Whether dreaming of, or planning your next yacht adventure, many will wish to take their whole family along with them. The concept of a “whole family” now includes taking furry family members onboard too. Europa Marine Consultants Ltd, a subsidiary of the Europa Group, reports on some important considerations to be made before taking your pet onboard your next yacht adventure.

Whether a cat or dog, most pets can adapt well to life at sea and often make wonderful cruising companions. More and more people are now adding their pets to their yachts as part of their family. However, every pet is different and not all will immediately take to life onboard a yacht. Making sure that pets are safe and their needs are taken care of means a number of important factors must to be taken into account.

We have collected a few important examples that yacht adventurers should consider before taking their pets onboard.

Pet Safety First:
Keeping your pet safe on board a yacht is essential. Ensure low guard rails are installed around the yacht. Make sure your pet has an international microchip and a fitted life jacket. A GPS locator can also be attached to its collar for easy location should your pet fall overboard.

Plan How Your Pet Will Do its “Business”:
All pets will need the “toilet” at some time and a yacht is not designed for this sort of pet “business”. It is important that you plan and train how and where you want your pet will to go.

Pet Paperwork:
Each country or port of entry has different entry requirements for animals. Ensure you have paperwork detailing all vaccinations, visas and passport for your pet.

Sun Safety and Hydration:
All pets can suffer from sunburn and even heatstroke. Plan how you will provide shade for your pet and how you will keep it cool. Where possible use specialised sunscreen for your pet. Also note, that a dehydrated pet will try to drink seawater, which can lead to many problems. Leave water bowls around the yacht to make sure it is well hydrated.

While we may not all be billionaires, Europa Marine Consultants Ltd is pleased to provide a few important considerations to be made when considering taking furry family members onboard your next yacht adventure. On a daily basis, we register and manage both private and commercial vessels in ports of registry worldwide. Whatever the size of your vessel or wherever your vessel, contact us today to find out how we can tailor our services to help you with your vessel and marine needs.

Working with The Europa Group

Our extensive expertise and understanding of each client’s individual requirements is matched by a wide range of supporting services. All our services come with the reassurance of a knowledgeable response, professional ethic and unwavering customer focus. Our experienced and dedicated marine team provides a full range of tailored services to seafarers whatever the size and wherever the vessel.