Familiarizing Your Pet With a Boat

Many people love to take their pets on their boats. The good news is that your boat insurance often offers some form of coverage for your pets. Many policies offer coverage that you can specifically apply to instances of pet injury or death on your boat.

However, these policies generally come with limits. Financial coverage generally on falls around a couple of thousand dollars. Pet coverage, like most other coverage, might assume that all accidents involving pets are unavoidable or unpreventable.

Therefore, it becomes imperative for boaters to protect their pets during their time on the water. This includes taking the time to familiarize the pet with your boat before starting an excursion.

Familiarizing Pets with Boats

Boaters have to remember that by taking their four-legged friends onto a boat, they are exposing them to unfamiliar surroundings. Pets often take adjustment to unfamiliar surroundings, especially water. Land-dwelling animals often are not accustomed to long exposure to water, even if they generally like it.

Before starting a boating excursion, take the time to prepare your pet for a boating excursion. Also take the time to make sure the pet has everything it needs for the excursion.

Include any special equipment to protect the pet’s safety while on the boat. Such items should include a special pet lifesaving device.
Place a small amount of food and water on the craft. Keep these items in secure containers that are also spill-proof.
Often, it is best to keep your pet on a leash or in a special area of the craft. This can help keep the pet away from the edges of the boat, and reduce the chance that it might fall overboard. Some boaters even keep pet gates in certain areas of their boats.
If your pet can swim, only allow it to enter the water with your supervision. Furthermore, some pet owners use pet life jackets and special loading and unloading devices to help the pet maneuver the water easily.
Make sure you keep the pet safe and dry on the boat. If the pet shows signs of distress or illness, take steps to comfort the pet and see to its needs. Often, if the pet shows signs of acute distress or illness, it is best to return to land.

Remember, pet policies may still contain exclusions. They often only allow coverage for dogs and cats. Therefore, do not take sensitive or exotic pets on boats without expressed assurances from your insurance agent. Furthermore, your inability to see to your pet’s welfare might lead to a negligent accident that was otherwise preventable. Your insurance company might deny your claims.

Familiarizing Your Pet With a Boat

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