Pets are like a child to Pet Parents. Given a choice, pet parents would want to take their pets along on travel and vacations. Unfortunately, there are limited options for pet travel and stay. Pet parents have to leave them behind, mostly in kennels.
MILO KOTNALA- LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL VETERAN.
The youngest member of the Kotnala family, Beagle Milo Kotnala, was trained for long-distance car travel early in his life. He had done many short distances of 350-400 KM in and around Mumbai with 6-9 hours of travel time. But then last year, he did Mumbai – Jabalpur – Mumbai, a 2200-plus km ride with stopovers at Aurangabad and Nagpur. The Aurangabad stopover during the return journey was at TAJ- which was surprisingly pet-friendly. I know how much he enjoyed the hospitality and open area. There were restrictions in the areas he could venture into, but it was better than other places. Another place that was really pet friendly he enjoyed travelling to was the Lakeside Boheme Inn Khapoli and Eco Stay Deltin Villa at Lonavala.
This time Milo Kotnala travelled on a car- a direct non-stop stretch of 582 KM and then did the return Indore-Mumbai travel on Avantika Express with Indian railway- an 892 KM distance in some 12.5 hours.
TRAVEL ON TRAIN.
Once you try and experience the Indian railways with your pet, you will find it the best option for long distances pet travel. In our case- Beagle Milo Kotnala. It is safe and comfortable, But the facility for pet travel is available only on First Ac or First Class.
PET TRAVEL- LACK OF PROCESS INFORMATION AND CLARITY.
I know how confused I was while planning and giving shape to this trip with Indian railways. There was conflicting information and not much clarity. No clear formats and processes are defined, and no do’s and don’ts are explained. The railway site was full of department language and not traveller friendly. Fortunately, there were blogger pet parents who had shared their experiences, and it gave us much-needed confidence. And some help from a few other friends and relatives ensured a somewhat hassle-free journey.
I had planned this to release on Milo Kotnala’s fifth birthday (11th December), but then Milo and our actual experience was delayed. So, here I share process details for travelling with your pet on Indian Railways. Hope it helps.
OPTION 1- PET TRAVEL IN BRAKE VAN.
Pet Dogs can be booked for travelling in Brake Van. The facility is available in most Express/Mail trains but not in Rajdhani and Shatabdi. So, the first thing to do is to check the availability of a Pet Dog Box before planning travel.
The railways charge by the weight of the pet when carried in the pet box in the Brake van. Moreover, in trains, only one pet dog box is provided, booked on a first-come, first-served basis. One cannot pre-book the pet boxes and must do it 1-2 hours before train departure at the luggage counter and load them in the Brake Van. The pet parent or the booker is responsible for feeding and caring for the dog during the journey. I am unsure if the pet parents would/should consider this option.
Now, this creates uncertainty and undue pressure. Once the ticket is booked, Railways must allow booking of the pet in Pet Box in the brake van as they allow booking of passenger travel. It is a question of simple digitalisation.
OPTION 2- PET TRAVELS WITH YOU.
The other option is to take your pet in AC First Class or First Class Compartments. This restricts options because not all trains have AC First Class and/or First class compartments. So not really affordable for everyone, and not all trains have First AC or First Class.
Further, you should be the sole occupants of the 2–passenger coupe or the 4-passenger cabin. I.e. you should book 2 or 4 berths even if the number of passengers is less. This is to avoid any co-passenger taking objection to the pet and you being forced to place the pet in the brake van box. And, remember, the break van has space for only one dog box available on a first-come-first-served basis. So, if any co-passenger takes objection mid-way or the dog box is unavailable, you may be asked to deboard or negotiate a hefty penalty.
So even if you are a single passenger, book two tickets. If you are three passengers, book 4 tickets or ask for a 2-passenger coupe, and the 3rd passenger will get a berth in a separate cabin.
