As with most things to do with animal welfare, many of the practical aspects of travelling with pets are just basic common sense. But never presume that this is something that the person you're talking to has in any great abundance!

Ideally, clients who want to transport animals by car should use a suitable travel cage, dog guard or seat harness for dogs and invest in a strong, secure wire cage for cats and other pets. Remind clients that an unsecured pet can be a dangerous distraction to a driver. In the event of an accident, an unsecured pet is also at much greater risk of being injured, or causing injury to the driver or passengers.

You would think people would learn, but every year pets continue to die from heat exhaustion, as a result of being left in a car with the windows closed. The safest thing is to recommend that clients ALWAYS leave an inch of car window open to allow fresh air in, whatever the time of year. The more they get into the habit, the less likely they'll forget when it really matters.

A dog shouldn't be allowed to travel in a car with its head hanging out of the window. There is a significant risk of injury from stones and debris thrown up by other cars.

Travelling pets should be microchipped and fitted with a secure collar and name tag. Engraved tags are preferable to the barrel type that often come loose.

Cats and dogs can travel for free on most railways and bus routes, but must be under strict control.

Pets travelling by air or sea will need to be transported according to the regulations of the travel company concerned. Clients should be advised to contact their carrier well in advance to make arrangements.