off your dog.

Find a good dog care centre: If it’s difficult to find a potential dog baby-sitter, make sure you find a comfortable, responsible and reliable 24- hour home care. Look up for a foster home or a dog care centre to leave your dog while on vacation.

Avoid ocean parks, zoo and circuses: Don’t visit places where animals are kept in cages and enclosures, or are used for entertainment.

Animals can suffer tremendously when they are kept in captivity and live in an almost constant state of discomfort and anxiety. Avoid festivals and temple ceremonies that continue to feature elephants.

Choose a beach, hill station, park, garden or a historical place instead. Even if you are not travelling during the summer holidays, make it a point that you boycott such places. Animals can be beaten, brutally trained and forced to endure extreme heat during summer in places that use animals for entertainment. If you are trekking in a forest or sanctuary, avoid throwing lighted objects carelessly as this may cause fire and make sure you do not litter the place.

GHMC and Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres
West Zone: Animal care centre Kukatpally- 99890994470    
North Zone: Animal care centre Jeedimetla – 9989930397
South Zone: Animal care centre Begumbazar- 9989930358
Central Zone: Animal care centre Amberpet- 9989930356
East Zone: Animal care centre LB Nagar- 989930359-9000554767

Government veterinary hospitals in city:
Gajularamaram, Sri Balaji Layout
Vijay Nagar Colony,Masab tank- 09989954318
Shanthi nagar, kukatpally -7893755533
Near Kosaraju hospital, Langer House - 8978901336
Beside Dr Melkote Park, Narayanaguda- 040-23222736
Vasavi Nagar, Old alwal
M.I.G.H Colony, Bhoiguda
Malkajgiri, sanjeev nagar
Bhoiguda, near petrol pump rani gunj - 040-27535755
Govt. vety dispensary-Attapur - 9885459201
Campus vety hospital-Budwel - 040- 24009402
Sri Venkteshwara colony, saroor nagar.

Private pet clinics in Hyd & secundrabad
Canfel pet clinic-040-23356171
Olive pet clinic
Animal care clinic-040-23352474
K9 and Kat pet clinic-8885555873-04065656166
Hope animal clinic-9542926190
Pet world dog clinic - 9849221736
Happy pet clinic- 9704131994
Poloumi pet clinic - 9848046091
Dr. dog pet hospital - 040-64618100