5 tips to consider before you take a road trip with your pet

Planning a road trip is a tad bit of a task and a whole different level of a task when you have to bring in your pet along with you.

It can make you feel like you’ll need a vacation from your vacation when a pet is involved on a road trip.

Even though we’re all restricted to some rules and regulations due to the ongoing pandemic, you might want to plan a road trip for the future.

So we thought of listing down a few tips that might help you travel easily and safely with your pet.

It is best not to let your pet roam freely or sit on your lap in the car. Small dogs and cats should be in a carrier, if you don’t already own one, you must invest in one before you take off for a trip. Large dogs won’t comfortably fit in a carrier and so, they should have their own seat. Restrain them by attaching their harnesses to the seat belts. You might think it’s okay to let your pet enjoy the fresh air by hanging their heads outside the car window, but it’s safer if they don’t poke their heads out while you’re in transit.

Before you even take a trip, make sure your pet is comfortable being in the car by taking it out on short drives with all necessary safety measures. You can place your animal and their favourite toy inside a parked car for them to get familiar with the new environment without stressing to travel. Once your pet is comfortable, go for a few 10-minute drives before the actual trip. Offer your pet a treat after every ride to reinforce a positive association.

This is a very important step before you even begin to take a trip. Review the details of your hotel’s pet policy before you book your accommodation. If you have more than one animal you must find out if your accommodation allows several pets. Also, find out if you can leave your pet unattended in a room for a few hours if you have to step out without them. Call the receptionist of the place for more up-to-date information rather than relying on online information.

It is advised to carry medication, leash, collar, bowls, water, kitty litter, litter box, toys, waste bags and all the other things related to your pet when you take a trip. Potty pads can come in handy for lining the bottom of your cat’s crate so that they can use the bathroom before you reach your destination. You can then discard used ones when you stop for a break.

Before you take a road trip, you have to make sure that your pet’s identification or microchip information is up-to-date if in case you and your pet separate. Install an app for your pet’s medical records so that if you run into an emergency in the middle of your road trip, you have all the information of your pet on the app to show it to the vet.