This facility of booking more seats than people travelling is a trick that the railways don’t want you to use. A Ticket Checker can object and cancel the berth under the clause of the passenger missing or not boarding the train. So, in reality, this option gets restricted to two people in a coupe and 4 in a cabin. Or in case of 3 people travelling, two travel in a coupe and 1 in a cabin. Once you have the cabin or coupe to yourself- you can travel with more than one pet.
Railways should promise and pre-allot/confirm seats for travelling with a pet.
UNCERTAINTY DUE TO LATE BERTH ALLOTMENT.
Unlike 2Ac- 3 AC and Sleeper class, the berth allocation for AC First Class and First Class does not happen when you book your ticket. It happens some 6-12 hours before the train’s departure. And even after buying 2 or 4 tickets, you are not guaranteed a coupe or a cabin to yourself. This is because
First-AC and First-Class are VIP Class. The station masters or the reservation head must consider VIP travel while allocating the berths.
REQUESTING COUPE / CABIN ALLOTMENT
So, one day before travelling, you must submit an application addressed to the Station Master at the designated office or box kept for it. The format that we used is part of this article. Attach a copy of your confirmed ticket with the application.
BOOKING THE PET ON THE DAY OF TRAVEL
On the day of travel, you must come at least 2-3 hours before the train departure and contact the luggage office, which is generally at one of the ends of the platform. And then book your pet as a co-passenger. Here you could be charged for travel based on the weight of the pet and the distance to travel. The railway could think of digitalising and allowing pre-booking if they can tackle confirmation of berth allotment.
Additionally, you need to show a Health /Fitness Certificate from an authorised Vet and the Vaccination Certificates with the vaccination Vial stickers. This health/fitness certificate cannot be over 48 hours old, but the experience says no one checks. Sometimes it is okay to get an updated certificate from your regular Vet and date it as required. I know you will not travel with your pet if the pet is not well to travel.
Having the pet registered with the city office or having a microchip collar is an added help.
In addition, advisable to carry (not a mandatory requirement) is Pet insurance. It costs 500-600 INR a year and is a worthwhile investment. You also need to take your photo-id for the booking. And please ensure you are carrying photocopies of these documents.
PET ON TRAIN.
Let’s say you have managed the coupe or the cabin, booked the pet at the luggage counter and are now ready to travel.
We know dogs are territorial in nature. They are comfortable with the territory they know and tend to become anxious in a new place. So, bring the pet to the station early and walk him on the platform; it would help decrease the dog’s anxiety.
There is no way to acclimate the pet dog to train travel- so the first time will be stressful, it makes the next journey smooth, and we can vouch for our experience with Milo Kotnala.
SOME TIPS WHILE TRAVELLING WITH PET ON TRAIN.
The dog will be confined to the coach and the cabin/coupe if it is a long journey. This will lead to less activity, walking and exercising. Hence you may plan to reduce your pet’s food intake.
Mark out stations with longer halts and take the dog for a walk on these stations. Please ensure the dog is well trained or has a muzzle, and you won’t want someone to take objection. Though you can check with your Vet for sedatives for older and bigger dogs, it is not advisable.
Never leave the pets alone. Keep playing with them to decrease their anxiety levels.
Please keep the dog chained on a leash outside the cabin and coupe- irrespective of how trained and obedient they may be.
You are responsible for feeding and water intake of your pet dog. Please carry enough- preferably dry food of pet choice and treats.
Don’t forget to bring essential medication for the pet’s stomach and fever.
Do carry some of the pet’s favourite toys.
Plain paper tissues and poo bags are a must. Carry a pee mat if the pet is trained to use it; otherwise, don’t experiment. In that case, carry pee-preventing sprays and use them in the coupe/cabin and corridor- so the et does not pee there.
Carry per bed and blankets if they are habituated to sleeping that way. In fact, carry things that will make them feel at home.
NETNET.
The train journey with Pet Dog is smooth and easy. It could be a smoother and better experience if Railways could somehow confirm berth allocation at the time of booking and pre-booking the pet- instead of going to the luggage counter-2-3 hours before the train departure.
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