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If taking a holiday without your dog in tow is simply unthinkable, then you need to ensure that you find the safest and most comfortable way to travel with you. A moving vehicle can be a frightening and intimidating place for even the most placid animal, so it is important to plan their transportation carefully to make sure that they are happy and that everyone in the car is kept as safe as possible.
In this article, we have put together our eight top tips to make travelling with your furry friends a fun and pleasant experience.
The Highway Code states that if you are travelling with any animal in the car, then they must be suitably secured. This is because they risk causing a hazard while you are driving. An excitable, scared or even needy pet can be unpredictable, especially when it comes to getting your attention, and so they could distract the driver or obstruct them, leading to an accident.
They also need to be secured to prevent them causing further harm if an accident does happen. We all know the dangers to someone in the front seat if a human in the back is not wearing a seatbelt and is catapulted into them in an accident, and there is the same risk from a pet.
Having an animal hurled into the back of you with the force of a collision could be potentially fatal for both you and them so they need to be fully secured for everyone’s safety. This could be with a harness or crate, and any pet carriers should also be secured in place.
As much as we love our pets, we are all aware of the damage that they are capable of doing, even when they do not mean to. That is why a pet bed designed specifically for your car can be so valuable.
This padded bed can be secured into your car to give your furry friend plenty of comfort during their journey, but it can also help to protect your seats and carpets from pet hair, scratches, drool and the occasional little accident. It is easily removed and washed, so you can be confident that your car will stay in good condition no matter what.
If you are planning to take your pet overseas, then there will be plenty of paperwork that you will need to take with you. What you need will depend on where you are going, how long you are staying and who you are travelling with, so speak to your vet about what you will need. Some of this can be costly, and there can be long waiting times for some documents to come through, so it is best to start planning as early as possible.
Even an experienced pet traveler can suffer from car sickness, as the motion of the vehicle can feel extremely unnatural to them. One of the best ways to combat this is to ensure that the vehicle is properly ventilated at all times.
When it comes to the temperature, it is best to keep things on the cool side and heat can make the sickness feel worse. Fresh air is often the best medicine, so where possible, try to crack the windows a little.
However, you should ensure that your pet is not able to escape out of the window or hang their head outside as they risk being injured by any flying debris on the road.
A full stomach is almost a guaranteed way to make a pet feel sick when travelling, so try to feed them well in advance of any journey and make sure that you keep it light. If you are travelling for any significant lengths of time, then feel free to offer them a top up, but make sure it is still light and that the vehicle is not moving so that the food can settle properly.
Any pet will need to be properly hydrated when on the move, so it is good to keep some water handy. There are some great bottles and bowls which have been specifically designed with travel in mind that can avoid spills and be easily put away.
We all know how good it feels to stretch your legs when you have been in the car for a long while, and it is no different for your pets. They will also need to be able to get out and have a walk around, particularly if nature calls. Whilst you might want to get to your destination as quickly as possible, this will not be in your pets’ best interests, so make sure you plan plenty of spots where you can stop and take a break for a little while.
It is a legal requirement for all dogs over 8 weeks old to have a microchip, and from 2024 any cat over 20 weeks old will also need to have one. When a pet is in unfamiliar surroundings, there is a chance that they may become spooked and bolt, so you need to ensure that they can be returned to you as quickly as possible when they are found. Make sure that they have a microchip fitted and check that all of your contact details are up to date so that you can be reached.
You might scroll through your phone or read a newspaper on a long journey, and you would almost certainly bring things for your kids to do in the car, so why not do the same for your pet? Animals can become particularly bored on a long journey, and this can lead to them being restless and difficult to manage so bring along a favourite blanket or toy, as long as it is something that won’t get them too excited but helps them to pass the time.
If you’re interested in supplying your furry friends with high quality pet beds to ensure their comf0rt during travelling, you can view our range of products today. If you have any further question or acquire any assistance with any of our other products, please contact us.
