Road Trips Tips

Taking a road trip is the best kind of vacation with your pet. The wind in your fur, the sites and scents of the road! It allows you to set your own pace, and decide moment by moment what sounds like fun. Laying out the course and locating accommodations and activities is easy using the GoPetFriendly.com Road Trip Planner, but there are a few other things you might want to think about before you take off!

1. Prepare the Vehicle – This means doing some “pet prep”. Be sure you have a way of securing your pet while you are on the road. Crates, carriers or car harnesses will prevent your pet from making an unannounced visit to check the view from your lap while you’re driving, and will keep Kitty from crawling under the brake pedal! Restraints will also protect them from injury in case of an accident. Remember to deactivate the airbag for any seat your pet will be occupying.
2. Prepare your Pet – Make a visit to your vet to for a check-up, confirm all vaccinations are up to date, and to discuss any possible concerns about flea, tick or heartworm risks where you will be traveling. It is also a great idea to discuss possible remedies for car sickness, diarrhea and restlessness – just in case! Finally, seriously consider having your pet micro-chipped and keep your contact information up to date with the company that registers the chip. It would be a nightmare, but pets do become separated from their people while traveling. Shelters, animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and humane societies have scanners that read the chips so they can notify you of your pet’s recovery.
3. Pack for your Pet – Pets need a lot of stuff when they are on vacation! Here is a list of things to bring:
   • Food and Treats – if you are not certain that you can pick up the brand you feed your pet along the way, pack enough for the whole trip. For canned food – don’t forget the can opener!
   • Drinking Water – if your pet’s stomach is easily upset, it pays to take drinking water from home with you.
   • Food and Water Bowls - portable bowls pack easily and are great when you are out & about, and anti-spill water bowls are fantastic in the car.
   • Proof of vaccinations and your pet’s health records - you’ll need these if you choose to utilize a pet sitter, day care, or kennel services while you are traveling. Also take your vet’s telephone number, and the telephone number for the National Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435.
   • Current identification tag and photos of your pet – in case your pet gets separated from you, be sure you have a current photo and that the identification tags on their collar have your cell phone number, or other phone number where you can be reached while you are away.
   • A couple of rolls of paper towels – for muddy paws and other messes.
   • An old towel – in case of rain, or after swimming.
   • Your pet’s bed – to make them more comfortable when you spend the night in unfamiliar locations.
   • Toys!!
   • All their medications, vitamins, supplements, etc.
   • Plastic bags to pick up after them along the way.
   • Litter pan for cats with extra litter.
   • First aid kit – just in case of ouchies!
   • Pet insect repellent and sunscreen.
   • Leash – you may also want to consider a long leash (15-20 feet) if you plan to hike with your dog or let them run in an unfenced area.
   • Your camera – you’ll want to capture these memories to share with us on GoPetFriendly.com and with your family and friends!
4. Punctuality is Purrfect - Maintaining your pet’s feeding and exercise schedule as much as possible during your trip will reduce any anxiety they may feel about being away from home, so allow for stops along the way to let your pet stretch, run, or burn off some energy – isn’t this what being on vacation is all about, after all?
5. Plan Ahead – Confirm your accommodation reservations and remind them that you are traveling with your pet. Also, ask about any restrictions that the hotel or campground may have regarding pets, including whether you are allowed to leave your pet unattended in your room. Unattended pets are best kept in a crate, and you should request that staff does not enter the room and disturb your pet while you are out. Utilizing a local pet sitter or pet day care facility is also a fantastic option if there are things you’d like to do and your pet cannot join you.
6. Prevent Problems – Be a considerate pet parent by training your pet in good manners, following the rules of your accommodations regarding pets and the local leash laws, and disposing of pet waste appropriately.

We recommend that you never leave your pet in your parked car. (Consider a pet sitter or pet day care facility if there is an activity that cannot accommodate your pet!) If it is absolutely necessary to leave your pet in the car, you should only leave them for a few minutes at a time. Make sure to park in a shady area, lock the doors, and open the windows wide enough to allow for ample ventilation, without allowing your pet to escape or get their head caught. You should never leave your pet in a parked car when the temperature and/or humidity are high or when the temperature is near or below freezing. Pets can die quickly from heat exhaustion or stroke and hypothermia.

7. Project Positivity – Your pet will react to your behavior, so relax and have FUN!