Travelling with your pet can quickly become a nightmare, whether you are the happy owner of a new pet or your pet has trouble travelling, a car trip can be stressful for you both… The following tips can prove helpful to help you travel peacefully with your pet!
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO MAKE A CAR TRIP WITH YOUR PET EASIER
You can:
- Put your pet in a familiar crate, one she is used to for sleeping or when you are away. The crate is his/her home and she will feel safe there. Remember to make sure that the crate does not tip over when you brake… an unstable crate can add to the anxiety!
- Put your pet in the back of the family car or minivan. Installing a safety grid will prevent your pet from being thrown forward in the car if you need to brake sharply.
- Use a seatbelt specifically designed for dogs. This considerably reduces the risk of your pet being hurt in an accident, or trying to move around in the vehicle.
A FEW POINTERS FOR TRIPS
When possible, avoid feeding your pet before travelling. This could help avoid surprise vomiting! If you see that your pet does well in the car, you can gradually start feeding him/her small amounts before trips, which you can gradually increase.
It is strongly recommended that you stop every 2-3 hours so your pet can stretch its legs, move around and feel relieved. Remember to bring an empty water bowl, a fresh bottle of water and bags for picking up after your pet!
When dogs get hot, they do not sweat like humans do; they release their heat by panting. You can install sun screens on your car windows (as for children) to reduce the heat in the car.
It is important to never leave your pet in the car unsupervised when it is hot, even in the shade!
Happy travels!
