Leaving your pet behind while you and the rest of the family head off for a fun-filled holiday can leave any pet-owner feeling guilty. Not to mention the stress of worrying about their health and safety while you are away. So why leave your pet behind? With the UK’s Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) it is now easier than ever to take your family pet abroad, enriching your holiday experience and giving you peace of mind too!

PETS allows you to take certain pets abroad with you and return to the UK without the upset of quarantining your animal. However, in order to do so, certain regulations must be met, so some forward planning is required. For a complete list of regulation requirements, the best place to check is the UK government’s Defra website. It is also essential that you check with the embassy of your chosen destination before travelling so that you know exactly what their pet travel regulations are - they can vary from country to country, especially outside of the EU.

And when choosing your destination, well, the world is your oyster! Destinations all over the world make pets welcome these days, with pet-friendly holidays, hotels and B&B’s springing up all over the place. Look out too for pet-friendly parks and beaches – and there are plenty of them available. For the cheapest pet friendly holidays, your best bet is to look online, with sites such as Monarch offering loads of ideas.

Once you’ve picked a destination and met your regulation requirements, you’re ready to go! Here are a few tips to ensure safe and happy holidays with your family pets:

• Make sure that they get water every few hours – travelling can be stressful for pets which can cause them to dehydrate faster, especially when flying.

• If you are flying - check to make sure that you know all of the airline’s policies before travelling.

• If planning a beach holiday - check to see if the beaches are restricted to certain animals.

• While travelling - keep something with your smell on it nearby your animal such as a shirt or a toy. This will help to comfort your dog and help them to stay calm while they travel.

• Try not to feed your pet for at least two hours before travelling – this will help prevent sickness and toilet accidents on the trip.

• And don’t forget your camera! Taking a pet on holiday can really make the trip special for the whole family, and you’ll want to capture those memories.