Tips for Cruising with Pets in the Caribbean

For the past several cruising seasons, we have been taking our pets, three little Havanese dogs, with us to the Northern Caribbean and Windward/Leewards. Pets are onboard a lot of vessels in the tropics, from the large Bengal cat,who had a special five foot diameter exercise wheel in the cockpit of his vessel (Charlotte Amalie), to little Zoe, a Parsons Terrier on SV Sapphire, the pets share their captains adventures. And if you review pet export requirements, you will soon find birds and even hedgehogs all have special rules and requirements or can even be denied entry. Like cruisers, pets come in all sizes and types!

Plan head for pet care while on passage. Our pets are used to the boat, and it’s best to let the little ones travel a few times before you raise the anchor and head offshore. 

What to do about Pet Food?

Carry pet food and decide how they will use ‘facilities’ on board. For pet foods, we carry several large bags for the first legs of our usually eight months in the tropics, picking up new supplies in the Virgin Islands, British Virgin islands or Puerto Rico where we find the obligatory Kmart or Walmart type stores and excellent veterinarians. In St. Thomas, Crown Bay Marina has not only an excellent pet store in close walking location to the dingy dock, but a veterinarian in walking distance as well; also one veterinarian, Caine, Cats and Critters near Red Hook, VIs also has locations on St. Johns and the British Virgin Islands. We send all our pet records ahead of time to them via email, just to make an appointment later easier. A consideration for all these vets is the transportation requirement, such as a rental car or taxi. A carrier for your pet may be needed, just be aware. 

Pet Medications

Obtain critical pet medications ahead of time. We take a years worth of heartworm medications (Sentinal), and twelve months of Frontline Plus (FFP), for each dog. We have found heartworm medication, Sentinel, provides some additional flea control, and FFP is required as an entry pre-treatment for almost every country in the tropics. With this combination, we have not had flea issue even in our long coated dogs or heartworm/worms. We also have a first aid kid with eye/ear antibiotics, CAPSTAR for emergency flea control, and Benadryl (know your pets dose), just in case. Of course, pet shampoo/conditioner/brushes are also on board. 

How to handle Pets and Bathroom Facilities on a Boat?

Cats are fairly dependable as to bathroom facilities, dogs are a little more challenging. Our pets are trained from birth to use pads; we carry washable pads as pet pads are not items found in just every location in the tropics. Like my field trial Labradors, the dogs are also trained to pee on command, which can shorten the ‘where should I, do I want to’ dances on shore. 

With food, a sanitary plan, and necessary medications on board, cruising will be much more comfortable. Practice your plan/idea first, however, there is nothing like a pet who refuses to use the correct ‘facilities.’

How to keep your Pets Safe

We follow some common sense rules while on the boat. Safety offshore,includes fitted and tested by each pet, Life-jackets. Like your gear, they have to fit and work. Bet sure to have a jacket which lifts the muzzle of the dog, some don’t have that feature. Your dog could be head underwater quickly. We also use our life jackets as a lifting method to get pups into and out of the dink,even when the boat is on the hard. Our dogs names are on each jacket, and we have them placed with leads, at an easy to reach location. 

Offshore, our pups are trained to stay in the cockpit, but just in case, we have lifeline netting from bow to stern. At anchor, the dogs love roaming topside and making sure no arrivals are ignored- they sit on the cabin top and observe the harbors. During weather, and during sail changes, the dogs are sent below and kept contained; they love their fold-able soft carriers, and the captains cabin. The carriers are also suitable for airline travel; just in case we need to take them in taxi’s or travel. 

These pets are your companions, they deserve attention and care. Like toddlers, our pets are never in the cockpit alone. In fact, following common sense rules for toddlers is similar to what you should do for your pets. 

Part 1 of a 3 Part Series. Next Month will include How to Import and Exit the Various Caribbean Countries with your Pets 

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