ASPCA Pet Health Insurance Plans Help You Travel Safely with Your Pet this Holiday Season

CANTON, Ohio, Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The holidays are a special time to spend with loved ones—including your family pets. And with a few extra preparations, you can help your pets safely join the festivities no matter where you travel.

One of the most important steps is to make sure your pet is covered by pet insurance before you head out the door. If any unexpected accidents or illnesses happen along the way, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance plans cover visits to any licensed veterinarian in the U.S. or Canada, including emergency clinics and specialists.

Additionally, with new travel assistance services available with ASPCA Pet Health Insurance plans, pet parents have even more help when they're traveling with their pets. Our plans are the first and only ones to come with travel assistance services for pets.

Whenever a customer is traveling 100 miles or more away from home with their pet, one phone call to a 24/7 Operations Center will immediately connect the customer with services such as veterinary referrals, emergency transport, assistance finding a missing pet, concierge services and a pre-trip checklist. Our travel assistance provider, Global Pet Plus, makes all the necessary arrangements for services with no out-of-pocket costs for customers.

Here are some holiday travel tips from our friends at the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®):

1. If you're traveling by car, get your pet ready for a long trip by taking him or her on a series of short drives first, gradually lengthening the time spent in the car. Also make sure you secure the crate—and that it's well ventilated and comfortable—before starting off.
2. Feed your pet a light meal three to four hours before departing. Don't feed your pet in a moving vehicle.
3. Never leave your animal alone in a parked car, even if it's cold outside. Hot temperatures can lead to heatstroke, and chilly temperatures can make the car act as a refrigerator, freezing an animal to death.
4. Bring along some food, water from home, bowls, a leash, a waste scoop and plastic bags, grooming supplies, a first-aid kit, medication and vaccination records. Also stow a favorite toy or pillow to give your pet a sense of familiarity.
5. Make sure your accommodations at your destination are pet-friendly.
6. Make sure your pet is micro-chipped and wearing a collar and ID tag. Include your contact information and your destination on the collar.
7. The ASPCA urges pet owners to think twice about flying their pets on commercial airlines, especially if they plan on checking them in as cargo. Unless your animal is small enough to fit under your seat and you can bring him or her in the cabin, the ASPCA recommends pet owners to not fly their animal. If your pet must travel in a plane's cargo hold, write "Live Animal" in large letters on the crate and draw arrows to indicate the upright position of the crate. Also attach a current photo of your pet to the crate in case your pet escapes. If the plane is delayed, or if you have any concerns about the welfare of your pet, insist that airline personnel check the animal whenever feasible. In certain situations, removing the animal from the cargo hold and deplaning may be warranted. For more tips on flying with your pet, click here.

Once you arrive at your destination, watch out for holiday-related hazards to your pet such as tree water, tinsel and chocolate. In fact, in December we see the highest number of claims for chocolate and candy ingestion. Read about other holiday hazards at www.aspcapetinsurance.com/101.

One of the oldest and largest pet insurance providers in the U.S., Canton-based Hartville Group provides ASPCA Pet Health Insurance through its licensed agency. As the only strategic partner for pet insurance with the ASPCA,® Hartville has provided ASPCA Pet Health Insurance to U.S. consumers since 2006.

For more information about ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, visit www.aspcapetinsurance.com. Pet insurance programs are underwritten by the United States Fire Insurance Company.

About The Hartville Group

The Hartville Group, Inc. is the parent company of Petsmarketing Insurance.com Agency, Inc. (individually and collectively referred to as Hartville Group). Based in Canton, Ohio, the Hartville Group was founded in 1997 and is one of the largest providers of pet health insurance in the U.S., offering pet insurance through the subsidiary agency under the brand names ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Hartville Pet Insurance and Petshealth Care Plan. As part of its strategic partnership with the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) Hartville Group provides ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. The subsidiary agency is authorized to provide property and casualty insurance in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. For more information about the Hartville Group, visit www.hartvillegroup.com.  For more information about ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, visit www.aspcapetinsurance.com.

Follow ASPCA Pet Health Insurance at www.facebook.com/ASPCAPetInsurance and @ASPCAPetIns.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as a leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA's mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. For more information, please visit www.ASPCA.org, and be sure to follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Media Contact:
Lisa Hockensmith
Hartville Group Inc.
330-484-9746
Cell: 330-309-2233
[email protected]

SOURCE Hartville Group, Inc.