Runnin’ With the Pack
Every day is a new adventure for GoTravelDog.com and our pack. And on each journey, we pick up new tips for making pet travel easier and safer.
Before you travel, keep in mind the following important travel tips:
Prepare your pet and your vehicle for your trip.
Make sure your pet’s vaccinations, flea and tick, and heartworm protection are current before you leave. Bring hard and electronic vaccination documentation with you.
Pack food, treats, fresh drinking water, bowls, extra collars and leashes, plastic bags, vitamins and supplements, medications, a first aid kit, plenty of dog towels, and natural, plant-based cleaners for inevitable spills.
Make sure your pet has a safe, secure place to ride. Designate and secure that area of your vehicle, optimally where you or other traveler can see or touch him.
Make sure your pet has current tags and is micro chipped. Carry photos of the pets you are traveling with.
Sickness and Emergency Health Care Preparedness. Nobody likes to be sick when we’re on the road, but it happens to the best of us. Be prepared while traveling with your pet. Here are some tools that we’ve used that can help you help your dog if they get to feeling ‘ruff.
Pack a comprehensive first aid kit, including bandages, medical tape, antiseptic, antibacterial ointment, scissors, tweezers, anti-diarrhea medication, acid reducer, antihistamine medicine, aspirin, and anti-nausea medication. Pack lots of clean towels and a clean sheet along with your first aid kit.
Take along your pet’s medical records. Scan them into a small, portable USB drive or cloud file that’s easily accessible. Ditto your veterinarians’ contact information, including name, address, email, phone and fax.
Use the Travel Dog Network Road Trip Planner (coming soon) to map your route and locate pack-approved veterinarians along the way. Our comprehensive listings will help you find the closest care possible, even if you’re in unfamiliar territory.
Breed-Specific Laws vary greatly by community, and it helps to be aware of the laws for each place you plan to stay, or even pass through, when traveling with your dog. Some laws even restrict mixes of any of the targeted breeds, as well as dogs that look like the targeted breeds, so it is best to do your research in advance. Some jurisdictions require restricted breeds to be muzzled when in public; others require owners to carry liability insurance. Places like Denver, CO and the entire province of Ontario, Canada actually ban certain breeds from being within their boundaries entirely. Penalties for non-compliance include fines, jail, even confiscation and euthanasia of the dog.
Several rules of thumb to follow:
Call the local animal control office to get the most current info on restrictions and requirements.
Carry DNA results from your vet proving your dog’s breed lineage.
Check websites frequently. These laws change frequently.
Plan for the unexpected and bring muzzle, leash and proof of insurance with you, just in case.
Worst Case Scenario if you inadvertently violate a breed-specific law, do your best to comply with the jurisdiction’s requirements, even if that includes turning tail and leaving immediately!