PETS ABOARD THE YACHT
Posted on January 30, 2019
Whether pets are allowed aboard a yacht depends entirely on the charter agency, so please make sure to check in advance. However, if you take a pet with you, keep in mind there are certain precautions you have to make and things you have to prepare in advance.
Firstly, make sure to bring with you appropriate and complete documentation necessary for your pet to enter the country (such as vaccination card) and that your pet is microchipped.
If your pet is not accustomed to sailing, it might get scared and panic, so find a nice, cosy and secure place (usually below deck) for it to hide in during especially rough weather. It is a good idea to bring along some seasickness medication with you in case your pet does not feel well (consult with your veterinarian). As sailing entails spending long periods in the sun, pets, like people, can easily get sunburns. Taking with you some high SPF sunscreen and ensuring enough shade should do the trick in preventing any unwanted consequences.
When aboard a yacht, toilet options for your pet are rather scarce. You need to provide a suitable place (a box, a piece of easily cleaned material, or something similar) for your pet to do its business in, or train it to do it overboard (not always convenient, as there is a risk of falling overboard).
There are a couple more thing you shouldn’t forget: your pet’s favourite toys, its blanket or bed/seat, a collar, leash and muzzle for outings to the shore, a safety net to install on the yacht’s railing, and, possibly, a harness for easier recovery from the sea.