Summer is here. Road trip! Is it a road trip with your pooch? Your cat? Maybe your Iguana? I do Wildlife Rescue and have had to transport my raccoon babies down to the shore, a two hour trip. Just like the Boy Scouts say “Be Prepared”. The two hour trip can turn into a four hour trip if you hit bad weather or traffic. You have to plan for the unexpected. . We drove from New Jersey to Florida with two Chihuahuas. We already knew they were comfortable riding in a car. If your pet is iffy take short trips around the neighborhood to get him/her acclimated. You may have to consider a veterinarian-prescribed sedative for some animals.
Keep in mind the temperature in general, leaving a pet in a car is inadvisable you may have to consider drive thru.You also need to be sure that if you plan on doing an overnight that the hotel is pet friendly. There are lists of pet friendly motels and even pet friendly bed and brekfasts. Check on line. Keep in mind management will prefer friendly dogs not aggressive dogs. Best Western and Holiday Inn are pet friendly but be sure to book ahead since some places only can accomodate a certain amount of animlas. Ask about any fees for the nights stay.petfriendlytravel.comis a good site for pet friendly beaches, parks, campgrounds. I bring some “pee pee pads” for hotel stays just to be prepard in case they forget about going out or are lured by previous “smells” to do something in the room.
You should be sure to have up to date vaccinations and I would check out vets along the way in case you need one at healthypet.com It’s a must to have good identification. I use collars with the dogs name and phone number embroidered on them purchased from DrsFosterandSmith.com and my dogs are chipped. Chipping is very inexpensive and can make all the difference in the world if your pet somehow gets away.
In the car it’s recommended you use a carrier and use the seat belt to secure it in place. I would pad the carrier in case you hit some bumps. Make sure you have a clean up bag with paper towels, antibacterial spray, wipes, empty disposable plastic bags for “accidents”.
