Policies and Procedures
Travellers Section
Travellers Section

Frequently Asked Pet Questions—Traveling with Marine Atlantic

Should I leave my pet in the vehicle?
In most cases, leaving your pet in the vehicle is the least stressful option for your pet.  Your vehicle is familiar and smells of home and family.  During a Marine Atlantic voyage, the vehicle decks are quiet and calm without much "action" that might stimulate, excite, or stress your pet.  After loading the likelihood is that your pet will relax and rest. 

Should I use the Kennel area?
If you feel that your dog is not capable of keeping control of their bladder or bowels for the duration of the voyage, or might re-decorate your vehicle's interior, the Kennel might be the best choice.  Pets must be carried to and from the Kennel inside a crate if possible.  If a dog is too large to be carried inside the crate, he must be muzzled and on-leash to and from the Kennel.
You may visit your dog at your convenience, but you should try to keep visits to a minimum (once or twice during the six-hour crossing, or two to three times for the Argentia crossing) so that your pet has the opportunity to relax and sleep.  Visiting the dog too often can actually get the dog excited and worried and cause a stressful voyage.   Also keep in mind that there will likely be other pets in the kennel area, and each time you enter the area they will be affected by your presence as well.
If your dog is not accustomed to being confined in a pet carrier, your voyage with Marine Atlantic should not be the first time.  Time should be spent prior to the voyage making sure the dog is "crate trained" if you are planning to use the Kennel option.

Why must I muzzle and leash my dog on the way to the kennel?
When dogs are put into new situations they may react unpredictably.  The most even-tempered pet can become frightened and bite.  On your way to the Kennel area you will encounter hundreds of people, most of which are strangers and may act in unexpected ways toward your dog.  It is therefore necessary to protect you, your dog, our passengers and crew by making a dog bite impossible through the use of muzzles and leash control. It is your responsibility to provide your own muzzle and leash.

How should I feed and water my pet in preparation for our voyage?
In order to minimize an urgent need to eliminate during the voyage, you should control excessive eating/drinking just prior to your trip.  If you wish to provide water for your pet to drink during the voyage, ice is a great way to provide refreshment along with preventing major spills that might make your pet uncomfortable.  Ice also requires the animal to lick slowly rather than gulping water.  Some crates come with snap-on plastic dishes for water and food—simply fill both sides of the dish with water and place in your freezer overnight.  Or, you can visit a fast-food establishment just prior to boarding and get a cup of ice to dump into a dish.

How long can a dog "hold it" and still be comfortable?
-If a dog is moving around actively, about 4-5 hours.  If a dog is resting and calm, much longer (such as overnight, or 8+ hours).  During your sail, your dog will either be in your vehicle in a quiet area of the ship without any outside stimulus that might excite him to be restless, or he will be in his crate in the kennel area.  Both options provide a restful atmosphere that should allow the dog to simply relax and sleep, thereby not needing to toilet as often as if he were having an active day.

What about cats? 
For cats, a small litter box set up in the floorboard of your vehicle or inside their pet carrier will allow them to freely relieve themselves whenever necessary.  If using the Kennel area, bring along a towel to drape over the crate to prevent other pets from looking in on your cat, and to prevent your cat from having to deal with constantly looking at another cat or dog.