Pet Travel Safety

After you have taken a trip with your dog a few times, pet travel safety will become second nature. Just look out for your pet as you would your kids.

Your family is packed and ready to go. You all jump in the car and head for the open road. Exciting, yes it is! Put some CD's of road songs in the player and enjoy the ride.

Plan to take breaks every 2 hours to stretch your legs, walk the dog and switch drivers.

Give your pet some water from the bottles you brought from home and a treat.

Make sure his leash & collar/harness are on before opening the car door. And he does have his ID tags on, yes?

Another tip about pet ID's. You may want to have your dog tattooed or have a micro chip inserted under his skin.

This is good not only for pet travel safety but at all times.

Your vet can do this in the office. If you choose to micro chip, it is a simple procedure.

The chip (about the size of a tiny pin head) is inserted under your dog's skin around the back of his neck. This carries all your information, your pet's info and the tracking number.

Sign up with the pet recovery company your vet uses and you will be all set. Usually there is a small fee for this. But you and your dog will protected.

Our sheltie was micro chipped by his breeder. You will find a lot of breeders will do this for their litters.

If your dog is lost, call the recovery company and let them know. Tell them where you are and then they will go to work contacting vets, police, shelters in the area your dog was last seen.

When he is found a scanner will be used to read the information on the chip, contact you and/or the recovery company and you will be reunited with your pet.

This is a good investment.

Do not allow your dog to hang his head out of the window. Dirt and road debris can injure his eyes, ears and nose.

If it is a hot day, use the A/C for your and your pet. Keep your dog's head inside the ride at all times.

Your pet should be confined to the back seat either in a carrier or harness attached to the seat belt.

This keeps him from interfering with the driver and may save his life if there's an accident.

Never allow a pet or human to ride in a travel trailer while in motion. In most states it is against the law for any living being to be in a moving trailer.

A pet travel safety must..Do not put your dog in the back of a pick up truck. Again, in some states it is illegal.

Your pet can jump out or be thrown out and injured or worse and tying him in the back can lead to being dragged or hung if he jumps out of the back of the truck.

NEVER, NEVER, EVER leave your dog in a car on a hot or even warm day. Cracking the windows will do little to keep him cool.

The temperature can build up quickly in the car and your dog will develop heat stroke or even die.

This is a major pet travel safety issue. You have seen people leave their pets in cars while they see the sites.

You feel so bad for the dog with his tongue hanging out getting hotter by the minute. Have your reported this? It's a dog owners duty to do so. It could save a life.

You could be cited for animal cruelty and fined or imprisoned and that's not how you want your vacation to go.

You wouldn't leave your kids in a hot car would you? Same thing.

If you are traveling in areas that are prone to tornadoes and hurricanes, plan where you will go with your pet in case of an evacuation.

Emergency shelters do not accept pets so know where you will go just in case. Again, plan your travel safety strategy accordingly.

Will your vacation be in the great outdoors? If you are camping or hiking, make sure your pet is permitted on the trails and at campgrounds.

Do this before you leave home. You don't want any surprises. Think about the pet travel safety you need to be aware of in this environment and plan for it.

It's great to hike through nature trails with your dog at your side. Always remember to keep him on leash.

Don't allow your pet to run loose. This can cause multiple problems, but the most serious is a run in with a wild animal.

Make sure your pet is in good physical condition before taking off. Take water along for you and him to stay hydrated.

Keep an eye on him for sprains, strains, sore feet, exhaustion. If it is too much for your dog, return to camp and rest.

Dogs can carry their own backpacks but don't overdo it. Your pet should never carry more than 1/3 of his body weight.

Train him at home to carry the pack. Only use the backpack if your pet is in excellent condition.

Bottom line...Be aware of potential pet travel safety risks before hand and plan accordingly. If you do, your family will have a great vacation.