Continental Airlines and PetRelocation.com Offer Summer Pet Travel Safety Tips

HOUSTON and AUSTIN, Texas, July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) and PetRelocation.com are reminding holiday and summer travelers to protect their pets from extreme summer heat during travel. The following guidelines will help pets stay safe and cool when flying this summer season:

• Choose the pet’s airline carefully. Make sure the airline has a plan in place to protect animals from the heat, like climate-controlled vans and airport kennels. Continental Airlines provides this as part of their PetSafe program.
• To allow increased air flow, purchase a pet travel crate that has ventilation on all four sides and is one size larger than the typically recommended size. PetRelocation.com’s educational video series offers advice on picking out the right pet travel crate: http://tinyurl.com/travelcrates or travelers can access Continental Airlines’ website for details on “how to measure your pet:” http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/petchecklist.pdf
• Acclimate the pet to his travel crate ahead of time. A pet that is comfortable with being in a travel crate will experience less stress, allowing him to breathe steadily and release heat more quickly from his body. Pet owners can watch a video on crate training at PetRelocation.com: http://tinyurl.com/travelcrates
• Professional under-coat grooming, rather than shaving, will keep long-haired pets cooler without removing the natural insulation that pet coats provide from the heat.
• Avoid putting thick blankets or beds in the travel crate as they restrict airflow and hold in heat. Instead use newspaper or absorbent puppy potty-training pads.
• Freeze water in the crate bowls the night before travel. As the ice melts, it will ensure the pet has water throughout the trip and will prevent water from spilling.

For daily advice and information on moving, traveling and flying with pets, visit the PetRelocation.com blog: http://blog.petrelocation.com or contact Continental’s PetSafe Desk by dialing 1-800-575-3335 or +1-832-235-1541.

About Continental Airlines:

Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,750 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 133 domestic and 132 international destinations. More than 750 additional points are served via current alliance partners. With more than 43,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year and more than 120,000 pets in its award-winning PetSafe program.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For the sixth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 World's Most Admired Airline on its 2009 list of World's Most Admired Companies. For more company information, go to continental.com.

Media Contact: Corporate Communications of Continental Airlines, +1-713-324-5080, corpcomm@coair.com / /Web Site: http://www.continental.com

About PetRelocation.com: PetRelocation.com, the pet travel and pet transportation industry’s leading service provider, offers full-service arrangements using pet friendly airlines for domestic and international pet transportation. Founded in 2004 in Austin, Texas, a strong emphasis is placed on assisting companies with relocating employees who own pets. For more information, please visit http://www.PetRelocation.com.

Media Contact: Rachel Farris, Rachel@PetRelocation.com / +1-512-264-9800 x113