Pet Owner Tips for Stress Free Traveling

AIR MILES: Pets and Traveling Tips... Plus Dog-Gone to Hollywood!
Woman's furry best friend wins her a trip to Tinseltown in AIR MILES® Film It & Win contest
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 9, 2008) - Knowing how much we love our pets - dogs, cats, rabbits or otherwise - the AIR MILES(R) Reward Program and Global Pet Foods have developed a list of key travel-with-your-pet tips, including what to do if you can't bring them along, for Canadian pet owners.
The pet travel list was inspired by Lynn Gervais of Kelowna, B.C., who recently won the AIR MILES(R) Film It & Win contest grand prize of a Hollywood escape for two, with a little help from, in this case, woman's best friend.
"Lynn's video was a warm reminder that pets are one of the family, and the care we provide for them is an important consideration before taking a trip," says Neil Everett, Chief Marketing Officer, AIR MILES(R) Reward Program. "Just like many of our Collectors, many of us here at AIR MILES have pets too - I know there's a lot of anxiety involved in deciding 'should I bring them with me or would they be better off at home?'"
Lynn's winning submission featured her talented tiny white Chihuahua, Lambert, in a starring role, as he set out on a mission, using his owner's AIR MILES Collector card, to get a well deserved vacation for the two of them.
"I call Lambert my furry son because he has a way of reading what I am feeling, and he has always been a very smart dog who learns quickly, which made this video easy to film," says Gervais.
AIR MILES compiled the list with specialty pet food partner, Global Pet Foods, Canada's health food store for pets.
Top 10 Pet Owner Tips for Stress-Free Traveling
Traveling with your pet
- Make a pet travel checklist - items can include favourite toys, medications, carrier, water bowls, plastic bags, grooming tools, leashes, vaccination records, tags etc.
- Schedule a visit with the vet - up-to-date veterinarian papers are usually required by pet-friendly vacation spots
- Plan dietary needs before - ensure there are no major changes to their diet
- Pack a simple pet first-aid kit - be sure to include products that are safe for pets and phone numbers of your veterinarian
- Carry a photograph of your pet - should your pet become lost, a picture will help your chances of locating them quickly and safely
Traveling without your pet
To reduce your stress level, you might want to consider leaving your pet at home with a trusted caregiver.
"For my peace of mind, we decided it would be best to leave Lambert with my mom and check in a few times while we're away," adds Gervais. "I know with her, he'll be rewarded and spoiled with treats while we're gone."
- If you are leaving your pet with a trusted relative, friend or putting them in a pet hotel, be sure to leave detailed instructions on their daily habits, dietary patterns, favourite toys etc.
- Leave contact information for your pet's veterinarian in case of emergency
- If you hire a pet sitter to come by your house, provide the name and contact information of a neighbour who has a key to your home in case of emergencies
- Position yourself as nearby - have the sitter play a home video so they can hear or see you
- Keep in touch - call and say "hello" on the sitter's cell phone so they can hear your voice - it's proven to be soothing for them
AIR MILES Film It & Win Contest
An extension on its' spring Free Movie Escape promotion, AIR MILES' Film It & Win contest invited Collectors to upload a self-produced, 60-second Drama, Action or Comedy to a microsite, and once posted, AIR MILES Collectors rated their favourites on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. From the top ten rated submissions, a panel of AIR MILES judges chose the most creative.
Second place went to Genevieve Draws of L'Ile-Bizard, Quebec, whose clip uses a conversation between two fish narrowly avoiding a divorce to describe some of the over 800 different products and services reward miles can be used for beyond air travel. Third place went to Dominic Raymond of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec for his submission demonstrating how easy it is to follow your dreams using an AIR MILES Collector card. Each of them received 5,000 AIR MILES reward miles and 2,500 AIR MILES reward miles, respectively.
Visit http://www.airmiles.ca/winners to watch all three winning submissions.
About the AIR MILES(R) Reward Program
The AIR MILES(R) Reward Program is Canada's premier coalition loyalty program. Founded in 1992, it has more than 9 million active Collector accounts, representing approximately two-thirds of all Canadian households. The AIR MILES(R) Reward Program offers Collectors over 800 different leisure, entertainment, merchandise, travel and other lifestyle rewards by shopping for products and services at one of more than 100 brand-name Sponsors. To find out more information on the AIR MILES(R) Reward Program, visit the website at http://www.airmiles.ca/.
For more information, please contactPilot PMRNatalie Bomberry(416) 462-0199 x 35Email: natalie@pilotpmr.comorAIR MILES(R) Reward ProgramCorporate Affairs(416) 552-2346Email: mediaoffice@loyalty.comWebsite: http://airmiles.ca/

You got to see the winning video