Keep Your Pet Safe in the Car

Pet Safety Travel Tips

When you travel with your pet, whether it's across the country or just around the corner, it's easy to overlook your pet's safety. Letting your canine or feline family members simply jump into the back seat is dangerous for them and for you.

Follow these tips to keep your pets safe in the car.

General Safety Tips for Dogs and Cats

Make car trips safer for your pets by following these simple travel tips.

• Secure your pet with a harness or a strapped in kennel.
• Gently accustom your pets to the car by taking them with you on short trips before you spring a long road trip on them.
• Of your trip, bring vaccination and health records. Depending on specific guidelines, you may need to get these records 10 days before you travel.
• Attach your destination information to your pet's collar and bring pictures of your pet in case you are separated.
• Always leash your pets before you let them out of the car. They may dash into traffic if they are unleashed.
• Take familiar items like toys or blankets with you if you're traveling for a long period of time.
• Speak to your pet in a soothing, reassuring manner if they seem upset.
• Be prepared to make frequent stops to allow your pet to walk and stretch on long trips.
• Make sure your pet is welcome at your destination.
• Try to keep your pet's food and restroom schedule as normal as possible, or start a travel feeding schedule ahead of time. Do not feed your pet while the car is moving.
• Bring a pet first-aid kit with you. The kit should contain emergency vet contact information, bandages, prescribed medication, etc.
• Be aware of regional hazards such as ticks, mosquitoes and fleas — pets are very susceptible to these pests. Bring treatments along if advance preventive care is not available.
• Never leave your pet unattended in the car. During warmer weather, cracking windows may not be enough to prevent your pet from suffering heatstroke, and it can take relatively little time for a pet's temperature to rise to a fatal 107 degrees. Keeping a normal demeanor helps you stay in control of the situation.
  

Dog Safety Tips

Dogs tend to be more willing to ride in the car than cats, so take advantage of their enthusiasm
while keeping their overall safety in mind.

• Use a pet harness specifically made for dogs. These harnesses protect their chest area in sudden impacts or stops. Do not treat your pet like a human by strapping him into the car seat belt. These belts are engineered for people, not canines.
• Never let your pet ride in your lap or unsecured in a seat. If an accident happens, they become deadly, free-flying objects.
• Keep your dog's head inside the car. At high speeds, a dog's eyes and nose could be damaged by objects whizzing past the car.
• Bring supplies like plastic bags and water bowls so you don't leave a mess behind, or in your car.
• Keep your dog in the back seat, away from air bags. If an air bag deploys, it could seriously harm or kill your dog due to its child-like size and fragility.
  

Cat Safety Tips

Cats tend to be terrified of car trips, so it may take some coaxing to get them in the car and keep
them safe.

• Do not let your cat ride in your lap, even if it helps provide comfort. If an impact occurs, cats can become deadly, free-flying objects. Cats also may try to crawl behind the pedals when they're nervous, which could cause an accident or injuries to both you and your cat.
• Keep your cat in a padded kennel that is secured by a seat belt. Cats tend to feel more comfortable in a kennel than out in the open. The kennel padding will provide a cushion against sudden stops or jolts.
• Keep travel as smooth as possible. Drape a towel over the kennel (without obstructing air flow), minimize sudden stopping or acceleration and keep a calm atmosphere in the car.